Halangahu makes a big contract call
Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:56
Waratahs flyhalf Daniel Halangahu has rejected other offers to remain in sky blue until season 2012 after signing a new two-year deal on Thursday.
Halangahu was considering a number of other offers but this week decided to remain in Sydney where he has fought his way into the starting XV over the last two seasons.
He is the third player to re-sign this week following the signatures of fellow backs Berrick Barnes and Tom Carter.
"Look at the guys already under contract, and look at the guys who are re-signing at the moment and you can tell we're going to have a really competitive side here for quite a while," said Halangahu.
"As a group we've got high ambitions, high expectations and I'd love to be a part of that going forward.
"It was nice to be in a position where there were a number of options out there for me so I took the time to take them all in.
"At the end of the day I asked myself where the best place would be to keep my footy going forward and I kept coming back to the Waratahs."
Halangahu played at The King's School alongside fellow Waratahs Dean Mumm and Benn Robinson with the trio all going on to be selected in the 2002 Australian Schools team.
Originally from Daramalan College in the ACT, Halangahu returned to Canberra in 2003 with the ARU's High Performance Unit and went on to represent Australia for three years at Under-21 level.
He then joined the Waratahs Academy in mid-2005, going on to make his state debut against Auckland's NPC team later that year.
The following year Halangahu was selected in the Waratahs squad to tour South Africa and made his Super Rugby debut against the Stormers at Newlands. Two weeks ago he earned his 50th NSW cap at the same ground, against the same opposition.
Halangahu went on to play 23 Super 14 matches for NSW over the next two seasons, and while he played only played one match in 2008, he forced his way into the Australia A team for the IRB Pacific Nations Cup.
Last season Halangahu started the year with limited game time but finished the last seven matches as the team's first choice flyhalf, and while he started 2010 on the bench, he has again earned himself the NSW No.10 jersey. Halangahu has also enjoyed great success at club level, winning three man of the match awards for Sydney University in the Students' five-straight premiership victories.
"By staying at the Waratahs I think I'm challenging myself to improve as a footballer," said Halangahu.
"There's a lot of competition here for the position with Kurtley [Beale] and Berrick [Barnes], but I think we've all got our own assets, we all bring unique skills to the team and we can all contribute."
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