Munster target Tipoki as McAlister hopes fade
Coach Declan Kidney and manager Jerry Holland travelled to England last week for Ireland A’s Churchill Cup clash with the Maoris — and their apparent target was Tipoki.
Munster have identified a few possible replacements for South African Trevor Halstead, but there is no doubt that the deposed Heineken Cup champions need to build up an already strong squad in specific areas.
Tipoki captained the Maori side in the recent Churchill Cup campaign in England only to end up losing to the Saxons at Twickenham on Saturday. However he was named player of the tournament.
Kidney and team manager Jerry Holland weren’t available for comment yesterday, but sources confirmed they met Tipoki and discussed possible terms for a move to Ireland, probably after Tipoki concludes his contract with North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup competition in October.
Tipoki comes highly recommended, with recently departed All Black legend Christian Cullen amongst a group of respected supporters of the 31-year-old.
Tipoki’s Maori side lost the final to England by four points but he was involved in one of the most sensational tries of the tournament after breaking past four tacklers from inside his own half.
It was confirmed over the weekend that Tipoki’s transfer from Canterbury to North Harbour has been approved in the wake of the Super 14 series, but a New Zealand source suggested it would be relatively easy to get out of such a contract, particularly if the team is not involved in the later stages of the Air New Zealand Cup.
Meanwhile the Sale Sharks have offered All Black Luke McAlister a lucrative deal that would see him turn his back on New Zealand for the English premiership.
Speculation has been rife for the past 12 months that McAlister, who spent much of his childhood in England, would bolt for European rugby.
It was believed the reason behind his want-away attitude was due to his being stuck behind incumbent second-five Aaron Mauger in the All Blacks pecking order but Mauger’s imminent move to Leicester after this year’s World Cup seems to have done little to appease him.
McAlister recently turned down a move to Munster before talks with French powerhouse Toulouse came to nothing when they chose to chase All Black scrum half Byron Kelleher’s signature instead.
It is understood the deal would include a coaching job at the club’s academy for his father Charlie who finished last season coaching the North harbour under 18s after walking out on Air New Zealand cup side Manawatu on the eve of their debut in the competition.
McAlister is tipped to wear the No.12 jumper when New Zealand takes on France in the second test in Wellington on Saturday.
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