Walker in the running for Reds

Walker in the running for Reds

Jim Morton, c/o Rugby Heaven
Thursday, January 25, 2007

Queensland has restarted its chase for former Wallabies winger Andrew Walker after all but giving up on former New Zealand Maori centre Ryan Nicholas for the Super 14.

The Reds have reopened negotiations with Walker and his second division French club Gaillac to bolster their already-thin backline stocks.

With the Super 14 kick-off just nine days away, Queensland is resigned to losing Japan-based outside centre Ryan Nicholas after Wallabies fullback Chris Latham (knee) was ruled out for the season.

The Australian-born former Highlander is down to arrive at Ballymore after round four due to his Japanese league commitments with Suntory, which is seen as too late.

Reds coach Eddie Jones' hopes of Nicholas getting an early release rest on Suntory losing a play-off match this weekend but Jones isn't expecting his old club to stumble.

Losing Nicholas is a particularly worrying blow considering veteran Ben Tune is the only noted outside centre in Jones' squad, which plays its last trial on Friday against the Highlanders.

Tune's chequered injury history has partly added to the desperation to sign Walker, 33, to add flexibility and experience out wide.

The seven-Test back's signature could see league recruit Clinton Schifcofske groomed as back-up to Tune at No.13.

"We're having discussions with (Walker's) club because we do need another outside back," Jones said.

"We need one more outside back as coverage.

"Then we've just got a bit more flexibility to change guys around. Maybe experiment with Clinton at 13 or Peter Hynes at 13 if we've got one more at the back."

The Reds must help Walker, who they unsuccessfully chased last September, negotiate his way out of the contract he signed after his two-year suspension for recreational drug use lapsed last year.

Gaillac is currently sitting in the middle of the second division table and Walker is understood to be keen to return to the Super 14 under Jones, who first lured him from league to the Brumbies in 1999.

With Nicholas likely to stay in Japan, Jones indicated former Wallabies forward Toutai Kefu was another who would not return to Super 14 duty for the Reds.

Jones has always entertained thoughts of making No.8 Kefu a late inclusion, especially after losing young back-rower Ben Mowen (shoulder) for the season.

But the Queensland Rugby Union's dire financial predicament hasn't helped hopes of reactivating the 60-Test enforcer, playing in Japan on a huge deal with Kubota.

The QRU has recently finalised its budget review process which resulted in redundancies to three employees on Wednesday.

AAP

Spanner in Reds attacking Tune-up

By Jim Morton, c/o Fox Sport
January 25, 2007

QUEENSLAND Reds are sweating on the fitness of veteran centre Ben Tune to properly roadtest its flat-line attack in tomorrow night's final Super 14 dress rehearsal.

Tune is in doubt for the trial against the Dunedin-based Highlanders on the Gold Coast due to a groin twinge that has plagued him for the past week.

The 47-Test former Australia wing has yet to play this season and coach Eddie Jones needs him on the field before the Reds' competition opener against the Hurricanes on February 3.

Jones has introduced a traditional Randwick flat-backline attacking structure, presenting a steep learning curve for flyhalf Berrick Barnes and centres Lloyd Johansson and Tune.

"We're asking the backs to play a completely different way," he said.

"We're asking them to play 12 metres in front of where they played last year.

"It's not going to come immediately. It will be two steps forward and one step back but we have to keep at it."

Making matters worse for the Reds is the expected no-show of former Highlanders outside centre Ryan Nicholas who signed on last year but is now tied up in Japan.

As a result, Jones is chasing former Wallabies and Brumbies back Andrew Walker to add depth out wide. Queensland will finalise its trial outfit tomorrow morning after assessing the fitness of Tune and winger Caleb Brown (hamstring).

Jones will start with a near full-strength Wallabies-laden forward pack, against the Josh Blackie-captained Highlanders.

Only hooker Stephen Moore will be rested with a niggle, replaced by Sean Hardman, while Hugh McMeniman has been picked in the second row.

McMeniman was used both at lock and blindside flank for the Reds last year but is viewed largely by Wallabies coach John Connolly as a No.6.

