Sharpe ponders playing on with Force

Updated January 17, 2012 21:43:39

Western Force skipper Nathan Sharpe has not ruled out the prospect of extending his Super Rugby career into 2013, saying he will make a call on his future over the coming months.

Sharpe, who turns 34 in February, is Super Rugby's most capped player with 147 appearances, while he has also notched 101 Tests for the Wallabies during a glittering international career.

But age has not wearied the powerful lock, who insists motivation is not a problem as he embarks on his 15th Super season.

"Physically I feel really good," Sharpe said on Tuesday as the Force's Wallabies contingent returned to preseason training.

"For me, I've been lucky with injuries thus far.

"The body feels good and I'm still enjoying playing and I just have to assess all the factors that come into my life.

"I'll make a call probably very early on in the season and that's something I'll come to pass in the next couple of months."

After six fruitless seasons at the Force, Sharpe is desperate to guide the club to a maiden finals berth in 2012.

But the Perth-based franchise has already hit a snag in that quest following the sensational resignation of five-eighth Willie Ripia, who was caught allegedly stealing from team-mates.

"I think first and foremost the most important thing is that Willie gets the help he needs to get through this situation," Sharpe said of the NZ-born fly half, who is battling gambling-related issues.

"All the guys thought he was a really nice fella and it's a real shame that it came to pass the way it did.

"But the group's moved on.

"A lot of guys have been in contact with Willie and sent their best with him.

"But the trust in the group is the most important thing and certainly that is something that needs to be paramount in this team and that's what we're working towards."

AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted January 17, 2012 21:34:13

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Aussie Super teams playing 'school stuff'

Posted May 18, 2011 17:00:00

Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph says that Australian teams were playing schoolboy rugby under the new Super Rugby format, compared to the gruelling season faced by New Zealand franchises.

While backing the concept of more local derbies under the competition's new system, Joseph says matches between Australian teams such as the Reds and Waratahs lacked the intensity of all-New Zealand clashes.

"We played four New Zealand teams in a row, that's a big ask because they are very physical," he told Wellington's Dominion Post.

"You watch the Waratahs play the Reds and it's different rugby... it's like school stuff while we are at war."

Joseph's comments echo concerns from former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones about the revamped Super Rugby competition, which this year introduced country-based "conferences" in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia with five teams each.

With the top team from each conference guaranteed a spot in the play-offs, Jones says it made the competition uneven because South Africa and New Zealand had more player depth than Australia, making their conferences tougher.

Jones, who coached the Brumbies to a Super 12 win in 2001, says the inclusion of Melbourne Rebels this year had further diluted the pool of player talent in Australia.

"It was justified in terms of getting Australia an even share of the television money and that's the only reason," he told New Zealand's Radio Sport.

"There's no way anyone in their right sense can say Australia can have five top-class sides."

The revamped Super Rugby draw was designed to increase the number of local derbies, boosting interest in the competition.

Each team plays all four other sides in its country twice and four of the other five teams in each of the other conferences.

Jones says this meant a team could potentially make it to the final and win the competition without playing its top rivals during the season.

"It's an uneven competition because everyone doesn't play everyone," he said.

Despite concerns the bruising encounters in the New Zealand conference risked increasing the injury rate among players, Joseph supports more local derbies.

"I think it's great, It's quite tribal, the Kiwi boys against the Kiwis... certainly the guys are enjoying the derby matches," he said.

- AFP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, new-zealand

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