Waratahs on verge of Mitchell deal
Greg Growden and Rupert Guinness | April 23, 2009
AFTER re-signing captain Phil Waugh, the Waratahs are set to announce that they have snared the signature of Drew Mitchell from the Western Force and that Rob Horne, Lachie Turner and Dean Mumm will also be committing their futures to NSW.
Depending on final negotiations, which are understood to involve the Australian Rugby Union, the Waratahs are poised to announce they have been successful in luring Mitchell from Perth to Sydney.
His signing will immediately solve coach Chris Hickey's problem of who will take over at fullback from Sam Norton-Knight, who is bound for Cardiff at the end of the season.
Mitchell was one of several Force players caught up in the Firepower saga, having been lured to Perth from Queensland with the promise of a giant contract from the failed fuel technology company. Mitchell - like other Force players such as Matt Giteau - struggled to get paid and the dream sponsorship turned into a nightmare when Firepower was exposed by the Herald as a spectacular fraud.
The Herald has also been told the Waratahs are close to revealing they have secured the services of Horne, Turner and Mumm. They have also recently been in contact with their most dynamic of recent forwards Dan Vickerman, who is in England studying at Cambridge University.
Luring Vickerman back to the Waratahs would be difficult but the team's hierarchy has made it known he would be welcome if he wanted to resurrect his career in Australia. The Waratahs realise they are short of second-row talent, especially as they look upon Mumm as a future specialist blindside breakaway. In Vickerman's absence, Mumm has excelled in the second row, but he has made it no secret No.6 is his preferred position.
After yesterday confirming he had re-signed with the ARU and NSW, Waugh said he planned to spend much of his time badgering off-contract teammates to remain.
"I will probably get in their ears now and try and get them to stay," said the 29-year-old No.7 and Waratahs captain, who has 107 Super caps. "I hope my decision is a positive influence on other guys who may have more money on the table elsewhere, but are happy to sacrifice a little to stay here."
The NSWRU is also hoping Waugh's decision to stay will encourage other players to re-sign with the Waratahs.
"The priority was to get Phil for Phil's sake for how he plays and his leadership," NSWRU chief executive Jim L'Estrange said. "But we are hoping when the players see a player of the stature of Phil stay at the Waratahs, and that passion, that they will want to be with Phil. That goes for young players and old players. He has played a lot of time with the Al Baxters, the [Matt] Dunnings of the world. And we have the young players like the [Dan] Palmers and Fitzys [Damien Fitzpatrick]. They are coming through, and I think they want to rub shoulders with Phil Waugh, too."
Keeping Waugh was far from easy. He received offers from Wales, England, France and Japan that would have netted him a far more money than his new two-year contract that will take him up to and including the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.
It was not until 9.30pm on Tuesday that L'Estrange felt comfortable the deal was secure - after final talks and email exchanges with Waugh's manager, who was in France. Waugh said he had to take "a fair financial hit to stay", and what clinched the deal was a third-party sponsorship with a group of investors who wanted him to remain with NSW.
He said that component "has been a significant difference between me going and staying. It was a matter of closing the gap a little ? but I still believe I have a lot to offer Australian rugby." Waugh reiterated his love of the Waratahs, his passion to lead them to an elusive title and his continuing Wallabies ambitions.
"In rugby you have to have a passion for who you are playing for. I have a clear passion for not only playing here at NSW and at the Wallabies [but] also at Sydney University," Waugh said. "It would have to be a significant amount of money to throw that away and play somewhere else."
Waugh is not just focused on the Tahs. His Wallabies dreams are still very much alive, and he wants to reclaim the No.7 jersey from incumbent George Smith.
"I do believe I have my best football in front of me. This is not a financial decision. Most importantly it is about here at the Waratahs, trying to achieve what we have been trying to achieve for a long time in winning a Super 14 title. Also, the allure of winning the Bledisloe Cup back, being involved in the 2011 World Cup, and endeavouring to win it."
A couple of points,
1 No mention of Elsom, so the Qld rumours appear to be acurate
2 Vickerman would be wonderful
