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Waratahs in talks with James Haskell, Mike Phillips and Dwayne Peel

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T

TOCC

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AN invasion of British rugby stars could be on the cards a year ahead of the 2013 Lions tour of Australia, with at least three Test players keen to follow Danny Cipriani and play Super Rugby next year.

In a reversal of a feared post-World Cup exodus to the north, The Daily Telegraph can reveal the Waratahs are in talks with England back-rower James Haskell and top Welsh halfbacks Mike Phillips and Dwayne Peel about playing in sky blue in 2012.

And NSW are not alone, with Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie saying the flow of high-profile CVs from UK and France had "definitely increased" and at least one leading player agent approached to source deals in Australia.

With Luke Burgess joining Toulouse next year, NSW are talking with Phillips and Peel about one filling the vacant No. 9 jersey.

Both Welshmen have toured with the British and Irish Lions - Peel in 2005 and Phillips in 2009 - and are accomplished Test players. Peel holds the record for most Wales caps for a halfback (76) and Phillips has played 51 Tests.

Phillips was recently granted permission to leave a long-term contract with Ospreys and was also in talks with Toulouse.

Haskell is the current No. 7 for England but with Phil Waugh expected to play on next year for NSW, the 114kg forward is wanted as a No. 6 or No. 8 - roles he currently fills for Stade Francais.

With new RFU rules stating only UK-based players will be picked for England after 2012, Haskell is keen to explore Super Rugby.

The 26-year-old, 33-cap England flanker is well-paid by his Paris club and, like Phillips and Peel, will need to take a pay cut to join the Waratahs.

It's understood even with money freed up by Kurtley Beale's departure, NSW have made it clear they can't match $400,000 pay cheques the trio could earn in the UK.

The heightened British interest in playing in the southern hemisphere has arisen due to several factors.

UK sources say the success of Cipriani, Michael Lipman and Welsh No. 8 Gareth Delve at the Rebels has been noted by players. The allure was highlighted by the recent Crusaders-Sharks blockbuster in London.

With the strengthening Australian dollar and contracting salaries in the UK, wages are now more comparable when Super Rugby's shorter season is also factored in.

Thirdly, a World Cup year is seen as the best time to switch, with no November Test match caps to forfeit.

All Australian sides are able to recruit two foreign players, although Melbourne can sign 10. Foreign players are also attractive under the new salary cap rules, with their wages only put in the cap at a flat, average rate of $147,000, regardless of what they're paid.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-and-dwayne-peel/story-e6frey4i-1226043120034
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B

Bradley

Guest
McKibben and Holmes will be choking on their corn flakes this morning.
 
Gooch

Gooch

Fred Wood (13)
All Australian sides are able to recruit two foreign players, although Melbourne can sign 10. Foreign players are also attractive under the new salary cap rules, with their wages only put in the cap at a flat, average rate of $147,000, regardless of what they're paid.
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I thought Aust teams could only get 1 foreigner not able to qualify for the Wallabies. Has this changed or just left out?
 
M

Maroon Army

Guest
I thought it was one foreign player not availible for the Wallabies and one foreign development player.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
might be just casting a wider net to try and filter out who's genuinely interested and who's not.
 
Bruce Ross

Bruce Ross

Ken Catchpole (46)
“Oh, when will they ever learn?
"Oh, when will they ever learn?”

The Dills of Driver Avenue have not disappointed. Yet again they are headed in exactly the wrong direction. Paying truckloads for Leaguies; drafting Dud from Durban; bringing in Nevilles from New Zealand; now they’re going for Poms on working holidays. Brilliant!

The Rebels had to rely on imports from overseas to get started, and for the foreseeable future they together with the Force will have to basically rely on blow-ins from Sydney and Brisbane. To a lesser extent so will the Brumbies. But the Waratahs – and the Reds – are more than capable of growing their own.

A far-sighted New South Wales administration – yes, I know it’s an oxymoron – would declare and stick to a policy of only recruiting players who had been developed through the schools and clubs in this state. It mightn’t be a short term fix but it would pay off massively over time. This state produces the majority of Australian professional players so there is a more than sufficient pool of talent to draw from.

And it would begin to develop tribalism, the real missing ingredient in NSW rugby – or NSW sport for that matter. As supporters we aren’t really passionate in the way that those in the lesser states are. People often develop their real interest in a team because there’s a young bloke playing who grew up in their suburb or town or who went to their old school.

How many extra fans are we going to attract because Mike Phillips or Dwayne Peel is playing as distinct from Luke Burgess who grew up in Maitland, went to Joeys, and has links to two Sydney Clubs.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
BR, I agree, why NSW or QLD(in there current states) would need to buy a foreign marquee player bewilders me, it shows a complete disregard to those juniors and players slogging it out at the levels below..

Say NSW signs one of these players, they potentially are going to lose another player, there is shortage of demand in the player market these days, so they benefit for one season but are hindered for the future due to player X signing with one of the other states and not returning.

In addition, the fact that NSW intend pay for the value of one of these players in the current economic climate is a joke.
 
Moses

Moses

Simon Poidevin (60)
Staff member
If we've got the shopping list out, how about someone who can kick goals from anywhere. Far too many games are dropped by points going either side of the sticks.
Morne Steyn, Patrick Lambie or that Irish block Adam D'Arcy would be rather nice.

Sully said:
Lesser states? Which states are you talking about Bruce?
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Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, and New Zealand.
 
Aussie D

Aussie D

Desmond Connor (43)
back on topic.... If the 'tahs are in talks with these three players is it safe to assume that they have come to a decision of some sort as to who will be the coach next year? Surely they wouldn't be chasing signatures without knowing who will be head coach (although it is the Waratahs).
 
T

TOCC

Guest
^^ NSWRU making crazy decisions in regards to coaches and player recruitment/retention!?!?!?

Surely that would never happen!
 
AussieDominance

AussieDominance

Trevor Allan (34)
QLD become reasonable for two years and the above happens. NSWRU has a far better track record over the last 10 years than the QRU.
 
fatprop

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Aussie D said:
back on topic.... If the 'tahs are in talks with these three players is it safe to assume that they have come to a decision of some sort as to who will be the coach next year? Surely they wouldn't be chasing signatures without knowing who will be head coach (although it is the Waratahs).
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I think they know exactly who will be coach next year.

As for the chasing, I wonder about the veracity of this stuff, I doubt the Tahs could afford these guys.

I do think the back up 7s haven't shown much so far and the Tahs need to invest in a long term replacement; but 9? McKibbin is damn good, but quite different from Burgess. What we lose in running and defence we gain with a sweet accurate long pass and solid, effective kicking game from the base.
 
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