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David Pocock is likely to remain with the Western Force
- Bret Harris
- From: The Australian
- February 26, 2010 12:00AM
WALLABIES openside flanker David Pocock is expected to reject an approach from the Melbourne Rebels, while former Test captain Stirling Mortlock's move to Victoria is now believed to be uncertain.
But there is strong speculation the Rebels have reached an agreement with controversial former England flanker Michael Lipman.
Pocock and Mortlock were two of the five high-profile Wallabies on the Rebels' hit-list. The others were playmaker Berrick Barnes, loosehead prop Benn Robinson and winger Peter Hynes.
It is understood Pocock will tell the Rebels he will not be joining the Super 15 expansion franchise next year.
Pocock is likely to remain at the Western Force, although the Brumbies are looking for a replacement for departing number seven George Smith.
Mortlock has been strongly linked with the Rebels because of his association with Melbourne head coach Rod Macqueen, who coached him previously with the Wallabies.
But while Mortlock is believed to be considering an offer from an overseas club, there is an internal debate at the Rebels over the length of the contract they have offered him.
The Rebels have offered the 33-year-old Mortlock a three-year contract, which would see him finish the deal at 36 years of age.
While Macqueen is believed to be keen to recruit Mortlock to help lay the foundation for the team, there is another view that the Rebels would be better off chasing rugby league convert Mark Gasnier or a younger centre.
The Rebels have so far only signed one player, former England five-eighth Danny Cipriani. But an informed source told The Australian yesterday that the Rebels have reached an agreement with Lipman, who grew up in Sydney and was once contracted to NSW Waratahs.
Lipman resigned from English club Bath in controversial circumstances last June amid allegations of refusing to take drug tests and was banned for nine months.
The Rebels are also believed to have come to terms with NSW academy winger Peter Betham.
The Rebels are also chasing NSW duo, five-eighth Daniel Halangahu and second-rower David Dennis, who will start against the Bulls in Pretoria on Sunday.
Halangahu and Dennis have strong connections with the Rebels through their club Sydney University. The Rebels' backs coach, Damien Hill, coached Halangahu and Dennis at Sydney University, while Melbourne's rugby manager Greg Harris was the former director of the university's sports department.
Now that they are starting, Halangahu and Dennis are in stronger bargaining positions.
If Barnes decides to stay with the Waratahs, Halangahu would be an even more valuable acquisition for the Rebels.
Cipriani can play inside centre and fullback, which means the Rebels could offer Halangahu the starting five-eighth role. But Halangahu has the opportunity to re-establish himself as the Waratahs' chief playmaker. If he did, there would be less incentive for him to leave Sydney.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225834504960
"Lipman resigned from English club Bath in controversial circumstances last June amid allegations of refusing to take drug tests and was banned for nine months." So that was the culture that Macqueen was refering to then?
Won't be satisfied until "likely" becomes "is" for Bam but am pretty comfortable that he is happy here.
So long as there was an injury out for the Rebels I can understand a three year contract for Mortlock, it gives them security and time to worry about the other slots and developing his replacement while gaining a great leader, regardless of if he is Captain or not. I don't see that being to the detriment of signing Gasnier.
From what I have seen on TV of Betham he would be a handy signing and would surley have improved since I last saw him.
Hangers and Dennis are journeymen at this level. Neither here nor there.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
Be a lot happier when the ink is dry on Pococks contract. Does anyone know what the status of Brown and Hodgson contracts are and by that I mean when they expire?
If they can’t get one surely they would try for one of the other two! I would
Generally speaking you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving!!!
I don't know the exact clauses in their contracts but I do know that last year they signed 2 year deals bringing both of them through to 2011. I'm pretty sure it was Hodgson (but I might be mistaken) who said he plans to be here for a very long time at the TWF awards evening at JBs. I think he has a girlfriend here and is pretty settled.
I have a friend who is the head chef at the Basement on Broadway (BOBs) out by UWA. He says that a couple of Force Wallabies/AFL players were interested in buying the pub as a syndicate. He wasn't sure who it was though- told me he'd find out and let me know. You'd imagine though whoever it was is planning to stay for a while if they are going to make that kind of commitment.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
It would be a major step forward for the club to have such a great trio of loosies in for the long haul, that's for sure.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
"Believe in the best, think your best, study your best, have a goal for your best, never be satisfied with less than your best, try your best, and in the long run things will turn out for the best."
There aren't even any quotes in the article & its hardly groundbreaking news. He already plays for us and he's already re-signed once so its not UNlikely that he might re-sign.
no quotes here... zip zero... zilch
Coulda sworn Laura just said that.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David