David Pocock re-signs with Force

[jargan83]

according to an article on page 70 of todays west australian, Bamm Bamm has re-signed with the Force for 2 years

[Jess]

*Holds breath for the press release*

[Thequeerone]

Really hoping to see him on the this year

[GIGS20]

I heard somewhere that the 20 year olds will bide their time in Aus A and U20s this year. I'm not sure that Bamm Bamm will be disappointed by that...He seems to have his head well and truly screwed on and will see the wisdom in not stepping up too soon.

Also the men of gold segment last night named a backrow of Smith Palu and Elsom, pretty hard to argue with that! I'd love to see Bamm Bamm nab a bench spot, particulalry with the way he treated guys like Richie McCaw and Scalk Burger!

[BLR]

Good news, when will Grumbles apoligise for saying all our players will leave atthe end of this season?

[Swee_82]

Good news, when will Grumbles apoligise for saying all our players will leave atthe end of this season?

When I spot Satan down at the ski-hire shop I'll let you know...

Bring on the official word from Rugby WA!

[Burgs]

*Joins Jess in breath holding*

[KenyaQuin]

David Pocock stays loyal to Western Force, leaves Reds in bind
Wayne Smith | May 23, 2008 David Pocock stays loyal to Western Force, leaves Reds in bind | The Australian

QUEENSLAND's hopes of using David Pocock as the cornerstone of its rebuilding campaign will be dashed today when the brilliant 20-year-old flanker re-signs with Western Force.

Pocock, who looks set this season to burst into the Wallabies squad, agreed on Wednesday to the Australian Rugby Union's demand that he sign a two-year deal, not the one-season contract his management had been seeking.

That only left the question of whether he would return to Queensland, where his family is based, or remain in Perth - with the Force yesterday winning out because of the youngster's loyalty to head coach John Mitchell.

The Zimbabwe-born backrower was lured to Western Australia by Mitchell's promise that he would turn Pocock into a world-class openside flanker and on the evidence of this year's Super 14 campaign, the Force coach has been true to his word.

But while there will be rejoicing in the west, Pocock's decision will come as a devastating blow to the Reds, who had seen the youngster as their star signing - not just a player they could build a team around but also one who would raise the morale of the embattled Queensland side.

Tighthead Rodney Blake yesterday signed a letter of agreement to join French club Bayonne.

That came after Clinton Schifcofske announced to team-mates before last weekend's match against the Waratahs that he would be accepting a three-year deal to play under former Waratahs coach Matt Williams at Ulster.

The reality is Queensland is bleeding talent faster than coach Phil Mooney and recruiter Ben Whitaker can bandage wounds.

With Wallabies stars Chris Latham, Stephen Moore, Sam Cordingley and David Croft having played their last match for the state, along with Schifcofske, Blake and Ed O'Donoghue, and with Morgan Turinui and Van Humphries uncertain about their future, the Reds need to close the deal with five-eighth Quade Cooper whose management will speak to Whitaker today.

Otherwise, there is not a single name signing to be had in Australia and the brutal reality is that word of mouth is killing the Reds.

Even though there is widespread recognition that Mooney has done an outstanding job in his first season as Queensland coach, the perception among the country's leading players is that a move to Brisbane is a step backwards in their professional careers.

Unless Mooney is able to take a team of youngsters and mould them into a credible and competitive outfit, the Reds will be in a Catch-22 bind, unable to recruit the talent they need to win consistently in Super 14 because their playing roster is perceived as being undermanned.

* Australia's hopes this year of breaking its eight-year losing streak against the Springboks in South Africa have been given a significant boost by the announcement that the Boks will play Argentina in a one-off Test in Johannesburg on August 9, their bye weekend during the Tri-Nations series.

The South African decision to stage the Test against the full-strength Pumas side is the long-awaited opening stage of the SANZAR campaign to ease Argentina into the Tri-Nations competition, but the initiative places the world champion Springboks under enormous strain.

It means the world No1 team will play the third-ranked Pumas and second-ranked All Blacks (August 16, Cape Town) on successive weekends before tackling the Wallabies twice on home soil over the ensuing fortnight, playing Tri-Nations Tests against Australia in Durban on August 23 and then Johannesburg on August 30.

Robbie Deans' Wallabies, by contrast, will have three weeks to recover from their August 2 showdown with the All Blacks at Eden Park to freshen up for their next Test in Durban, the ground where they last defeated the Springboks on their home soil, back in 2000.

National selector Michael Foley, meanwhile, has confirmed that the selection of such players as Morgan Turinui, David Croft and Mitchell Chapman in the Barbarians squad to play matches against Belgium, Ireland and England over the next week did not signify they were out of the running for the Wallabies squad to be announced on June 2.

[JediKnight]

Great news (can I hold my breath any longer). He'll benefit from a season with Australia A before cementing his place as 1st choice for 2009, 2010 & Australia's successful RWC 2011 campaign.

Can't argue with current Wallabies back row of Elsom, Palu & Smith.

[Flamethrower]

Jess, Burgs and Jedi are turning into Smurfs

[BaldCunus]

Awesome news.... Good to see the boys showing loyalty to the Force...

[travelling_gerry]

[Jess]

*still holding breath... but doing so with quiet confidence*

[BLR]

*still holding breath... but doing so with quiet confidence*

They wrote it in the paper that he is signed, not going to sign, signed, why hold your breath when you can breath the sweet air of victory?

[Swee_82]

I had a read of the paper while waiting for my coffee this morning Jess- there's quotes from Mitch Hardy saying how he's happy to have Dave re-sign. I think you can breathe easy.