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Waratahs 2014

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fatprop

George Gregan (70)
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gone ... .. ... .

Mitchell says 'oui' to Toulon
Date
April 16, 2013 - 4:20PM
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Georgina Robinson
Sports Reporter

Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell will leave Australian rugby and join good friend and former Test centre Matt Giteau at French club Toulon later this year.

It is understood Mitchell will join the French Top 14 club on a two year deal after agreeing to an offer overnight.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...i-to-toulon-20130416-2hxy4.html#ixzz2QbcMBRyp
 

meatsack

Ward Prentice (10)
I wonder when 'later in the year' actually is? I don't think Top14 gets serious until August does it?
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Top 14 is brutal. 26 home and away games. Final is 5th May and the next season starts in around 3 months time in August.

I'd say he'd leave after the TRC.
 

suckerforred

Chilla Wilson (44)
Surely he is contracted till end of year with the wallabies just like Barnes and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).

And like Elsom, Smith etal if he wants to go before the end of Wallaby duties will need a release from ARU & Tahs. Guessing he may not be around for RC if that is the case.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Surely he is contracted till end of year with the wallabies just like Barnes and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).

The ARU might grant him a release.

As he has a Wallaby top up contract, if he's not going to be selected for the EOYT, it will save the ARU money.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
Top 14 is brutal. 26 home and away games. Final is 5th May and the next season starts in around 3 months time in August.

I'd say he'd leave after the TRC.

They've also signed Carlin Isles from the USA 7s team. Alongside Habana, Palisson, Smith, Wulf, himself and Isles, he'll only need to play every third game.
 
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JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
They've also signed Carlin Isles from the USA 7s team. Alongside Habana, Palisson, Smith, Wulf, himself and Isles, he'll only need to play every third game.

He'll get a brutal welcome to proper rugby, once he can't run around people because there is half the space he'll get found out for being the one trick pony that he is. Isles needs to stick to 7s, he is deadly in that form of the game (from the limited amount of 7s that I watch).
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Alternately it will be a baptism of fire for him. All he would need would be the half gap once every game or two and he would be away.

Being in the professional 15 aside environment should allow him all the time needed to hone the necessary skills to adopt quickly to the 15 aside game. Either that or he will soon cookoo back to the 7 aside game.

It would be great to see him operate to full potential in the 15 aside game.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
He'll get a brutal welcome to proper rugby, once he can't run around people because there is half the space he'll get found out for being the one trick pony that he is. Isles needs to stick to 7s, he is deadly in that form of the game (from the limited amount of 7s that I watch).

I wouldn't discount him as from all accounts he's a very driven and determined athlete. He has evidently been putting it in at the Chula Vista training facility trying to improve his game. Also, word is Toulon will loan him to a ProD2 side to give him a season to come to grips with the 15 man game.
 

JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
Even if he is in Pro2, his lack of understanding of the defensive side of XV (and his small stature) means he is a liability from the outset, not to mention he is playing in a massively physical league giving more chance of serious injury. Didn't he only start playing 7s about a year ago? I wouldn't want that on my team on the chance he might get a half break, which he might score from. I don't blame him for taking the money that Toulon will be throwing at him, I just think he would be better off staying in 7s and becoming a superstar at the Olympics.
 

Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
Folau spotted meeting with the Roosters' recruitment manager yesterday. League pundits still claiming that Folau is "100% chance" to be back in the NRL next year (especially the shows on MMM).
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
^^^ Makes sense. Not much of a change in his daily commute to the Salt Mines. Must be all of 60 metres between Tah HQ and Chook HQ.
 

Try-ranosaurus Rex

Darby Loudon (17)
Mitchell is moving to French club Toulon, Berrick Barnes is leaving for the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan, Sitaleki Timani is headed for Montpellier in France, and there are question marks over Wycliff Palu and at least one other Test forward.

Read more: [URL='http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/more-wriggle-room-over-roster-as-mitchell-leaves-20130417-2i0lg.html#ixzz2QlS1joRq[/QUOTE']http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/more-wriggle-room-over-roster-as-mitchell-leaves-20130417-2i0lg.html#ixzz2QlS1joRq[/URL]

Any ideas on who the 'other test forward' is?
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Radio or the Wizard would know. Go on over to ESPN sport and check out if Ros Reines BPT (AKA grumbles) has produced his weekly gossip column.
 

Richo

John Thornett (49)
I'm not up to date on loig cap rules (actually, I'm not up to date on loig anything), so can rugby offer a competitive deal?
 

JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
Not up to date on league either but I would hazard a guess that they couldn't offer anything that rugby can't match. Also weren't the mungo hacks saying every year the SBW was a definite to return to their code? I'm sure Izzy won't play out his days in rugby, but given the lure of a Wallaby cap and European tours, throw in the Olympics and I'm fairly sure he'll stay. A weekend in Penrith doesn't compare to a tour of the home nations, France and Italy or living it up in Rio for a month.
 
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