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Stannard sayonara leaves hole
BY: BRET HARRIS From: The Australian March 09, 2012 12:00AM
Force's James Stannard is expected to move to Japan after his Super Rugby commitments are over. Source: Getty Images
WESTERN Force's search for a new five-eighth will intensify when stand-in No 10 James Stannard leaves Perth at the end of the season to play in Japan.
It is understood Stannard has agreed to terms with a Japanese club and has sought an early release from his contract so he can move to Japan as soon as his Super Rugby commitments are over.
Primarily a halfback, Stannard is filling in at five-eighth for the Force this year after the team was left without an experienced playmaker following the departures of James O'Connor and New Zealander Willie Ripia.
O'Connor, who is the Wallabies' five-eighth, is now playing inside centre for Melbourne Rebels. And Ripia resigned from the Force in December over allegations he had stolen from teammates. That left Stannard and rookie Ben Seymour as Force's five-eighth options.
The Force is looking for an emerging foreign player to replace Ripia.
While the Force may be able to get through this season with Stannard at five-eighth, it must recruit a new playmaker for next year.
Wallabies five-eighth Quade Cooper is out of contract at the end of the year and the Force would love to lure him to Perth.
But a more realistic option may be Brumbies inside back Christian Lealiifano, who the Force is believed to be looking at closely.
The recruitment of Lealiifano would enable the Force to use its emerging foreign player vacancy on a position other than inside back.
There was speculation this week Force coach Richard Graham may go with Stannard at halfback and start Seymour at five-eighth against the Hurricanes in Perth tonight, but he stuck with the Brett Sheehan/Stannard combination.
When Stannard switched to halfback in the second half of the Force's 35-20 loss to Queensland in Brisbane last Saturday night, he increased the tempo of the team's play.
But Graham was disappointed with his team's tactics in the final 20 minutes, influencing him to again start with the experienced pairing of Sheehan and Stannard.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spor...-1226294054501