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Reds rally around departing Latham
2007-12-21 19:38:01
The Reds, wooden-spooners in last year's competition, have adopted the rallying cry of 'do it for Latho' for the 2008 Super 14 campaign despite the Wallaby full-back's objections.
The Queensland-based franchise had a dismal season in 2007 after Latham, who will head abroad after next year's competition to take up a lucrative contract with Worcester, was ruled out of this year's campaign with a season-ending knee injury.
"He's not the sort of guy who will feel overly comfortable with us saying that the season is about him," Reds coach Phil Mooney told AAP.
"But Chris is one of the greatest players to wear a Reds jersey. He's held in unbelievably high regard by his peers and the organisation.
"It would be great to send him out on a high note."
Mooney adding that although the Reds may look like they have focused solely on Latham, they are still well aware of their repsonsibilities to their supporters.
"We are all working extremely hard to do well, basically, for the whole of Queensland," he said.
"We've got massive motivation to do well after collecting a wooden spoon [in 2007]."
Mooney also said that, contrary to rumour, he had not been forced to pull former Rugby League star Clinton Schifcofske into the full-back position as a replacement for the Wallaby star prematurely after Latham opted to leave.
"We've got some pretty detailed succession plans in place," he said.
"It's very difficult replacing one of the world's great rugby players. But what we can do is replace him with one of the best rugby players in Australia - it's up to us to develop that.
"Whilst he [Latham] probably thinks he'd like to concentrate on grooming one particular individual, he leaves a great legacy to all the guys playing for Queensland, in terms of how to prepare to play rugby and how to get the best out of yourself."
And it appears that Latham will have a chance to groom new talent at Worcester, where boss Mike Ruddock saying that his new acquisition would be involved in the club's academy structures.
"We want to strengthen the team through the acquisition of world-class players and by grooming our own young players through our Academy structure," said Ruddock.
"With the arrival of Chris Latham ... it shows we are determined to develop both strategies."