Western Force in talks with Wallabies prop Scott Sio ahead of England Test at Optus S

This is interesting but the rest is behind the paywall

Western Force in talks with Wallabies prop Scott Sio ahead of England Test at Optus Stadium
Nick Taylor
The West Australian
Thu, 30 June 2022 5:03PM

Western Force will have talks with Wallabies prop Scott Sio as he arrives in Perth for Saturday’s Test against England at Optus Stadium.
The Force are in the hunt an experienced front-rower after the departures of former Wallaby Greg Holmes and Argentinian Santiago Medrano.
Sio is leaving the Brumbies after 11 years, and if the 69-Test capped Sio moves west, it would likely be on a one-year deal with one eye on the World Cup.

Western Force in talks with Wallabies prop Scott Sio ahead of England Test at Optus Stadium
Nick Taylor
The West Australian
Thu, 30 June 2022 5:03PM
Western Force will have talks with Wallabies prop Scott Sio as he arrives in Perth for Saturday’s Test against England at Optus Stadium.

The Force are in the hunt an experienced front-rower after the departures of former Wallaby Greg Holmes and Argentinian Santiago Medrano.

Sio is leaving the Brumbies after 11 years, and if the 69-Test capped Sio moves west, it would likely be on a one-year deal with one eye on the World Cup.

He would join former Brumbies and Wallabies teammate, hooker Folau Fainga’a, who has already signed for next season.

Much would depend on the salary cap and whether Sio would receive a Wallaby top-up, but he is keeping his next move close to his chest.

“That’s still a secret,” he said.

“I’ve been getting a lot of flak from the boys telling me I’d look good in different colours and different teams.

“It’s part of my evolution as a player. Where can I keep growing and test myself in a new environment?

“Playing for higher honours is always a driver.”
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has stacked his side with 12 Brumbies in a bid to win the crucial battle up front and help break the eight-game losing streak to the Eddie Jones coached England.

“If you’ve got a good maul, teams have to spend a bit of time working out how they’re going to defend that and they’re going to have to use some bodies to do it which creates opportunities elsewhere,” Rennie said.

“It’s an area that we feel if we can overshadow England then it gives us an opportunity to get our game going and put a bit of heat on the right end of the field.”

Meanwhile Jones revealed Owen Farrell was “very unhappy” after being overlooked as England captain with the coach sticking with Courtney Lawes.

Farrell, whose last Test was against Australia last year, missed the Six Nations due to injury with veteran flanker Lawes stepping in.

Farrell was named at inside centre with Jones saying he needed to focus on his game.

“He was very unhappy,” Jones said.

“Owen’s a bloke that expresses his feelings clearly and he wants to be captain.

“But that’s OK. We feel at this stage (that’s) the best thing for the team and for Owen.

“It’s an opportunity for him to play three Tests back-to-back and produce his best.”

* Three Force players, prop Tom Robertson, flanker Tim Anstee and hooker Feleti Kaitu’u are in the Australia ’A’ squad to play Samoa in Saturday’s Pacific Championship clash.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/wallabi...dium-c-7357355
https://images.thewest.com.au/public...mpolicy=wan_v3
https://images.thewest.com.au/public...mpolicy=wan_v3

Jeeze I hate Owen Farrell

Can Sio play Tighthead? I think he's usually a loosie isn't he?

Would they be thinking Robertson would swap to tight head as he has played for Australia A last weekend.

He went pretty well there as well. Australian scrum was dominant until he came off.
Didn't go quite so well in general play, but that's not really the main job of a tighthead