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Chilla Wilson (44)
From Foxsports.
Former Wallabies utility forward Daniel Heenan almost certainly will be offered an Australian Rugby Union top-up to entice him to return to Australia from Japan next year.
Heenan, the former Queensland Reds and Brumbies blindside flanker and second-rower, has spent the past three years playing for Sanyo in Japan after a cruel series of injuries restricted his Wallabies career to just two Tests in 2006.
The 28-year-old's contract with Sanyo ends next February which means he might miss one or two Super 15 matches next season, depending on whether his side figure in the Japanese finals as they did this year.
But after that, he is determined to return to Australia to bid for a place in his first World Cup squad.
"I wouldn't be coming home if I didn't think I could make the World Cup team," Heenan said.
"I haven't received any offers yet. I'm mainly waiting to see if it is possible, from an ARU perspective."
But an ARU spokesman said that as long as Heenan was out of contract with an overseas club, he would be free to play with any Australian franchise.
Indeed, such is the dearth of second-rowers in Australia at present, with Dan Vickerman at long odds to figure in the World Cup because of his ongoing studies at Cambridge and James Horwill out for the season following a knee reconstruction, Heenan almost certainly will be offered an ARU top-up
Former Wallabies utility forward Daniel Heenan almost certainly will be offered an Australian Rugby Union top-up to entice him to return to Australia from Japan next year.
Heenan, the former Queensland Reds and Brumbies blindside flanker and second-rower, has spent the past three years playing for Sanyo in Japan after a cruel series of injuries restricted his Wallabies career to just two Tests in 2006.
The 28-year-old's contract with Sanyo ends next February which means he might miss one or two Super 15 matches next season, depending on whether his side figure in the Japanese finals as they did this year.
But after that, he is determined to return to Australia to bid for a place in his first World Cup squad.
"I wouldn't be coming home if I didn't think I could make the World Cup team," Heenan said.
"I haven't received any offers yet. I'm mainly waiting to see if it is possible, from an ARU perspective."
But an ARU spokesman said that as long as Heenan was out of contract with an overseas club, he would be free to play with any Australian franchise.
Indeed, such is the dearth of second-rowers in Australia at present, with Dan Vickerman at long odds to figure in the World Cup because of his ongoing studies at Cambridge and James Horwill out for the season following a knee reconstruction, Heenan almost certainly will be offered an ARU top-up
