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Fushitsusha
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The question is... who in Europe would want him? :lol:
Baxter looks overseas as ARU talks fail
On the day incumbent Test prop Al Baxter said he was likely to play overseas next season, Hurricanes tight-head Tim Fairbrother revealed he could be bound for the Western Force.
The move would make the Kiwi a contender for Baxter's Wallabies No.3 berth. Baxter, 32, yesterday said talks with the ARU had broken down and that he had told the national and NSW Rugby unions he intended to pursue negotiations with several European clubs.
Baxter, Australia's most capped prop - he has played 64 Tests and two World Cups - told the Herald he had received three offers from European clubs before the ARU talks collapsed.
The tight-head prop said he hoped the ARU would reconsider its stance over the financial component of a two-year deal that would extend his Wallabies career to include the 2011 World Cup.
But he yesterday indicated he believed his Test days might now be numbered and could end with the domestic international season of one match against the Barbarians, Tests against Italy and France and then the Tri Nations tournament.
"Unfortunately, it has broken down with the ARU," Baxter said. "We've come to an impasse. I have been getting a fair few offers from overseas in the past months, so I just said to [the ARU], 'If it has come to an impasse, I am going to have to negotiate overseas.' They said, 'Yeah, go for it'. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that. Definitely, I would love to stay at the Wallabies and if I stay at the Wallabies, definitely I will stay at NSW.
"But this is getting close to my last contract, if not my last. So I have to start thinking about paying off a fair chunk of the mortgage, [and ensuring that I] have some money set aside for kids' schooling and things like that.
"I have to look after my family as No.1. If I was a young single bloke, it wouldn't matter so much, but having three children - I have a third on the way - by going overseas I can pretty much set myself up for life."
Fairbrother confirmed the Western Force had approached him with an offer that would open doors to a possible Wallabies position.
The 27-year-old, who is off contract this year and has 58 Super caps, sees Australia as his best option.
"Aussie is definitely a big option," he said. "Australia appeals more at this stage than Europe.
"I don't want to pack my boots up and head overseas and disappear from view just for the money side of things. I want to have a real crack at things."
If Fairbrother did join the Force, under ARU rules he would be eligible for the Wallabies as soon as he moved to Australia and started his new contract because he has not played a Test for the All Blacks and because his maternal grandparents are Australian. He could even be considered for the end of season spring tour.
Baxter said his heart was in Australia and that the stumbling block with the ARU "was pretty much financial".
"I started the negotiations," he said. "They came with an offer. I came with a counter-offer. They said, 'No, we are not going to get near a counter-offer', and wouldn't move pretty much from where they are at.
"I said, 'What's happening? Is there going to be any movement?' They said, 'No, we just don't want to move anywhere'. I said, 'That's really disappointing and I'll look overseas'."
Baxter, who represents himself in domestic negotiations but has an agent for all overseas matters, said he was also disappointed by how long it took to start negotiations with the ARU, especially as they ended the way they did.
"NSW were great - they were really helpful," Baxter said of the NSWRU and its involvement in the deal.
"Unfortunately, it was pretty slow with the ARU - not getting back to me and [my] having to do a fair bit of chasing up with them to try and get offers from them. I was hoping to have it all locked away a fair few weeks ago."
Rugby Heaven article
Now we just need Dunning to follow him...
Baxter looks overseas as ARU talks fail
On the day incumbent Test prop Al Baxter said he was likely to play overseas next season, Hurricanes tight-head Tim Fairbrother revealed he could be bound for the Western Force.
The move would make the Kiwi a contender for Baxter's Wallabies No.3 berth. Baxter, 32, yesterday said talks with the ARU had broken down and that he had told the national and NSW Rugby unions he intended to pursue negotiations with several European clubs.
Baxter, Australia's most capped prop - he has played 64 Tests and two World Cups - told the Herald he had received three offers from European clubs before the ARU talks collapsed.
The tight-head prop said he hoped the ARU would reconsider its stance over the financial component of a two-year deal that would extend his Wallabies career to include the 2011 World Cup.
But he yesterday indicated he believed his Test days might now be numbered and could end with the domestic international season of one match against the Barbarians, Tests against Italy and France and then the Tri Nations tournament.
"Unfortunately, it has broken down with the ARU," Baxter said. "We've come to an impasse. I have been getting a fair few offers from overseas in the past months, so I just said to [the ARU], 'If it has come to an impasse, I am going to have to negotiate overseas.' They said, 'Yeah, go for it'. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that. Definitely, I would love to stay at the Wallabies and if I stay at the Wallabies, definitely I will stay at NSW.
"But this is getting close to my last contract, if not my last. So I have to start thinking about paying off a fair chunk of the mortgage, [and ensuring that I] have some money set aside for kids' schooling and things like that.
"I have to look after my family as No.1. If I was a young single bloke, it wouldn't matter so much, but having three children - I have a third on the way - by going overseas I can pretty much set myself up for life."
Fairbrother confirmed the Western Force had approached him with an offer that would open doors to a possible Wallabies position.
The 27-year-old, who is off contract this year and has 58 Super caps, sees Australia as his best option.
"Aussie is definitely a big option," he said. "Australia appeals more at this stage than Europe.
"I don't want to pack my boots up and head overseas and disappear from view just for the money side of things. I want to have a real crack at things."
If Fairbrother did join the Force, under ARU rules he would be eligible for the Wallabies as soon as he moved to Australia and started his new contract because he has not played a Test for the All Blacks and because his maternal grandparents are Australian. He could even be considered for the end of season spring tour.
Baxter said his heart was in Australia and that the stumbling block with the ARU "was pretty much financial".
"I started the negotiations," he said. "They came with an offer. I came with a counter-offer. They said, 'No, we are not going to get near a counter-offer', and wouldn't move pretty much from where they are at.
"I said, 'What's happening? Is there going to be any movement?' They said, 'No, we just don't want to move anywhere'. I said, 'That's really disappointing and I'll look overseas'."
Baxter, who represents himself in domestic negotiations but has an agent for all overseas matters, said he was also disappointed by how long it took to start negotiations with the ARU, especially as they ended the way they did.
"NSW were great - they were really helpful," Baxter said of the NSWRU and its involvement in the deal.
"Unfortunately, it was pretty slow with the ARU - not getting back to me and [my] having to do a fair bit of chasing up with them to try and get offers from them. I was hoping to have it all locked away a fair few weeks ago."
Rugby Heaven article
Now we just need Dunning to follow him...
