rocky elsom leaves tahs...

[laura]

Elsom granted release by ARU
26/06/2008 3:05:57 PM
Steve Orme and Luke Buttigieg
Sportal

The Australian Rugby Union has confirmed it will release Wallabies flanker Rocky Elsom in September so that he can take up a contract with Irish club Leinster but remains hopeful he will return to the fold in 2009.

ARU managing director and chief executive John O'Neill announced in Sydney on Thursday that 25-year-old Elsom's request for a release on 'compassionate grounds' had been granted and that he will head to Ireland at the end of the Tri Nations in September.

But while O'Neill wouldn't confirm the reasons behind Elsom's request, reports earlier this week suggested that if Elsom were to remain with Australian rugby until later in the year, which takes in the Spring Tour of Europe, his Leinster contract would rule him out of playing for the Wallabies for an extra 12 months.

Sportal > Rugby Union > News

[greenandgoldrugby]

So this year's messiest contract negotiation finally has closure. Rocky Elsom has been released early from his contract, not as a trendy sabbatical - no, no, no - but on compassionate leave. Apparently only a few close friends know the reason for this compassion and if it's 'fair dinkum' then I wish the Rockstar all the best.

BUT, you'd have to have amnesia to forget that the whole Elsom - will he stay or will he go - saga started way back in January this year.

WALLABIES mainstay Rocky Elsom has been advised by the Australian Rugby Union to check out what offers he can attract from British and European clubs.

The 32-Test blindside flanker, who is negotiating his own contract, has encountered the same implacable approach from ARU high performance unit manager Pat Howard as a number of other well-regarded Wallabies, with all players being told - often in the bluntest of terms - that salaries have to be reined in.

So tight are the purse strings that Elsom was told by Howard to investigate other options.

"He told me it might be a good idea that I have a look overseas," Elsom said yesterday.

It was not advice the rugged backrower, last year's winner of the Matt Burke Cup as the Waratahs' best player, particularly wanted to hear.

Elsom, 25, understandably believes he still has a lot to offer the Wallabies and has put a freeze on his negotiations until the ARU is a little more receptive.

"I might wait until they're in a good frame of mind, until they get a little keener to stitch the deal up," he said.

He did, and it seemed to work. Having had a blinding season with the Tahs, even with an injury toward the end, and with Ball-Breaker Howard back on the leash, it seems the ARU can find the cash. Rocky then told us that he was just waiting to see who the next Tah coach was before he re-signed. No sign of these "compassionate" grounds throughout this period. So what are they?

I can tell you. Pure and simple, he's pissed off.

Deeply pissed off to a point of being f***ed off.

A young guy, working his ass off to become, together with Shalk Burger, one of the two best 6's in the world, get's publicly shafted to make an example for pay negotiations. Don't pride "sting like a bitch" like they say in Pulp Fiction.

In this though, I've got to say that Elsom - or his agent - tripped up. They shouldn't have made it all public, thereby painting both sides into a corner.

But is this a good move for Elsom's career? By the looks of things he'll play out the Tri-Nations but not the European Tour, giving the likes of Hoiles, Brown, the Walking Bandage Hugh McMenimen and Dean Mumm a shot at the jersey. Elsom has really only dibbs on 6 for a couple of seasons and only really came of age internationally last season, a notable turning point being his performance in the BaaBaas game against the Boks last November.

Rocky's only 24 so there are a good half a dozen years to go on the international stage. Giving one of these other guys an open run is a golden opportunity and they'll do their utmost to take advantage of it. By definition there'll be someone else in the 6 position when he gets back and it'll be up to him to dislodge them. Maybe at best he can hope for a Smith/Waugh situation rather than the dominance he now has?

And as for the money, he's not going to make a motza. Sure the Euro's strong, but its also frikken expensive to live up here and he won't be on his ARU top-up. I'd say he'll take back enough to maybe buy a car. But hey, the NSWRU gives those away like smarties to kids for just getting their faces painted.

[chook]

Listen to gagger. He is both wise and fair.