Rugby: Midfield pair prepare to team up again

By Chris Rattue

Former Counties-Manukau back Tony Marsh is expected to join his old midfield comrade George Leaupepe in returning to New Zealand rugby from Europe this year.

The pair were at the heart of what was considered an alarming exodus of prime talent from New Zealand's rugby ranks last year because they could not attract the top-dollar Super 12 contracts from the New Zealand Rugby Football Union.

The 24-year-old Leaupepe, who has been in Highlanders, Blues and Hurricanes squads, was unsettled in England. He has already been given a dispensation from his English club Bristol to play in the early rounds of this year's NPC competition, before he joins Manu Samoa's World Cup campaign.

And Leaupepe is likely to be released from the final year of his Bristol contract to resume his career in New Zealand, if he can reach terms on a Super 12 contract with the New Zealand Rugby Football Union.

Marsh, aged 26, quit New Zealand to play in France but Chiefs sources in Hamilton said yesterday they expected him to also make an earlier-than-expected return.

Leaupepe and Marsh, who played for the Crusaders in last year's Super 12, would be prime recruits for the Chiefs, who include Counties-Manukau under the Super 12 boundaries which were re-drawn this year. Marsh's twin brother Glen was one of the star performers, as a loose forward, for the Chiefs this season.

Tony Marsh left New Zealand on Wednesday for France but is believed to be keen to gain a release, especially as his father has had major heart surgery.

Meanwhile, the NZRFU is expected to announce the head coaches for the Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders and Highlanders today.

Wayne Smith and Tony Gilbert will remain in charge of the two South Island teams, with Ross Cooper certain to stay at the Chiefs. National selector Gordon Hunter is tipped to take over the Blues.

Blues assistant coach Mac McCallion, ousted Hurricanes coach Frank Oliver and North Harbour coach Wayne Shelford are among the possibilities as assistants, although Cooper will want a back coach to join him at the Chiefs.

Graham Mourie and Bryan Williams were named as the Hurricanes' new coaching partnership this week. That announcement was brought forward after the NZRFU learnt that the media was about to break the story on Wednesday.