Gasnier likely to opt for league over Rebels

Gasnier likely to opt for league over Rebels

STATHI PAXINOS
May 25, 2010

MELBOURNE Rebels coach Rod Macqueen yesterday conceded that he expected former NRL star Mark Gasnier will to return to league.

The Rebels yesterday confirmed two more signings for its squad next year - Newcastle Knights star Cooper Vuna and former England flanker Michael Lipman.

Gasnier had been earmarked as a big-name signing but has been strongly linked with a return to the NRL, possibly with his former club St George Illawarra, since he recently returned from a stint in French rugby.

Macqueen said the club was ''basically resigned'' to missing out on Gasnier. ''I think his heart's probably into getting back to rugby league if he can.''

The Rebels coach was excited about Vuna's signing and said he could be the player to fill the role meant for Gasnier. Vuna is the club's second rugby league convert, after the signing of Dragons' forward Jarrod Saffy.

''The reality is that Gasnier is probably going to go back to league,'' Macqueen said. ''We were always looking for an outside centre/winger type and that's given us a great opportunity for a young player and we're really happy with that.''

Lipman has been signed nearly three months after the Australian Rugby Union initially refused to clear him to join the Rebels.

ARU high performance manager David Nucifora yesterday said Lipman's ban for failing to take a drugs test last year had not been the catalyst for the initial rejection.

He said the ARU had been concerned that Lipman, who was born in Australia, would take the spot of a young local player, who could potentially become a Wallaby, but he said recent signings meant that was no longer an issue.

Source: The Age