Wallabies versatile forward packs' player Rocky Elsom re-signs with Australian Rugby Union – Rugby News
Australian international Rugby Union player and Wallabies former international captain, Rocky Elsom, has agreed to sign a new deal with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU). Elsom has signed his new two-year deal with the Australian Super Rugby franchise, New South Wales Waratahs and ARU, earlier in the month.
Officials at the NSW Waratahs confirmed the signing of the new deal with the utility forwards player in a statement released on their website. The new deal will retain Elsom at Waratahs and ARU until the end of 2013.
The former Wallabies captain will leave the ACT Brumbies to join the Waratahs possibly as Captain in place of Phil Waugh.
It is reported that the Waratahs newly appointed head coach, Michael Foley, has played an important role in signing Elsom for the club.
Foley has expressed his delight on acquiring the services of the experienced player. Talking to the club website regarding Elsom’s signing, Foley said, “When you're recruiting you're always looking for the best players to fill vacancies in your squad and when Rocky came off contract we knew he was the best person to fill that back row place we had available.”
Foley has praised Elsom’s skills, abilities and leadership qualities and termed him as one of the best flankers in the world. He added that he will be looking forward to seeing Elsom passing on his experience of playing for different teams at different levels and in different situations and conditions to the younger player.
Foley added that Elsom’s addition will greatly help the club’s youngsters to not only develop their own game but also to develop their understanding about playing in different conditions and situations.
The Victoria born Elsom started his professional senior rugby union club career with the Waratahs in 2003, where he remained for five consecutive years before departing for the Northern Hemisphere. He played 66 games for Waratahs and scored 50 points during his stay at the club.
At the start of the 2008/09 season, Elsom joined the Irish professional Rugby Union club, Leinster. He remained there for two seasons and returned to ARU in 2010, when he joined Brumbies.
The utility forward Elsom has played at lock, number eight and flanker positions. He is still considered as one of the finest Flankers in the game. He made his international debut for Wallabies against Samoa in 2005. He has so far played 70 games for Wallabies and has scored 65 points, comprising of 13 impressive tries.
Elsom was appointed as captain of the Wallabies in place of Stirling Mortlock in October 2009. Recently, James Horwill replaced him as the captain of the Australian national Rugby Union team.
Elsom is currently representing Australia in the ongoing 2011 Rugby World Cup tournament.
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