Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is adamant backline ace Dane Haylett-Petty won’t be lost to Australian rugby if the Western Force get the chop from Super Rugby.
The Durban-born, Perth-raised 27-year-old is on record as saying he’ll only play for the Force or head overseas if the ARU opts to cut the WA franchise over the Melbourne Rebels.
But Cheika on Thursday said Haylett-Petty was contracted to the ARU for 2018 and must honour that deal.
The influential Wallabies mentor doesn’t suspect he’ll need to play hardball with the 13-Test winger.
“He can stay in Perth and get paid if he doesn’t want to leave,” Cheika said.
“(But) I can’t imagine he doesn’t want to play Super Rugby … who’s not going to want to play footy?
“Dane’s signed to play here. He’d have to have a clearance from us and we want Dane to be playing here.
“He’s a great player; came to promise last year and we’re hoping that he’s going to build right through until the (2019) World Cup as well.”
Nor is Cheika concerned too many players from either the Force or Rebels would be left without a home when the ARU makes its call on which will be the Australian franchise cut loose in 2018 under SANZAAR’s restructuring back to a 15-team competition.
Taking into account the “natural 15 per cent attrition (rate) of players leaving, retiring, not being re-signed in a normal year”, Cheika estimated only a handful of players not being accommodated by the NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds, Brumbies and either the Force or Rebels, depending on who survives.
The national coach promised those players left in contract limbo following the ARU’s axing of the Force or Rebels would have their futures settled swiftly.
“No one wants to play in the unknown,” Cheika said.
“No one’s going to be told to go anywhere.”
Cheika and ARU high-performance chief Ben Whitaker will sit down individually with every affected player.
“The idea is that we try to make sure that everyone comes out in the best situation as they can,” Cheika said.
“That’s important to me because, even at the national team level, apart from the players, that doubt can have a knock-on effect into performances etc.
“When I say performances, I don’t think it has an effect on tackling people or catching balls or catching kicks, more the mental side.”
Cheika said in the event of any player he considered a future Wallaby not being picked up by an Australian Super Rugby club, he’d quickly step in and sign them to an ARU contract.
“And we’ll worry about that later. We don’t have the opportunity to let out good players go. We’re losing too many players overseas for the financial reason,” Cheika said.
“Especially the younger market, which we’re targeting now, because we want the younger players to come through now.
“We understand that we don’t have as many resources (as Europe and Japan) and we’ve got to make sure our good players make it.
“And that will help our market place all round because then, when our top-end players getting huge offers from overseas and they might start considering them, we’ve got young players who might come and fill those voids.
“We’ve got to go down that road.”
Cheika said there were pros and cons for reducing Australian teams from five to four, with less players getting exposure to Super Rugby but more money being invested at grassroots level.
Jock Cornet
Guest
Dhp can't tackle
Timbo (L)
Guest
He is a fullback, not a winger, He plays there to make up for Folau's deficiencies in the position
Jock Cornet
Guest
We have a tonne of wingers, let him go. I'd be concentrating on keeping and delivering piggies.
Timbo (L)
Guest
Hugo, I am afraid to say you are right, for now. DHP doesn't seem to have the same kicking form this year as he did last. His ground work and vision is still impeccable. I don't think we should have incomplete players in the team and he had better get his boots on and practice those kick returns if he wants the fullback role. The Debraczeni-Hodge 10-15 combination worked well last night to beat the ponies, both have huge boots and on form I would have at least one of them at 15, possibly Jack at 10. Being a realist, I would be happy with any 1 of the 3 at 15. And for clarity, in Chieka's demented game plan the kicking fullback plays with a number 14 on his back. I have no idea what Folau's position is, Probably 13'a'.
