Holmes and Edmonds poised to sign

[Evie]

Top Brumbies win has players wanting to stay, sign
Peter Fitzgerald

THE ACT Brumbies are poised to replace retiring scrumhalf George Gregan with NSW Waratahs back-up Josh Holmes.

They've also got their sights on former Canberra Vikings forward Huia Edmonds to replace hooker Jeremy Paul.

The Canberra Sunday Times can reveal Brumbies coaching staff have held discussions with Holmes in Sydney and hope to sign him soon after returning from their three-week African tour, which begins today.

Chief executive Andrew Fagan confirmed yesterday 20-year-old Holmes and 25-year-old Edmonds were on the top of the club's recruitment-target list, as in a season it will lose Gregan, Paul and flyhalf Stephen Larkham to retirement.

"Josh is a very talented footballer and Huia, he's very interested in the opportunities here at the Brumbies in 2008," Fagan said. "We've been doing a lot of talking, both with trying to extend incumbent players' contracts and appeal to players we think would fit the Brumbies mould, in the past month or more." Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher and assistant Matt O'Connor met with Holmes in Sydney two weeks ago.

Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie has favoured Josh Valentine and Brett Sheehan over Holmes this season, further enticing the youngster to consider a switch to Canberra next season.

Of Holmes, Fagan said, "He's definitely interested in progressing discussions.

"I think he's getting a bit frustrated at the lack of footy he's getting at the moment, to which will probably play in our favour. He's a Wallaby top-up player so he's certainly got the ability." Fisher is also a Holmes fan and hoped to firstly re-sign Gregan's immediate back-up No9 Patrick Phibbs then go as hard as necessary to secure Holmes.

The Brumbies are yet to finalise deals with Phibbs or fellow scrumhalf Luke Burgess for 2008.

Edmonds, who plays for the Cape Town Stormers, is a mobile hooker/No8and Fagan remained confident of finalising a deal with him within a month.

Fagan has been busy negotiating with players who have top-up contracts with the ARU.

Fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper, wingers Mark Gerrard and Clyde Rathbone and lock Mark Chisholm have all had discussions with club management and are likely to re-sign. Fagan hoped to initiate talks with Daniel Heenan, Guy Shepherdson and Phibbs in the coming weeks.

Speculation rose last week that Chisholm was considering options to play overseas next season but Fagan had no doubt the Wallaby would remain in Canberra in 2008.

The Canberra Times