Wednesday’s rugby news has Dean Mumm ruled out of the finals, McKibbin to tryout for Scotland, Toulon sign more stars and Sam Cane re-signs with the Chiefs.
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Mumm Ruled Out of Finals
Dean Mumm has been ruled out of the Super Rugby Finals series due to a SANZAR technicality.
To be eligible for the finals a player must play at least four Super Rugby matches during the season whilst Mumm has only played three since returning from English club Exeter.
“He’s obviously done well for us and I’d like to have him in the finals series from the Waratahs’ point of view because I’ve got two locks [Sam Lousi and Jed Holloway] who are missing for the rest of the season but I still couldn’t get him qualified through that rule,” said Waratahs coach Michael Cheika.
“So it’s a shame, and it’s a shame for him because those couple of games in the finals series could have made a difference for him.
“After a certain time you’ve got to get a certain dispensation, we asked [SANZAR] about it and were told ‘No’, so they’re the rules.”
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McKibbin Could Play for Scotland
Waratahs halfback Brendan McKibbin will join English Premiership club London Irish in the coming weeks in the hope to gain selection for the Scotish national team.
McKibbin was born in Scotland and moved to Australia when he was three years old still remains eligible to play for them.
McKibbin indicated he would accept the opportunity to play for Scotland but is solely focused on the Waratahs at the moment.
“I’m solely focused on the Waratahs and Waratahs rugby so I haven’t thought about it,” McKibbin said.
“It’s always hard from a Saturday evening to a Monday morning when you don’t get many minutes.
“I can’t kick stones and think about that too much during the week, because I’ll just miss the details and that’s not my personality.”
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Toulon Sign More Stars
French club Toulon have announced the signings of Irish captain Paul O’Connell, South African backrower Duane Vermeulen and England prop Matt Stevens.
The club’s president Mourad Boudjellal said O’Connell “really wanted to finish his career the way Jonny Wilkinson did”.
Vermeulen has signed a three year deal with the club and will remain eligible for Springbok selection.
The trio join other players such as Ma’a Nonu, Samu Manoa and possibly Australia internationals Quade Cooper and James O’Connor for the 2015/2016 season.
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Cane Re-signs
All Black Sam Cane has re-signed with the Chiefs and New Zealand Rugby for a further two years.
Cane, 23, rejected overseas offers to pursue the All Blacks number 7 jersey which will most likely become be up for grabs after Richie McCaw moves on at the end of this year.
“To achieve some of those I can’t be playing elsewhere, and that was a pretty simple decision for me in the end,” Cane said.
“Obviously the black jersey’s something that’s a real goal. And it’s no secret that this could potentially be Richie’s last year, and it’ll be all on between me and a few other sevens to try and lock down that jersey for 2016 going forward. So that’s a real focus, and then to be able to string some tests together and be a starting All Black, and playing well, that’s something that I aspire to as well.”
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