Ulster set for Rush pay-off
Ulster are furious at the player’s late change of heart after planning a back-row around Rush next season and have demanded a sizeable pay-off. The case is a carbon copy of the case involving Northampton’s Tongan prop Soane Tonga’uiha, who had agreed a move to Saracens.
Rush said: “Ulster are a great team with a bright future, but a change in my personal circumstances has resulted in me deciding to recommit with what has become my home from home, with the Cardiff Blues, where I am very happy.”
Rush, 32, inspired the Blues to their Amlin Challenge Cup triumph last month. He was capped eight times by the All Blacks and captained Auckland Blues to the Super 12 title before joining Cardiff in 2005.
Meanwhile, Ulster yesterday signed South Africa international flanker Pedrie Wannenburg on a two-year contract. The 29-year-old joins from the Bulls Super 14 franchise, for whom he racked up over a 100 Super Rugby appearances.
He courted controversy earlier this year after he revealed he had taken cocaine, but he bounced back in impressive fashion to help the Bulls secure a third Super 14 titles in four years. He joins fellow countrymen BJ Botha, Johann Muller and Ruan Pienaar at the Irish region next season and is looking forward to testing himself in the Heineken Cup.
Meanwhile, elevation to the Ireland squad could yield further dividends for young flanker Rhys Ruddock, who is one of six graduates of the Leinster Academy to have secured Development contracts for next season.
Ireland U20 captain Ruddock is with Declan Kidney’s tour party to New Zealand and Australia, having been called into the squad from the Junior World Cup tournament in Argentina as a replacement for the unfortunate John Muldoon.
Whether that in itself will single him out later for different treatment from Brendan Macken, Jack McGrath, Niall Morris, Paul Ryan and Eoin Sheriff, all of whom are named in the same group, is a matter for debate, but at least it puts the youngster right in the limelight.
Leinster yesterday announced their squad for next season and it includes two signings from Ulster, Ireland scrum-half Isaac Boss, and second-row Ed O’Donoghue, who have secured two and three-year deals, respectively.
The Magners League finalists also confirmed that South African prop Heinke van der Merwe has signed from Super 14 side the Lions on a two-year contract. Ireland U20 back Andrew Conway has signed his first professional contract and Isa Nacewa has signed a new three-year deal.
Leinster have left a vacancy and hope to complete one further back-five forward signing in the coming weeks.
The coaching team has also been completed. Fresh from his involvement in Clermont Auvergne’s Bouclier de Brennus success, Joe Schmidt takes over as Head Coach in a new team which includes Jono Gibbes as forwards coach and Richie Murphy, whose role has been expanded to incorporate skills as well as kicking responsibilities.
Guy Easterby takes over as team manager following his involvement with the province’s British & Irish Cup and ‘A’ teams in recent years.
Former New Zealand prop Greg Feek has signed a deal to become the senior team’s consultant scrum coach. Capped 10 times for the All Blacks between 1999 and 2001, the former Taranaki, Canterbury and Tasman front-rower has been the forwards coach for the Wellington Hurricanes since 2008.
Leinster squad 2010/11: FORWARDS: L Cullen, J Fogarty, J Harris-Wright, C Healy, J Heaslip, N Hines, T Hogan, S Jennings, S Keogh, R McCormack, J McGrath*, K McLaughlin, S O’Brien, E O’Donoghue, M Ross, R Ruddock*, P Ryan*, E Sheriff*, R Strauss, D Toner, H van der Merwe, S Wright; BACKS: S Berne, I Boss, A Conway, G D’Arcy, L Fitzgerald, S Horgan, D Kearney, R Kearney, B Macken*, F McFadden, N Morris*, I Nacewa, P O’Donohoe, B O’Driscoll, E O’Malley, E Reddan, J Sexton.
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