Battered Force search for playmakerThe West Australian
February 15, 2010, 7:25 am
The West Australian ©
The Western Force have begun a worldwide search for a new playmaker after being given dispensation to recruit a new marquee player to replace injured former Springbok Andre Pretorius.
And 2006 Force player of the year Scott Staniforth is back in Perth from Japan and may be re-signed to replace the injured Cameron Shepherd.
The club has already spoken with former Force foundation member James Hilgendorf.
The 27-year-old fly-half spent three years with the Force before moving to Japanese club Kobe and would be keen to return to Perth as Pretorius takes up a contract with Kobe next season.
Hilgendorf, who spent his last season on the Force injury list, made 15 appearances in his first two seasons.
He is best known for being on the end of a tackle by Blue Rua Tipoki in 2006 that left him with a fractured eye socket and almost ended his career.
Another ex-Force foundation member, Scott Daruda, 24, who recently quit Agen in France because of lack of game time and homesickness, is not on the Force radar.
The Force received permission from the ARU's high performance manager, David Nucifora, to recruit another overseas Test player because Pretorius is out for the season after tearing his left hamstring from the bone.
ARU rules allow a club to recruit one overseas marquee player and a development player who would become available for Wallabies selection.
"The ARU has given us the OK to go for another overseas player, replacing like with like," Force rugby manager Mitch Hardy said.
"They were very reasonable in discussions. We have spoken with several players and hope to hear back from them soon."
He said any recruit would not be available for Saturday's clash with the Hurricanes in Wellington, but he was hopeful of having a player signed for the round-three clash against the Waikato Chiefs at ME Bank Stadium.
"It would be a very long shot to have a new player available for Saturday, but we'll find a solution for that game," Hardy said.
The loss of Pretorius and a neck injury to second-string fly-half Mark Bartholomeusz that is likely to rule him out for a month, forced the experiment of playing centre Sam Harris in the playmaker's role in the 24-15 loss to the ACT Brumbies on Friday night.
To add the their woes, No. 8 Richard Brown may need a right shoulder reconstruction after dislocating it against the Brumbies.
Shepherd looks like being out for at least a month with a hip injury, prop Matt Dunning suffered mild concussion and winger Haig Sare, a late inclusion in Friday's line-up, is still being treated for an Achilles problem.
