Glasgow want Rush to replace departing Petrie

KEVIN FERRIE March 15 2005

Glasgow are targeting Xavier Rush, the New Zealand No.8, in a bid to avert a leadership crisis. The recruitment of the 28-year-old, who is considering a move to Europe, would be a massive coup for the team at a time when five senior squad members are set to leave.
Rush, who led the Auckland Blues to the 2003 Super 12 title and captained his country at under-19 and under-21 levels, won seven of his eight All Blacks caps last summer.
Hugh Campbell, Glasgow's head coach, admitted that discussions were progressing over the recruitment of a leading southern hemisphere player and The Herald understands it is the 6ft 5in, 17st back-row man.
However, their past four captains are set to depart at the end of the season and the district's chairman has admitted that the Scottish Rugby Union's promise to protect the future of pro team rugby is in danger of proving meaningless if extra money cannot be found to strengthen squads.
Bill Nolan, who is also a member of the SRU's general committee, said: "There is no point in three years of investment at this current level. Under-investment can be a serious waste of money."
Nolan acknowledged that personal circumstances are a factor in the anticipated departure of Jonny Petrie, the current Glasgow captain, at a time when Kenny Logan, who has led them several times this season, and Cammy Mather, last season's captain who has been deputising in Petrie's absence, have indicated that they are leaving at the season's end.
Gordon Bulloch, Scotland's captain, and Sean Lamont, a favourite of the supporters in his two seasons there, also look set to depart on financial grounds after Glasgow were told they were getting no additional SRU funding, unlike Edinburgh and the Borders.
Nolan was sceptical about suggestions that Murrayfield's establishment could be paying back him and Archie Ferguson, his fellow Glasgow district representative to the SRU, for refusing to back the vote of no confidence in David Mackay, the SRU chairman, which threw the sport into turmoil at the beginning of the year.
Regardless of motivation, Glasgow are particularly vul-nerable now, with about two-thirds of their squad currently out of contract. The signing from Newcastle of Craig Hamilton, capped last summer, has been welcome, while Campbell also said yesterday he was on the brink of signing the Glasgow Hawks forwards, Fergus Thomson and Steve Swindall

This article was posted on 15-Mar-2005, 08:35 by Hugh Barrow.