Western Force target Christian Lealiifano to replace for Matt Giteau
By Wayne Smith
May 19, 2009 Western Force will approach the Brumbies to release Matt Toomua or Christian Lealiifano to help the Perth club solve its five-eighth crisis following the loss of Matt Giteau.
The Force are scouring the world looking for a replacement for the Canberra-bound Giteau, but the Brumbies have a glut of quality No.10s on their books for next season. On top of prize recruit Giteau, the Brumbies roster also boasts Lealiifano, their starting playmaker this year, and Toomua, who finished the campaign in impressive fashion after Lealiifano sustained a season-ending hamstring injury.
Their first-choice five-eighth in 2008, Julian Huxley, is also exploring the possibility of returning to professional rugby after undergoing brain surgery last year to remove a tumour.
While Huxley's request is still being processed by the Australian Rugby Union, which has understandable concerns about his health and insurability, the 2007 Wallabies World Cup representative remains on the Brumbies' active playing list.
Brumbies coach Andy Friend said "that's a good question" when asked on Monday how he was going to fit so much talent into his backline next year. And his delicious problem could be compounded further if brilliant young Wallabies utility James O'Connor opts to leave the Force and follow Giteau to Canberra.
Force chief executive Greg Harris still hopes O'Connor will decide to stay with the club that gave him his big start and developed him into a Wallaby. And Force backers are understood to have met the 18-year-old on Sunday to map out possible third-party deals.
O'Connor has alternated between inside centre and fullback this season, but Harris believes the player, young as he is, is good enough to run the Force from five-eighth next season.
"That's one of the main reasons we wanted (Wallabies and Waratahs halfback) Brett Sheehan for next season, so that O'Connor would know he would have an experienced halfback inside him," Harris said.
If O'Connor opts for Canberra, however, alarm bells will be clanging at Force headquarters. Even now, they can be heard in the background. That explains Harris's delight on Monday after reading Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan's statement that the Canberra-based franchise would consider releasing either Toomua or Lealiifano if it became apparent one of them was going to get caught in a logjam of five-eighths in the capital.
Both players have another year to run on their contracts with the Brumbies.
"Following what we read ... this club will be making representations to the Brumbies and with the managements of Toomua and Lealiifano," Harris said.
"Hopefully the Brumbies will appreciate it's in the best interests of Australian rugby and the player - and let's not forget us - to let one of them go."
Toomua was non-committal on Monday about a possible move to Perth, but said he would be meeting his manager later in the week.
An ARU spokesman said the union would have no objections in theory to Toomua or Lealiifano being released to the Force if the players felt they were not likely to get much game time following Giteau's return to Canberra, and if the Brumbies were prepared to let them go.
"That should not be a problem but it would require an ARU sign-off," the spokesman said.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...018639,00.html
