Force players deny 'revolt'
Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:07
Two of the Western Force's most promising players, Wallabies Richard Brown and James O'Connor, have distanced themselves from the supposed 'player revolt' that is allegedly threatening the peace at the Perth Super 14 franchise.
Recent reports have indicated the possibility of a rift between senior Force players and coach John Mitchell.
Mitchell has only returned to Perth recently from holiday, and most of his senior Force players are currently training with the Wallaby squad in Coogee, Sydney in preparation for their November tour.
But Brown and the precocious young O'Connor have made it clear that they had no part in the matter.
"It has not got much to do with me, I am pretty sure someone has got a sniff of something and then exaggerated the facts," Brown said.
"So what is going around in the media I don't pay much thought to it."
O'Connor, who has developed rapidly over the last season with the Force, also stated that he was not part of any agenda against the Force coach, who recently extended his contract for another three years.
"It has got nothing to do with me," O'Connor told watoday.com.au.
The supposed revolt has already been denied by Force officials, and Mitchell's manager, John Fordham, released a statement condemning the initial media reports.
"[Force players' representative] John Welborn took the time to call me to say that the report of a recent player meeting was distorted and very disappointing," Fordham said.
"He categorically denied that a dossier existed. Because of this, there is obviously no substance to the newspaper article's claim that a so-called dossier will be tabled at the next Rugby WA board meeting.
"John's assurances are in line with the advice John Mitchell received from two of the Force's senior players, vice-captain Matt Giteau and captain Nathan Sharpe."
Both Brown and O'Connor have been impressive this season for their franchise, and have deservedly been drafted into the Australian set-up by coach Robbie Deans.
Both players looked ahead at the upcoming tour - Deans' first UK tour in charge of the Wallabies - and related their experience of Wallaby life thus far.
"There are a lot of similarities in message and in styles of playing the game, and that certainly makes that transition a little easier from Super 14s to Wallabies," Brown said.
"It has made a little easier knowing and having an insight into the Wallabies structure."
O'Connor is set to become the second youngest player ever to play for Australia should he take the field in any of the November Tests.
"It is all starting to feel like it is actually the real deal now," O'Connor said.
