The Western Force have bolstered their forward stocks with the signing of Wallabies lock Izack Rodda from French Top 14 outfit Lyon.
Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn is set to be unimpressed after his former star charge Izack Rodda signed with the Western Force.
Rodda played 46 times for the Reds before leaving at the end of 2020 to head to French club Lyon.
Last week, Thorn expressed his displeasure at the prospect of Rodda returning to a rival Australian franchise less than a year after the star lock walked out on the Reds over a pay dispute.
It’s unclear whether Rodda will be available for Saturday’s clash with the Reds at Suncorp Stadium.
Rodda has earned 25 caps for the Wallabies, including appearances at the 2019 World Cup.
“It’s fantastic to be heading home and getting back to Super Rugby,” Rodda said.
“The Force is a very ambitious club that are looking to become the best in the competition, so this is an opportunity that I’m very excited to make the most of.”
Force coach Tim Sampson said Rodda would add great value to the squad.
“Izack has a great level of Super Rugby and international experience, which is important when playing in the tight five,” Sampson said.
“It’s fantastic for us and Australian rugby to have players like Izack return and he is genuinely excited to be a part of our club moving forward.”
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@TJ There's a HUGE diff between players with experience and the dads army that the Force has recruited now. Like 8-10 years diff. Almost the whole Force squad are imports from outside WA but far too many of them are now slow and over the hill. Let's see if they can give the Reds a good game tonight
TJ-Go Force!
Roar Rookie
I'm a big bristol bears fan, but we're not seeing much out of Luke M this season. He's been constantly injured. Had a great year last year, but as a Bears fan I won't be upset if he goes and we get that salary cap space back to buy another forward.
TJ-Go Force!
Roar Rookie
I don't have an issue with having players with experience. The premiership in the UK every team has there 4-5 players with experience behind them. Look at how crap the 'baby' Tahs are now. They lost all their experienced players and now they're crap as the next wave aren't ready to run on their own.
MO
Guest
Robertson and Wagner are okay. I actually like Wagner. Woulda been hard for him to break in above Sio and Slipper. He was pretty young in Canberra and he was recruited from Qld to Canberra. Sampson got him over to the Force to play super rugby. We do need a 10 and a 12. Taefu is not impressive. I like Cubelli but would prefer we have two Aussie 9s. Don't like him take a spot on the roster.
Apology accepted...im guessing BT IS HUMAN so can get things wrong
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
You're probably right he wasn't a fit for the new culture Steve. Cooper never lost to the Sunwolves 63-28 as the Reds did at Suncorp in 2018.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
He didn't have to say that though. The facts are he told him to not even turn up to training in the first week of pre-season. The facts are he gave him no chance to deliver. Now I guess I'm being generous to him assuming he made up his mind, rather than risking paying a players salary for 2 years for no benefit when he wasn't even sure. But I don't think it's a stretch to say that when he exiled Cooper and told him he wouldn't be able to be considered, he'd made up his mind. The facts certainly show he never gave him a chance to deliver what he wanted. What is most damning though, is the haphazard nature of it all. Thorn had given no thought to who would replace Cooper when he told him to go. At that time Hamish Stewart was the only option. I believe he was the 4th choice 10 by the end of 2018, with Jono Lance, Matt McGahan and Bryce Hegarty all acquired after Cooper was gone. The point being that Thorn had no idea he would get any of them. The other factor is, that removing Cooper didn't enable this. He still paid his salary, still took up a roster spot and cap space. He just said "I've decided I won't work with Cooper but I really have no idea who I will replace him with, or how". That's what is even worse than refusing to try and make the most of what he had (which was a Super Rugby winning international 10 mind you).
piru
Roar Rookie
How do you know what Thorn’s issues are? He’s never said anything. You’re making excuses for Thorn by creating a reasoning that he has never said. I'm not making excuses for anyone, I don't particularly care one way or the other. I'm just saying I think your logic is wrong Thorn settled the issue in his mind before he ever gave Cooper a chance to deliver what he wanted. Aren't you now "creating a logic he never said"?
ScottD
Roar Guru
I do ????
ScottD
Roar Guru
Well actually he doesn't come back until 2022. It is unlikely he'll get a game in SRAU this year.
ScottD
Roar Guru
Nothing wrong with that if you are a professional sportsperson. Everyone wants to maximise their salary in their chosen career
Poco Loco
Roar Rookie
Oh! I am so sorry I got it wrong. So BT then is not holy and can be wrong? :happy:
TJ-Go Force!
Roar Rookie
I'm gutted we have brought in Miotti as a squad player and let him sign with Glasgow next season. Will be a shame to lose Cubelli to Leicester too. Hopefully we can hang onto Medrano and Lezana. They look like good prospects. Fully aware we won't see Rodda too soon until Lyon crash out of Europe. I think I've heard late May they're hoping him to return. Lyon have a truck load of locks. Jake Ball signing next year is great, he's still got 3-4 years in him. Proven at Test level. I'd like us to target Jack Walsh, Isaac Lucas, Sean McMahon, Samu Kerevi from OS. If we can bring an Arnold, Coleman or Skelton home too I won't complain. Props wise, we really should have nabbed Jermaine Ainsley. That was a missed opportunity.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Twiggy only went to the ashtray in his car to get some coin to buy Rodda.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Jacko, I would have been very supportive of Bradley if he had terminated HIS contract due to the Covid fallout ! :happy:
Loser...everyone knows dan carter is god...richie is jesus and tana is the holy ghost...
Bobby I can just imagine what you would be saying if BT was 1 of 3 from roughly 250 plus people who had used the virus to reneg on his contract due to the cuts in pay!!!
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@MO TK is looking very slow now and Brumbies did well to move him on. But he's no slower than Godwin in his prime and still a better defender. Same with Kahui at age 36 - much better than Godwin. Robinson was an inconsistent dud at Waratahs - you'll get little value out of him. Wagner is a Canberra Vikings junior who was never good enough to make a Brumbies team. Longbottom is 36 and 5 yrs too old. Timani is now 35 too. Holmes is 37. Kearney 35. Lance 31. The once great Thrush is 36 and struggling for speed. Anstee and Cubelli look great. Maybe when Twiggy ditches dads army and spends another few million $$ on youth and speed Force might win a few games :thumbup:
Jamie
Guest
A kiwi BT fanboi would only say that about Quade.Not a true Queenslander .Your opinion matters not to me.Good day
MO
Guest
I am happy enough with Robertson and Wagner. Problem is on the other side. Holmes and Longbottom have many miles on the clock. Who knows, maybe Bo Abra will be able to step up. He is very young. TK is looking a little slow. Godwin back from injury (if he comes back) will be a nice solid defensive centre. Need to get some minutes into a young 9. Need to find a good 10 and 12