From Silverfern - another rumour

[Virgil]

Finding a decent back up number 7 is one of the priorities of this years EOYT. With 5 tests plus a midweek game against Munster, im sure Richie wont be playing them all. Not too mention hes been lined up to play in the Barb's game as well.

 

[RugbyReg]

The reds having been saying recruitung a quality 7 has been their priority since Croft retired. When the ARU changed the rules to allow foreign players, they just expanded the search.

 

[Spook]

Rugby: Reds trying to lure Braid to Queensland
4:00AM Sunday Oct 05, 2008
By Gregor Paul

The Queensland Reds are trying to sign Daniel Braid as their marquee player in a deal that would also allow the All Black flanker to head to Europe or Japan after next year's Super 14.

A relaxation of the eligibility laws last month has allowed the Australian sides to contract one overseas marquee player and the Reds are in need of an established openside following the retirement of the long-serving David Croft earlier this year.

With Australia's two best flankers, George Smith and Richard Brown, signed to long terms contracts at the Brumbies and Force, the Reds felt they had to look offshore to find a No 7.

Reds rugby performance manager Ben Whitaker, said: "We have a definite need at openside flanker. After Crofty [Croft] retired in May we knew pretty quickly that there was no one in Australia who could take on the starting position.

"Our option would have been to graduate one of the young kids which would have been fine.

"But now we can look offshore and bring someone in. Some of our guys in Australia are very well looked after and are well paid. Then there is the lifestyle opportunity to consider."

Braid is off contract at the end of this year and after eight seasons of hard toil with Auckland and the Blues, he is ready for a new challenge.

The Reds are prepared to offer him a deal where he will be paid top dollars as a marquee player to be available between the end of this year's provincial championship until June next year.

He would then be free to join either a European or Japanese club, allowing him to earn a serious amount of money in 12 months.

Whitaker said: "We are prepared to be flexible in certain cases. This has created great opportunity for the players and there are absolutely no worries about the numbers of good young players coming through the Australian system."

The Reds, then, are looking to use the marquee option to bring in a player such as Braid as a stopgap. It's likely that by 2010, one of the younger opensides in the Reds academy programme will be ready for Super 14.

Or it might be that some openside flankers at other Australian provinces mature quickly over the next 12 months and come off contract.

The really intriguing move could be at the Blues if Braid does agree to join the Reds. That would leave the Blues with the hugely promising Onosai Auva'a who has impressed this season, but no back-up.

Now that Tanerau Latimer has extended his contract at the Bay of Plenty, Braid's younger brother Luke, who has been nominated for the IRB's junior player of the year award, could be thinking about leaving the Steamers.

His game time at the Bay will be limited with Latimer around and the Blues might well replace Daniel with Luke.

 

[RugbyReg]

Our top flankers are Smith and Brown? No Waugh or Pocock?

 

[Lee Grant]

Our top flankers are Smith and Brown? No Waugh or Pocock?

Gregor Paul wrote it. End of.

Finding a decent back up number 7 is one of the priorities of this years EOYT. With 5 tests plus a midweek game against Munster, im sure Richie wont be playing them all. Not too mention hes been lined up to play in the Barb's game as well.

Right there Virgil - who do you think will be be the long term back up, not counting Braid? Or will they have to consider an all-rounder of the Masoe type because there's not a lot of fetcher talent?

Incidentally, Munster won't be playing their ML team against the Blacks. Most of their 1sts players, apart from foreigners Mafi, Tipoki, Howlett and Melck, are candidates for the Ireland squad for the autumn internationals and will be in camp. It will be very much a 2nd XV methinks.

This will be a pity because against Leinster the Munster 1st XV played a test match type of game that would have been a good, well, test, for the Blacks.

 

[Virgil]

Our top flankers are Smith and Brown? No Waugh or Pocock?

Gregor Paul wrote it. End of.

Finding a decent back up number 7 is one of the priorities of this years EOYT. With 5 tests plus a midweek game against Munster, im sure Richie wont be playing them all. Not too mention hes been lined up to play in the Barb's game as well.

Right there Virgil - who do you think will be be the long term back up, not counting Braid? Or will they have to consider an all-rounder of the Masoe type because there's not a lot of fetcher talent?

Incidentally, Munster won't be playing their ML team against the Blacks. Most of their 1sts players, apart from foreigners Mafi, Tipoki, Howlett and Melck, are candidates for the Ireland squad for the autumn internationals and will be in camp. It will be very much a 2nd XV methinks.

This will be a pity because against Leinster the Munster 1st XV played a test match type of game that would have been a good, well, test, for the Blacks.

LG i think from the sound of it they want a genuine number 7. In Thomson and Rodney they have in theory back up who can cover multiple loose forward spots. We might get away playing either those 2 at 7 against the likes of Italy and Scotland, but not England or Wales. At this stage theres no one that fits the bill, maybe Latimer. Certainly a few up and comers there.

In hindsight maybe Braid should have had more of a go over the past couple years.

 

[spectator]

Looks like it is official!

http://qru.com.au/qru/qru.rugby/page/66841

 

[Scotty]

that was exactly my point. Can see Braids experience will be good for a young reds outfit, but as per TOCCs comment, surprised a 7 is our first import considering some of the holes we got elsewhere.

7 is the biggest hole for the Reds.

 

[Scotty]

Sorry, thanks to the link from spectator - 7 was the biggest hole for the Reds.

That is a fantastic signing for us, and should help to really lift the whole squad.

 

[Jury]

Braid is a good addition. I'll be sorry to see him go. He's been a great servant of Blues and NZ Rugby. Stayed around to make the ABs again when he could have buggered off for a good retirement package somewhere up North or in Japan. Good luck to him with the Reds - even though I'm sad to see him go.

 

[RugbyReg]

Nuci is great mates with Mooney and, obviously, coached Braid at the Blues. My concerns for his (Braid's) approach to this should be allayed by that. Nuci would have got us someone very proffesional.

 

[Pfitzy]

And with a two-year deal here he still has time to get his retirement fund happening in Japan. Another two years playing top-flight football should not diminish his reputation one bit. Especially as he could stand out for the Reds just like Croft did.

 

[TOCC]

its a one year contract with the option for a second, IMO the only chance he has of taking up the second year is if the NZRU make the selection rules a bit more flexible and he gets selected for the All Blacks, alternatively if the QRU lets him head to Europe straight after the S14 season for a short sabatical it might help him stay as well.

My money is though that he will player the 2009 S14 season and head to the NH for his retirement fund.