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Source: The West
Force still best for O’Connor: Mitchell
10th June 2009, 7:00 WST
Western Force coach John Mitchell yesterday urged new Wallabies starter James O’Connor to consider fact rather than hype when deciding on his Super 14 future.
O’Connor, named to start at fullback for the Wallabies against Italy in Saturday’s Test match at Canberra Stadium, is the subject of a fierce tugof-war between the Force and the Brumbies, who intensified their recruiting bid this week despite public utterances they had laid off the teenage sensation.
The Force dismissed as a smokescreen a Canberra Times report claiming the Brumbies had given up chasing O’Connor. The story quoted Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan saying the club had “moved on” from pursuing O’Connor.
“I’m actually working pretty firmly on the basis that he will stay over there,” Fagan told the newspaper.
Although the Force are cautiously optimistic about retaining their young star, they remain wary of the Brumbies who capitalised on the Wallabies’ presence in Canberra to buy O’Connor dinner last Sunday.
As the only Australian side to have claimed a Super rugby title, in 2001 and 2004, the Brumbies suggest their superior program is the main reason so many Test players are attracted to them.
Force insiders believe the Canberra team’s recent recruiting blitz is more about money than method, given the Brumbies haven’t been in the finals for the past five years and they have struggled to produce new Wallabies since the Force’s formation.
Since the Force entered Super 14 in 2006, they have produced nine new Wallabies: Cameron Shepherd, Tai McIsaac, Digby Ioane, David Pocock, Richard Brown, Ryan Cross, Matt Hodgson, Pek Cowan and O’Connor. In the same period, the Brumbies have provided four: Julian Huxley, Ben Alexander, Guy Shepherdson and Peter Kimlin.
“If you are serious about advancing as a player, you’d have to think we provide the better development,” Mitchell said.
Whereas the Force used to have by far the greatest number of players with third-party deals — largely a result of the Australian Rugby Union’s lack of start-up support leading to Firepower’s largesse with other people’s money — the Brumbies have assumed the mantle, with Wallabies flanker Rocky Elsom rumoured to be the latest beneficiary of a supplementary sponsorship.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans challenged O’Connor to show added maturity and awareness in his first Test start.
“He’s clearly a talent but you need more than that from this point on, so that will be his challenge,” the coach said. “His decision making will become the priority because you can’t play the game as an individual.”
DAVE HUGHES