ARU denies injury-hit Force Staniforth lifeline

[RugbyReg]

waste of a signing for mine. A signing for signing sake.

What they need is a quality flyhalf. Or just an experienced one.

Why waste money on another almost over the hill player?

I predict he'll be injured again

 

[Epi]

Can he play fullback? That would sort the problem.

 

[waratahjesus]

why is it that everyone assumes JOC (James O'Connor) at I0 will solve anything, he makes jinking runs in broken play, why move him to bigger and closer defence were that part of his game will be non existant, he is a I5 or I2 or an impact utility off the bench, starting him at I0 would do nothing to help them be competiive.

 

[Epi]

why is it that everyone assumes JOC (James O'Connor) at I0 will solve anything, he makes jinking runs in broken play, why move him to bigger and closer defence were that part of his game will be non existant, he is a I5 or I2 or an impact utility off the bench, starting him at I0 would do nothing to help them be competiive.

Forget the number on his back, he's basically playing 10 so far tonight and it is helping them be competitive (so far..)

You can't see how being able to kick and pass could be advantageous in the fly half position? Two skills which Sam Harris unfortunately doesn't have in spades...

 

[waratahjesus]

why is it that everyone assumes JOC (James O'Connor) at I0 will solve anything, he makes jinking runs in broken play, why move him to bigger and closer defence were that part of his game will be non existant, he is a I5 or I2 or an impact utility off the bench, starting him at I0 would do nothing to help them be competiive.

Forget the number on his back, he's basically playing 10 so far tonight and it is helping them be competitive (so far..)

You can't see how being able to kick and pass could be advantageous in the fly half position? Two skills which Sam Harris unfortunately doesn't have in spades...

i get your point, but if you move him closer to the action were he isnt going to get the space to run, who is he going to link with and with brown and pocock out, what space is he going to have to catch pass and kick wiih?

 

[barbarian]

Force have signed David Hill and Staniforth. Pretty good stopgap measures I think, won't exactly catapult them up the ladder though. It will hopefully stop the floggings though.

The Western Force have snared former All Blacks playmaker David Hill as a replacement for injured signing Andre Pretorius.

And they have re-signed 2006 player-of-the-year Scott Staniforth on a short-term contract to help ease the injury crisis.

The Force have been in delicate negotiations with Hill and his Japanese club Toshiba for the past week since the Australian Rugby Union gave them dispensation to recruit another overseas player.

They have been desperate to fill the fly-half role after Pretorius was ruled out for the season and back-up Mark Bartholomeusz injured his back.

Stand-in pivot Sam Harris has been far from successful at No. 10 and Hill will ease the burden on teenager James O'Connor, who was used in a dual role as full-back in defence and playmaker on attack in the 47-22 loss to the Hurricanes on Saturday.

Hill will return to Japan at the end of the season and Staniforth has signed initially for four games while players such as Cameron Shepherd recover from injury.

Speaking from Japan last night, Hill said the past two weeks had been "pretty crazy" since receiving a phone call from Force head coach John Mitchell.

"It's been an interesting couple of weeks," Hill said. "Pretty crazy.

"It's a unique situation for me and a real challenge but I'm looking forward to it.

"I'm hoping to get to Perth by Wednesday or Thursday at the latest, as soon as I can arrange my flights."

Hill, 31, last year's Japanese player of the year, is already well known to Mitchell, who coached him with the All Blacks and at Waikato, where he played until 2006.

He could make his Force debut against the Chiefs at ME Bank Stadium on Saturday.

Hill played his early rugby at full-back for Marlborough and Southland and joined Waikato in 2001. He made the All Blacks on that year's tour of Ireland, Scotland and Argentina.

He played the midweek games against Ireland A and Scotland A, and made a surprise return to the NZ squad in 2006, coming on as a substitute against Ireland. He also played in the Junior All Blacks and NZ Maori.

 

[zombi]

Force have signed David Hill and Staniforth. Pretty good stopgap measures I think, won't exactly catapult them up the ladder though.

Actually, it will! Now we have Stani who can Spanners who can defend at the back along with DHP, and O'Connor can move back into 12. With Cummins back in round 5 (due back in 4 but that's a bye) I have no doubt we will put 50 on every team, maybe 70 on the 'tahs.

 

[farva]

Force have signed David Hill and Staniforth. Pretty good stopgap measures I think, won't exactly catapult them up the ladder though.

Actually, it will! Now we have Stani who can Spanners who can defend at the back along with DHP, and O'Connor can move back into 12. With Cummins back in round 5 (due back in 4 but that's a bye) I have no doubt we will put 50 on every team, maybe 70 on the 'tahs.

Reds will be the only team that might challenge us

I think this is a great signing. If Spanner is thrown in at 12, his defensive experience will pay dividends, and the young players like JOC (James O'Connor) and DHP can learn off an centres and halfs combo.
With Cummins, Shep and Bart back in the next few weeks, the Force backline will begin to look very good.

Just no-one else get injured :'(

 

[Ash]

It will take the Force a few weeks to adjust with Hill and Staniforth in, but they will be better for it. Hopefully Hill is still up to the S14 level. Although we wasn't the best 5/8 around, he went OK at S14 for the Chiefs...normally. Hill did look best in his limited time at 12, though.

What will the Force do then? I wouldn't be surprised if Hill comes into 10, Tatupu stays at 12 and Staniforth takes a wing spot, leaving J'OC at 15 and DHP at 14. Harris will ride the pine, and Cross should return to 13. Not probably what I'd do, as I'd think about Hill at 10 and Staniforth at 12. But two new inside backs at 10 and 12 with only a week to get to learn each other's game, and well as combine with the other backs? Not a great scenario. Plus Tatupu went OK for them in the last game, but I tend to think of him a little one dimensional.

 

[Ash]

Plus Staniforth is only signed for 4 or so games, yes? If so, then I'd leave him on the wing and try to get Hill to forge a combination with Tatupu, Harris or Bartholomuesz (when he returns, either can be at 10/12).