Friday’s rugby news has Michael Cheika fighting against European clubs, Melbourne Rebels sign Marika Koroibete, Tom Staniforth re-signs with the Brumbies and Drew Mitchell injured.
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Cheika Against Euro Clubs
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has called for an alliance between Rugby Union and Rugby League to help fight European Clubs poaching players.
A new TV rights deal for the English Premiership in 2018, increased RFU funding and a possible rise in the salary cap from $A14 million to over $A20 million will see more players being lured to Europe.
“You look at Wasps,” Cheika said.
“They signed Kurtley, they brought back Danny Cipriani, they’re talking about Leigh Halfpenny, now they’re talking about Sonny Bill Williams, there’s Willie LeRoux.
“They’re going to be like (EPL side) Manchester City. They’ll have blokes who have played 50 caps for their country on the bench. If they can, good on them. That’s the international marketplace. We are not going to cry.
“What we have to do is be creative … without recruitment strategies and retention strategies. The cold hard facts are, for the foreseeable future, we are never going to be able to match these teams for money. Never. It is just the nature of the beast.
“I would say ourselves and league are probably together in the battle against Europe, in terms of keeping players, to be honest. Their players are getting targeted now, too.”
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Rebels Sign Koroibete
The Melbourne Rebels have signed Melbourne Storm winger Marika Koroibete on a two year deal from 2017.
“It was a very hard decision to make to leave Storm, but it’s a great opportunity for my young family here in Melbourne and my family back home in Fiji,” Koroibete said.
“I played rugby until my late teens, so I’m very much looking forward to making a rugby career with the Rebels.”
Rebels coach Tony McGahan said the ARU played a significant part in brining Koroibete to the Rebels.
“We didn’t instigate the change of contract and we don’t know who is off contract in league,” McGahan said.
“We were given a phone call after the initial discussions were done and then we were in the mix with two other Super 15 franchises.
“We were lucky enough to have enough ingredients on our side to get that deal done.”
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Staniforth Re-signs
Young Brumbies lock Tom Staniforth has re-signed with the Brumbies for a further two years.
Staniforth made his debut for the Brumbies in 2014 and had to wait almost two years for his next shot.
“To be able to re-sign with the Brumbies is a pretty big thing for me, I grew up idolising the club,” Staniforth said.
“I’m like anyone, of course you’d love to play for the Wallabies. But for me that’s down the track and I’m just focused on what my job here is at the Brumbies.
“There were a couple of points when I thought I might be done and wouldn’t get another game, but I’m lucky that I’m not and I get more chances to represent the Brumbies.”
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Mitchell Injured
Drew Mitchell has confirmed he will be out of action for three months after opting to have surgery on his ongoing groin injury.
Mitchell tweeted:
“Sorry to say that my season is finished!
Going in for surgery tomorrow but I’ll be back in 3months.
WARNING: I may return a little heavier”
Mitchell has previously expressed an interest in playing for the Wallabies in 2016.
The timeline should see him be available for the second Bledisloe Cup match on August 27 and the remainder of the Rugby Championship.
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