Jones said McMeniman, who starred at lock for the Wallabies in the 2005 European tour, would start the season in the second row and Mitchell Chapman at No.6 to give his pack the best balance.

With Sam Cordingley still at least a month away from returning from foot surgery, halfback is the only position still up in the air for Jones.

Papua New Guinea-born teenager Will Genia appears to have his nose slightly in front of Nic Berry.

"Will has started the first two games and he's a good little player but they're going tick for tack," Jones said.

The Reds are expecting a tough set-piece test from the Highlanders, even without rested New Zealand front-rowers Anton Oliver and Carl Hayman.

AAP

But what happened to Walkers lawn mowing business? I heard it was going pretty well.

Got a picture with Tune yesetday, at Reds members day, His ankle was heavily strapped.

The Reds were trying a crosskick yesterday, they attempted the move about 5 times, 3 with Cooper, 2 with Barnes.

If Walker can keep his head in the game and his nostrils away from the white line then he could fill the wing position they need to complete a pretty handy backline. I don't know if he's lost any pace but I still remember him tearing up the Lions. He pretty much single handedly turned the game when he came on.

But at least you don't have that pesky Huxley...

Reds rue Walker near miss

By Jim Morton, c/o Fox Sports
January 29, 2007

So close but yet so far. It's been a familiar refrain for Queensland Reds coaches, players and fans in a frustrating past four years and one that new coach Eddie Jones never wants to hear repeated.

But even Jones could be excused for uttering the phrase after his plans to shore up his dreadfully-low stocks of backline talent almost came off at the weekend.

The former Australia coach believed he had dual international Andrew Walker on board for the Super 14 after apparently-successful negotiations with his French club.

Former Wallabies wing Walker's experience and versatility at wing and full back appealled to Jones who has lost Chris Latham for the season and will be without rising wing Caleb Brown (hamstring) for the first two rounds.

But second division club Gaillac had a change of heart and it's now "back to the drawing board" for Jones.

At the same time, he had a keen eye on the result of his Japanese side Suntory's Microsoft Cup play-off against Yamaha on Sunday.

A loss could have ended Suntory's season and enabled centre recruit Ryan Nicholas to make the trip to Brisbane for the Super 14 kick-off against the Hurricanes on Saturday night.

Suntory got over the line 40-39, with Nicholas scoring a try, meaning he will remain in Japan until February 25, a day after the Reds play their fourth game of the season against the Blues in Auckland.

Jones said the result had all but closed the door on the former New Zealand Maori and Highlanders centre linking with the Reds to give important midfield back up to Ben Tune and Lloyd Johansson.

"We haven't closed it completely but it's more closed than open," he said.

"Coming back after playing Japanese rugby and missing four games might be just too difficult."

In contrast, Jones isn't giving up on Walker who could arrive within a week once extracted from his Gaillac contract.

"We're still negotiating," he said.

"We thought we had an agreement but now we don't so we're back at the drawing board."

Jones, to announce his team on Thursday, is likely to replace Brown with Henari Veratau who has had a fair share of chances with the Reds after leaving the Brumbies in 2005 but has failed to grab any.

"I think this will be his best season," Jones said. (As TWF laughed)

"He's fit, I've never seen him leaner.

"I've got great confidence in him."

AAP

Walker set for Reds talks

c/o Rugby Heaven
Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Dual international Andrew Walker is expected to return to Australia today and begin finalising talks on a two-year deal with Super 14 side the Queensland Reds.

Walker, 33, has not been officially granted a clearance from his French second division club Gaillac but Reds coach Eddie Jones says the former Wallaby wants to resurrect his rugby career in Australia.

Walker's controversial career appeared over when he was hit with a two year ban for testing positive to cocaine while playing with NRL club Manly in 2004.

However, the talented utility received a lifeline from Gaillac when his ban ended last September.

Walker has since sought a release from the French club on compassionate grounds after his wife Leona and four children became home sick.

Jones said he hoped to finalise a playing contract with Walker by the end of the week.

He said the Walker family would arrive in Australia "in the next 24 hours".

