Waratahs in mix to bid for Giteau
Waratahs in mix to bid for Giteau
Bret Harris | April 18, 2008 Waratahs in mix to bid for Giteau | The Australian
THE Waratahs are set to join the race for the hottest property in Australian rugby, Wallabies inside back Matt Giteau. If you haven't yet already, better get yourself prepared for more of this..
While Giteau has re-signed with the ARU until after the 2011 World Cup, he is only contracted to Western Force until the end of the 2009 Super 14 series.
Giteau has until the end of this year to decide whether to remain with the Force or play for another state team after next season.
It has been assumed that if Giteau leaves Perth, he will return to Canberra where he started his Super career with the Brumbies in 2003.
But the Waratahs bid strongly for Giteau when he joined the Force two years ago and are interested in him again.
"We would always be interested in someone like Giteau," NSW high performance manager Tony D'Arcy said.
"We would definitely be interested in him. Definitely. We were disappointed we missed him in the first instance.
"He is a fabulous player. I'm not sure the Force will let him go, though. They'd bat very hard."
Coincidentally, Waratahs five-eighth Kurtley Beale will also be off contract at the end of next season. If I were the Tahs I would focus on retaining Beale and let the other franchises fight over Giteau.
But D'Arcy indicated there would be room for both Giteau and Beale at the Waratahs.
"Where's Giteau's best position?" D'Arcy said. "There are three positions there (halfback, five-eighth and inside centre). He is a very, very good No12 and a good No10." This may be a sticking point, I think Gits is on record for saying that he's preferred is the No. 10.
D'Arcy said the Waratahs' first priority was to secure a new head coach to replace Ewen McKenzie, whose contract will not be renewed.
London Irish coach Brian Smith and Force attack coach John Mulvihill appear to be the front-runners.
McKenzie, who flew to Paris after the Waratahs' 17-12 win against the Force in Perth last Saturday for an interview with French club Stade Francais, returned to Sydney yesterday.
While McKenzie, who was presented with a beret on his arrival at NSW training yesterday, did not confirm he had secured the Stade Francais job, all indications are that the position is his.
"It was all right, yeah, short and sharp," McKenzie said. "I'm happy to be back with the team. The team is in a good space at the moment.
"Day and a half. I had a discussion. Did a lot of things. It was more a fact-finding mission from my point of view and I guess from their point of view as well.
"We are not sitting in any space at the moment in particular, other than now we know each other.
"I know Paris very well, but I was just finding out how the situation is and how things work.
"That's all. It's just been a fact-finding mission. I feel I understand their situation. They probably understand mine. But that's as far as it's gone.
"I've got things to think about. They've got things to think about. We'll see what happens.
"It was a worthwhile couple of days. I'm seeking new opportunities. It was certainly a good place to go.
"I try and do things one at a time. It doesn't mean there's not things floating around."
McKenzie has named an unchanged team for the match with the last-placed Lions at the Sydney Football Stadium tomorrow.
"I've been swapping emails and phone calls, morning and night," McKenzie said. "I have not been out of touch. We did a lot of the work before I went. Selections and stuff.
"We haven't missed a beat. It's business as usual. All the reports have been good from the training sessions and the attitude of the players.
"I just have to finish that off and make sure we turn up on the night."
Meanwhile, Brumbies outside centre Adam Ashley-Cooper failed to complete training yesterday because of a back complaint.
The Brumbies will assess Ashley-Cooper's fitness at training today to determine whether he plays against the Sharks in Canberra tomorrow night.
The loss of Ashley-Cooper would be a major blow for the Brumbies who are already without captain Stirling Mortlock. He received a head knock in the win against the Blues last Saturday.
Wallabies number eight Stephen Hoiles has returned to the team on the bench after missing the Blues game with a cheekbone injury, while his replacement, Julian Salvi, has held his place in the starting line-up.
