All Black to switch codes ... one day

[playdaball]

Piri's league passion

02 July 2006

By JOHN MATHESON

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]PIRI Weepu's desire to return to league is still burning bright.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Weepu, 22, confirmed to Sunday News he still planned to switch codes - despite being rated as one of the best halfbacks in world rugby. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I'm just waiting for the time, and when I'm ready to go, I'll go," Weepu said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]And Sunday News can reveal leading league clubs - including the Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights - will consider approaching him if he decides to switch codes after the World Cup. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I've heard of him. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"We would like to investigate him if he did become available," Roosters boss Brian Canavan said last night. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"Having rugby league in his background certainly helps. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]And we would have a full appraisal of the player, his skill level and gauge his depth." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Newcastle chief executive officer Ken Conway said the high-flying club would take a similar stance to the Roosters. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]And the Newcastle Knights will be in the market for a halfback in 2008, with iconic No 7 Andrew Johns set to retire at the end of next season. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Conway said: "We would look at his form. The fact he has a league background would certainly assist him. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"We would have an open mind about who we talk to. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"We have seen quite a few league players come out of union over the years. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"Some have been spectacularly successful," he added. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Weepu, who has been dropped to make way for Byron Kelleher in the opening Tri-nations test on Saturday, first went public about a possible switch to league after becoming an All Black in 2004. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]He has put no timeline on when he would jump ship to the 13-man code. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]He said next year's rugby World Cup in France remained his top priority. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But Weepu added that nothing he had achieved in rugby had swayed his thoughts that he would quit the game at some point. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I still watch a lot of league at the weekend and I still feel that passion and desire to be a part of it," he said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I guess we'll see how things go next year and hopefully, I'll be a part of the squad and do well." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]When Weepu does announce he was off, it was likely spark a huge bidding war in the NRL for his services. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]A quality halfback or standoff with Weepu's ball running and kicking skills would be highly sought-after. [/FONT]

Hope it happens. His brother Billy played at Manly a few years ago.

 

[otag]

one of his cousins, wiremu plays flegg at penrith.

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

This is Good news for NZRL, a halfback... he will be better than leuluai at any rate.

 

[goeagles]

He just signed a contract with the NZRU through 2008. So no RLWC for him.

 

[hutch]

This is Good news for NZRL, a halfback... he will be better than leuluai at any rate.

would he play half though. i always thought that the union number 9 plays more like a number 9 in rugby league. great news all the same, would bring positive publicity in nz.

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

When Weepu does announce he was off, it was likely spark a huge bidding war in the NRL for his services.
A quality halfback or standoff with Weepu's ball running and kicking skills would be highly sought-after.

 

[Sam_the_man]

He had a brother, Billy Weepu that played for Manly and the junior Kiwis. A mountain of a man.
Anyone know where he is now?

 

[BatiFan]

I agree that in league he would probably be a hooker. Again, an area in which the Kiwis can improve so would be great to see him come over to league, hopefully with the Warriors.

 

[The Observer]

Weepu will be a great hooker (9) in League, but he just extended his NZRU contract until 2008, so it will be 2009 at the earliest.

 

[playdaball]

Biily is back in Wellington

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

it says he is a capable standoff in RU too, which means thats pretty much an RL half.