May the Force be without you: Tahs declare star wars
Greg Growden
Waratahs and Western Force officials were once very close. But there has been a lover's tiff and the relationship has soured, to the extent NSW officials have advised some Sydney clubs to discourage their star players from heading to the Force. But the managers of the concerned players have vastly different ideas. The Force are also unhappy with the Waratahs over a player release. Maybe it's a coincidence but Force coach Richard Graham was very pointed about the Waratahs after their recent match - he revealed how the Force tried to get the NSW fans to boo their own team by forcing them to kick relentlessly. These comments prompted a frenzied response from NSW skipper Phil Waugh. There are also concerns at Moore Park that junior funding could be cut dramatically as a result of a drop in Waratahs revenue, partly caused by a slump in home crowds.
CLUB SANDWICH
Fun and games in club rugby last Saturday. First, back-up Waratahs halfback Brendan McKibbin was allowed to play only the first half for Easts because of concerns at NSW level he risked getting injured. Then, when McKibbin came off, Warringah coach Sam Harris received a phone call from the Waratahs saying that his halfback and captain, Josh Holmes, was no longer prevented from playing. By that stage Warringah were behind 26-13 against Wests at Concord Oval, and went on to lose by 11 points. Holmes, a Waratahs squad member, wasn't too impressed. ''It was pointless how it all happened, starting on the bench,'' Holmes told the Manly Daily. ''Nothing eventuated from it. It was just stuffing the team around, stuffing me around, which is disappointing.''
BE A VOTE TAH
We're close to a winner in the Tah Man companion competition. The Waratahs have picked four finalists - Tah Zan, Tah Zilla, Sis Tah and Wara Car. And now we want you to select the winner. Head to the Rugby Heaven website where you will find a special poll on the home page. You have a week to vote. Vote early. Vote often.
WAX HEAD
Waratahs winger Lachie Turner has a confession. He reveals in tomorrow night's Waratahs-Lions match program that: ''When my hair gets really long and starts to get in my eyes during the game I like to use wax to keep it out … Believe me when the high ball goes up and there's hair everywhere it's not good.'' Also, future Waratah Adam Ashley-Cooper explains in the latest issue of Inside Rugby magazine that he impressed his father most when his name appeared on a beer bottle top as the answer to a trivia question. ''The old man's never been prouder,'' Ashley-Cooper said. ''He's still got the bottle top at home, and he always says to me: 'You know you've made it when you're on the bottom of a Tooheys New bottle cap.''' And another former Waratah - Alan Milne, a close friend of the late Trevor Allan, who played four matches at fullback for NSW in 1948, has passed on.
MEXTED MAGIC
The legendary mouth of rugby union, Murray Mexted, has not been heard on the Super Rugby telecasts for a while. But he recently bobbed up on the New Zealand show Reunion, and was quickly into his stride. When probed about the Cheetahs, Mexted said: ''Yeah, something's going on up there in Bloemfontein. It's a little wild place, and I reckon some scoring is going on off the field as well. They're playing … uh, they've cut loose haven't they? With gay abandon, as an expression.'' No, we've got no idea what he's on about.
THE RUMOURS
❏ A former Wallaby should have a close look at his Google images page. It includes a very revealing photo.
❏ Two NSW officials in Centennial Park this week having a private meeting nabbed by Sydney Swans identities and a former Sydney club president who was on a ''power walk''. The week before, the pair were sighted at the CBD restaurant Machiavelli. Apt spot.
❏ Drama at the newly formed Sydney Rugby Union, including threatened resignations over a player moving from one beachside club to another.
❏ Major concerns at an Australian province over player complaints that an official is getting far too ''pally'' with them.
❏ Matt Williams's name has bobbed up at Waratahland. What next? Peter de Villiers the Waratahs coach next year? And Rocky Elsom hovering closer to joining the Waratahs.
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