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By Wayne Smith
April 05, 2008
QUEENSLAND effectively have shown incumbent Australia hooker Stephen Moore the door after recruiting Brumbies hooker Saia Faingaa and his twin brother, Anthony.
Moore, Australia's Rugby World Cup hooker, still has a season to run on his contract with the Reds, but had exercised a clause that allows him to negotiate with other teams for the 2009 season.
He has entered into talks with the Brumbies and the Western Force and all indications are he will be leaving Ballymore for either Canberra or Perth at the end of the season.
The Reds have pressed him for a decision but when Moore opted to wait until the team's return from South Africa next week and the Faingaa brothers wasting no time in snapping up Queensland's offer, Queensland Rugby Union negotiator Ben Whitaker decided to take a certainty over a fast-receding possibility.
"We made the decision knowing full well it probably will mean Stephen leaves us," Whitaker said.
"That's disappointing but sooner or later you've got to make a decision and back your call."
In the back of QRU minds was the memory of the botched negotiations with Wendell Sailor in 2005.
Believing Sailor would stay, the Reds did not fight especially hard to retain rising winger Digby Ioane who ultimately signed with the Western Force. Days later Sailor announced he would be heading to the Waratahs.
"And there have been a couple of other cases like that, only not as high-profile," Whitaker said.
The Brumbies were less than delighted with the timing of the Reds' announcement of the Faingaa signings, coming just hours before their match against the Chiefs in Canberra.
"We said we would prefer it take place next week but on the back of The Australian's unsourced confirmation yesterday that the Faingaas would be leaving us, they felt they had to get it out there," Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan said.
"We're not particularly happy about the timing but we're not going to die in a ditch over it."
Certainly the announcement would have done nothing for Moore's equanimity on the eve of the Reds match with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, although Fagan cheekily suggested the 20-Test hooker could quickly put his mind at ease by signing with the Brumbies.
A straight swap of hookers now is a distinct possibility.
"If we were able to get the incumbent Test hooker, we'd be happy with the result," Fagan said.
He stressed the Brumbies had fought hard to retain Saia Faingaa but had run up against a "non-negotiable" - the player's insistence he and his twin, a talented inside centre, be considered as a package.
"I respect the guys for their special bond but we just couldn't guarantee we'd have a contract offer for Anthony," Fagan said.
That's understandable given that the Brumbies have just come to terms with Australia A centre Gene Fairbanks and also have Tyrone Smith, Cristian Lealiifano and even Stirling Mortlock all capable of playing in the 12 jersey if required.
It could be said the Reds have a similar oversupply at 12, with Berrick Barnes, Morgan Turinui and Charlie Fetoai capable of playing the position, which explains why former Test centre Lloyd Johansson, who is not in their touring 26, has been advised to explore other opportunities.
But Whitaker insisted the Reds had not included Anthony in the deal merely to secure his twin, pointing out that Queensland had lodged an offer with Anthony before deciding to also chase Saia.
Reds coach Phil Mooney, who was in charge of both players in the Australian under-19 side that won the world title in 2006, has always rated both brothers highly.
The Brumbies have had one win over the Reds with Fagan confirming that one of Queensland's key targets for recruitment, flanker Julian Salvi, had told both teams he intends to recommit to the Brumbies.
Inevitably, that will mean the Reds chase Western Force flanker David Pocock even harder as they look to a post-David Croft future.
While the Reds, holders of the Super 14 wooden spoon in 2007, are planning for 2009 and beyond, they still have not abandoned hope of reaching this year's play-offs, but for that unlikely scenario to unfold, they must beat the Cheetahs.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23217,00.html
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Originally Posted by Flamethrower