Kirky
Roar Rookie
If the Force do get the chop! Haylett Petty won't play in Australia, just ask him why, he's a nice cool young guy and very easy to talk to, but he's a Forcie' through and through end of story. He's not an Aussie by birth anyway so at a guess I reckon he'll go home to South Africa or to New Zealand, he's talented and needs a good game and he won't get that here in OZ!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Rhys! Exactly mate and he's a died in the wool West Australian now and is as you say in love with the Force, and for Cheika to hang that sort of rubbish on a talented youngster, he needs to look at himself, because at the end of the day he's a sub standard Coach in the first place, and I reckon Dane two Dads knows it.!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Fionn' why would it be a tragedy? Why would a talented youngster want to stay and play in a sub standard outfit as Australia is? If the Force get dumped which I don't think will happen, he's a free Agent and if I was a guy who had that luxury, I'd be looking to where the best game is, and it's not here in Australia and he's do a hell of a lot better in New Zealand than he would going up North!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Huge! I beg to differ mate as I think he's the only player out of OZ who may make a Kiwi Franchise, he's got the talent and just needs to refine it as he'd get that drilled into him quickly!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Why would Haylett Petty want to stay in Aussie to play in a very poor rugby environment? ~ I'd think if he had any nous at all he'd get outta' here quick, he's possibly the only player from Aussie' that could get picked up by a Kiwi Franchise so let's hope he does just that, so "you go South young man" that's where it's at!
Fionn
Guest
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Bakkies
Guest
Fionn it would be more accurate to use those words to describe Beale and Cheika will put him in the midfield shudder. Haylett Petty had a strong tour and the Wallabies need an accurate kicker to put the ball well out of play from their own half. I bet your bottom dollar that the root cause of most of the Wallabies tries conceded against the ABs comes from loose kicks that give their team mates little chance to chase. They either score straight off the kick return counter attack or the ABs retain possession and score off a few phases.
Timbo (L)
Guest
I gave some artistic license there, the 2-3 months of a winter that Perth actually has is pretty gloomy - lots of cold rain, but the other 9 months are great if you don't mind the sunshine.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
It makes us stronger, Timbo :P. That said, Perth is Shangri-La, it is the paradise that Sydney would have been 60 years ago before it got so big, busy and expensive. If you could be convinced to do so then moving from Perth to Canberra would make you stronger, that's for sure...
Timbo (L)
Guest
DHP's Contract is now with the ARU, and not the entity formally known as western force. He doesn't have a leg to stand on. But then again, there is a fair chance that by cutting the force or the rebels, the ARU will be violating a few other contacts, potentially voiding most of the ARU player contracts in the process. This legal battle will go on for years and any savings won't go to grass roots, they will go to Cox and some over-priced lawyers.
Timbo (L)
Guest
The brumbies already cherry picked Alcock and Godwin last year.. I am betting they would love the opportunity to relocate some families from sunny Perth to the blustery frozen wasteland that is a Canberra in winter.
Timbo (L)
Guest
It's not bias if it's true. Until he removes his Tah's favorites, a 15 that can't kick and has no vision, a 4 that can't jump, and a 6 that is too slow to get to a ruck and a 7 that doesn't know what one is, the bias label stays. He eviscerated the side to accommodate these anointed ones. Half of the Wallaby problems are those 4 players and the deck chairs moved to compensate for their deficiencies. And to show I am not Biassed, I like Gordon, Dempsey, Hannigan, and Kellaway as a possible future for the Wallabies. I like Mumm for the pine but not starting, a good 5/6 utility I am hoping Ross Haylett Petty can get his discipline sorted out and take that role off him next year. 6 Fardy, 7 Alcock, 15 DHP, and anyone but Skelton for 4, there are 6 obvious better options. My preferences, but there are other good choices worth entertaining.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Is that really necessary?
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Hello Everybody, would you be feeling very pro-rugby if the club you played for, loved, and came from your home town was unceremoniously cut and you were ordered to go and play for a competitor? I can understand his ill will. I think it is good that Dane loves his club so much, and I think he is showing a lot of moral fortitude.
Timbo (L)
Guest
According to a lot of media noise, he should go and play club rugby. It is the perfect place to get honestly evaluated for a Wallaby spot, No wait, that only applies to the (poop) Chute shield. The Pindan comp has no visibility in Michael Cheika's pale blue world
Bakkies
Guest
'I thought all players had to have a Super Rugby contract in order to play for the Wallabies?' That's correct. I can understand that but on the other hand you can leave Australia after signing a Super Rugby contract but not get offered a ARU one (see the Ben Mowen case as he signed a fresh multi year contract at the Brumbies). Talk about sandbagging your own sides.