Boks look to saddle up with Brumbies
Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:24
South Africa looks to be a popular marketplace for Australian Super 14 teams to do their off-season shopping in, with reports claiming that "a number of South Africans" have expressed interest in playing for the Canberra-based team.
Brumbies Chief Executive Andrew Fagan has confirmed that at least one Springbok and a number of South African-based Super 14 players have "made enquiries" about joining the Brumbies from the end of next season.
Their enquiries come after the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) decided to allow each Australian Super 14 team to play two foreign players provided that the players do not interfere or hamper Wallaby selections.
Franchises are now allowed to sign-up just two overseas imports, one of whom can be a 'marquee' player.
The second player can be a developing player who has no Test, Sevens or A-team level experience.
These players can stay for three years after which time they will be eligible to play for Australia.
"They range," Fagan said about the type of South African player who had shown interest.
"We've had a lot from fringe Super 14 players from South Africa and younger players as well as from the [Pacific] Islands. " he told the Canberra Times.
"But also interest from Super 14 and Test players who via managers had indicated they would be interested in coming across."
Crucially though, Australia's Super 14 clubs will find out this week how these foreigners will fit into the current ARU payment structure.
It has been suggested the marquee players will be exempt from the current restrictions on Australian players.
The Brumbies have a full team sheet for 2009 so any new players would only be able to "clock in" once the 2009 Super 14 was complete.
Head coach Andy Friend says that he would prefer to buy up-and-comers rather than international stars when they do start searching the player catalogue.
He did not want to give away any names but said that since the ARU announcement he had received several expressions of interest "from quality players" including one this week from a player complete with a DVD of his own on-field performances.
"That's only going to increase," Friend said.
"We're not actively out there searching the market for players at this point in time however we do have managers from different countries sending information of players across so there's an interest out there for managers and players."
South Africans have been the most interested in joining the Brumbies but Friend who is a former London Harlequins' coach said that he knew of British players also keen to migrate Down Under.
