NEWLY single Origin star Mitchell Pearce has become the new playboy of Australian sport - dating Playboy covergirl Ciara Price, weeks after being spotted partying with a Pussycat Doll.
The NSW halfback, who until recently lived with girlfriend Phoebe Carpenter, has turned his full attention to the buxom blonde since she arrived in Sydney last weekend for a series of appearances.
He even risked breaking Origin camp protocol by taking her back to the team hotel at Coogee's Crowne Plaza Hotel in the lead-up to Wednesday's crucial clash.
While coach Ricky Stuart told NSW players nothing was allowed to come between the Blues and victory in the match, Pearce spent the lead up to the game bombarding the buxom blonde with his attention.The relationship comes just weeks after Pearce split with Carpenter after being spotted partying with American Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts.
Introduced by mutual friends at a local bar last Saturday, the 22-year-old American Playboy playmate is understood to have spent the night with Pearce on Sunday at the hotel while Pearce's Origin teammates slumbered.
When the Blues were given days off last Saturday and Monday to spend time with family and friends, he invited her around to watch a DVD; Price took to twitter at 1.16pm on Monday to say: "Movie time with @mitch-pearce7".Price also watched the second match of the State of Origin from a corporate box at Sydney's ANZ Stadium last Wednesday as Pearce, son of rugby league great Wayne Pearce, played on the winning Blues team. She is understood to have spent Thursday evening at his apartment.
The two were photographed leaving together early on Friday before he dropped Price at a girlfriend's Kings Cross apartment. The pair shared a lingering kiss before he went to training with Roosters teammates. Price later tweeted: "have fun at practice xx".
Price's Australian representative, Amanda Archer, yesterday confirmed the couple's budding romance. "Ciara met Mitchell through mutual friends and they've been enjoying each other's company," she said.
Price is in Australia with fellow Playboy playmate Crystal Harris, who was once engaged to Hugh Hefner, for appearances at Bar100. Also a DJ, she has signed on for regular gigs at the venue.
She is the latest beauty to be wooed by the blue-eyed 23-year-old footballer.
In the early hours of Sunday, April 29, Pearce was snapped leaving The Rocks' Bar100 alongside Pussycat Doll Roberts.
Roberts' spokesman said the pair were "just friends" at the time.
Pearce, who took Carpenter to the Dally M Awards as his date last year, is understood to have been living with his longtime girlfriend in Randwick at the time. She moved out of their apartment weeks later, although she apparently still remains close to Pearce's sister Tatum.
