O'Neill backs Melbourne 'super license'

The Daily Telegraph - Thursday, August 13, 2009 12:02 PM

HE said there were plenty of Fijian, Tongans and Samoans playing in Europe for not a lot of money. And if they played Super rugby they could then represent their countries in the southern hemisphere season.

A NEW Super 15 team based in Melbourne could have an exotic blend of players recruited from the Pacific islands, Argentina and Japan, ARU managing director John O'Neill has revealed.

Former Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie has already been mentioned as a coach and he could bring Mark Gasnier back from French side Stade Francais with him as a star recruit.

The former NRL star could then be available for the Wallabies World Cup squad that season.

O'Neill announced yesterday that Melbourne had won endorsement from the ARU board as Australia's sole contender for the new Super licence in 2011, beating bids from western Sydney, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.

O'Neill warned that the Australian bid to be presented to SANZAR Executive Committee for a final decision on October 31 will have to be "absolutely drop-dead gorgeous'' to be successful over the rival contenders for New Zealand and particularly South Africa

But O'Neill has no doubts that a team based in Melbourne would have the player pool to be a force while indicating to the existing sides that they would still be protected as much as possible.

"You might have 30-35 per cent of the team with the players coming from Pacific island nations and another 30-35 per cent may come from Australian players coming back from offshore,'' O'Neill said.

"It will be a bit of Heinz variety team with maybe some Argentinian players and some Japanese players.''
The rest of the squad could be made of home-based players.

"There is lots of talent in Australia that just hasn't been given an opportunity,'' O'Neill said.

He said there were plenty of Fijian, Tongans and Samoans playing in Europe for not a lot of money. And if they played Super rugby they could then represent their countries in the southern hemisphere season.

Leading player manager Ben Williams said he has been approached by a number of British Lions players who would like to play for an Australian Super team if the qualification criteria was relaxed.

Winger Lote Tuqiri has also said playing for the new franchise was an option he would consider.

Three consortiums from Melbourne put in bids for the Super team and the ARU will work with them, hoping they now come together to make one consolidated bid.