"He wants to come home and he wants to play with the Reds," said Jones in a statement.

"It's important to stress that we have yet to dot all the Is and cross the Ts, including receiving the formal clearance from his club.

"However we're pretty close to finalising everything and Queensland Rugby hopes to be in a position to announce Andrew's playing future for the next two years by this Friday."

Walker's long history with the Reds mentor began during their Sydney club days in the early 1990s when Jones coached Randwick.

Walker burst onto the Sydney rugby scene as a 17-year-old in 1991 before switching codes and linking with St George (1992-94) and Sydney Roosters (1995-99).

The talented utility was again coached by Jones when he returned to rugby with the Brumbies and earned seven Test caps.

He returned to the NRL in 2004 with Manly before earning the drug ban.

Jones said Walker deserved an opportunity to redeem himself.

"He's had his ups and downs but he's worked really hard to rehabilitate himself," he said.

"He's an exceptional footballer and he deserves another chance to do what he does best." (Wonder if Eddie will make a play for Dell under the same sentiment then...)

Meanwhile, Jones said he would know the full extent of Wallabies tighthead prop Greg Holmes' shoulder injury today.

Holmes visited a specialist yesterday after suffering a partial shoulder dislocation against the Brumbies almost two weeks ago.

AAP

heard this on the radio this morning.. was quite surprised

Yeah, me too, as with the earlier articles above I thought it was all over.
Be interesting to see how he goes and may help us keep a couple of under utilised players here too.

he should be a good player for the reds in his ladt few years if he keeps focused on rugby. could be a good comeback.......or not

ARU clears Walker for weekend match

Rupert Guinness
Friday, March 2, 2007

The Australian Rugby Union has this morning officially given clearance for former Wallabies winger Andrew Walker to make his debut for the Queensland Reds in this Saturday's Super 14 clash against the Lions.

The Australian clearance follows his release by French club Gaelic and the French National Rugby Body, the FFR.

The French rugby authorities sent through the necessary paperwork to the ARU overnight.

Walker will take the number 22 bench spot left vacant with a TBA (to be announced) in the teamsheet in the Reds side named yesterday.

Walker, who has played for second-division French club Gaillac since completing a two-year ban for cocaine use in 2004, returned to Australia yesterday.

Reds coach Eddie Jones spoke with Walker yesterday after his flight from France to Sydney, and said he would put Walker on the bench if the green light was given, which it now has.

"He will come up to Brisbane [this morning]. If we can get the paperwork through, hopefully he will be able to start," Jones said last night. "If he can, he will probably be sitting on the bench."

Jones, who coached Walker at the Wallabies and Brumbies, which he left in 2003 to join NRL side Manly, had been pursuing Walker since last year.

His arrival could not be better timed with the Reds suffering several injuries in the backs.

Jones admitted he had not seen Walker play, nor reviewed any video footage of his games in France. But he is not worried.

"Walks's ability is one thing I would never be concerned about," he said. "He is a born footballer, one of the most talented players I have ever seen."

Neither is Jones concerned about jet lag from the 22-hour flight from France to Australia followed by the quick turnaround to Brisbane this morning.

"No concern at all. With Walks, he just loves to play. Give him any chance and he will be ready to go straight away," he said.

Walker also played with Gaillac last Sunday, so Jones knows that his soon-to-be new recruit will at least be match fit.

He showed promise at weekend with two good dashes. Will need more next week in Dunedin, with Shifcoske now out for three weeks? with hand broken . At 33 tho, hopefully he can stay around long enough to give some of the younger ones some ideas about attacking rugby. Very interestingly, Mat Johns of NRL was at training of Reds this week to give the two halves -Cooper & Barnes- some ideas. Trust he mixed defence and attack into the drills. But it did look like a very exciting combination. Those last 5 mins showed our inexperience tho, as you'd expect. Getting off the bottom of table is the big ask, and Big (H)Eddie was incensed by the time of the post-match interview, but didn't blame the ref this time!
I watched that Hurr v Stormers game. It was throttled by ref Goddard again taking over the game. Really, he's got to get the sack from S14 rugby, and he's one of ours!