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McMeniman signs on for two
The bottom-placed Queensland Reds have received a big boost for their future with Wallaby lock Hugh McMeniman extending his contract for another two seasons.
Reds get their McMeniman
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Aggressive Wallabies forward Hugh McMeniman is poised to re-sign with Queensland in a huge boost to the Reds' hopes of keeping their talented young pack together.
McMeniman has announced his intentions to remain at Ballymore and is set to finalise a new two-year deal with Queensland and the Australian Rugby Union tomorrow.
The athletic lock-flanker was the Reds' hottest property - also receiving offers from the Force, Brumbies and overseas - and the man likely to trigger a domino effect with four fellow young Wallabies forwards also coming off contract.
McMeniman hoped the likes of prop Greg Holmes, hooker Stephen Moore, flanker Mitchell Chapman and lock James Horwill would follow suit.
"I was always looking to be the first one to sign, I wanted to get things settled quickly and it's good to be the first one signed," he told AAP.
"I want to keep the team together. If we can stay together we can get connected, play some good footy and really come on as a team.
"You can't do that when you're losing guys all the time."
The Reds, needing to win at least one of their last two matches in South Africa to avoid the Super 14 wooden-spoon, have finished in the bottom three for the past four seasons after bleeding disgruntled talent.
McMeniman's signing is set to be quickly followed by the retention of experienced and inspirational back-rowers John Roe and David Croft.
The 23-year-old World Cup contender's decision comes almost four weeks after he rejected an ARU offer understood to be $230,000 a year, the amount he is believed to have now accepted.
He was unhappy with the original breakdown in negotiations and immediately got on the phone to ARU staff personally to restart talks.
Significantly rated by long-time Test and Reds forwards coach Alex Evans as the most talented player he has ever coached, McMeniman has been plagued by injury since starring on the Wallabies 2005 European tour.
Serious shoulder, neck and ankle injuries have restricted him to just nine Super 14 games in the past two years and kept his tally of Test caps to just six.
McMeniman is again sidelined by an ankle strain after losing his footing in the loose Suncorp Stadium turf on Saturday, raising new concerns about the ground's surface.
"Everyone's coming up to me asking how many black cats I've seen and how many mirrors I've broken," said the 200cm, 114kg powerhouse.
"I really wasn't happy with that one on the weekend."
The Reds' fortunes have mirrored his own in 2007 after they fell in a hole with a string of injuries following the impressive season-opening 23-16 win over the Hurricanes.
But McMeniman, seen as an equally good blind-side flanker or second-rower by Wallabies selectors, tipped a bright future.
"That was the disappointing thing about this year. We had a good first game and it fell apart," he said. "It would be great if we could start next year with the same pack."
AAP
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Damn wish he would have come over to the Force...
Every forwards dream is to become a back...
Would have been good here but I'm relieved the Reds have kept him as it will help their chances of retaining a solid squad.
With O'Connor back next year we will have four senior Locks and two Apprentice Locks here in 2008. Plus the opportunity for the likes of Kiti to stick his hand up if injuries get too great.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
kiti is unlucky in my view. with the standard of flankers over here. say if kiti plyed in QLD he would be the starting blindside![]()
Not bad for a bloke who only 5 years ago was playing for the Mossies in the ARS. Who'd beliEve Alice Springs could produce someone as good as Kiti!
Rugby isn't it good - despite the ARU desperate attempts to ruin it outside of Sydney!
Brother Gallagher I hear you
good on him, at least someone is willing to stay in QLD to help out the Reds, they need all the help they can get, and signing him on is a boost.
^^^
Pretty patronising comment. Remember the Force came last in 2006. Queensland Rugby has survived 125 years - I'm sure they will battle through this rough patch. The truth of the matter is that this signing will and does hold together a pack that will be be the dominant forward pack in Super Rugby in the next few years. Add to that, the emergance of a very talented, if inexperienced backline, and the planets are actually aligning for Qld Rugby for the first time in years. Player loss has stopped, player retention is happening, and player recruitment is unfolding. A far cry from the chaos of 3 years ago. A reasonable run with injuries and Qld can be a finals contender next year. If nothing else, the forced game time of all these rookies this year has provided more depth at the club when it finally gets its stars aout on the pitch (Cordingly, Latham, McMenimen, Blake etc).
Oops, looks like we can't pick on the Reds either now...
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
tic by name ticked off by nature I guess![]()
Just happy to be here
Just for the record, rugby has been played in WA for the past 126 years.Originally Posted by tic
I think you may be selling your rugby history and heritage in Queensland short by a few decades Tic.
http://www.colonialrugby.com.au/perth-wa.htm
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Oh no TIF, rugby wasn't even heard of west of Broken Hill before 2006![]()
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
who cares how long theve been around.
lucky they signed him he is a great lock and is a key player for the reds. i hope the reds can build him into a waliby.