Whitaker, the 31-year-old with 31 Test caps, announced his retirement from international rugby last month and signalled his intention to play some rugby overseas after his final season with the New South Wales Waratahs. Having considered offers from several English clubs, he has decided to team up with Michael Cheika and David Knox, who are both former teammates of his at the Randwick club in Sydney.
That Whitaker is the holder of an English passport is a bonus — he does not count as a foreign player for Heineken Cup purposes, which allows Leinster to field their two other permitted foreigners at the same time. A formal announcement on his signing is expected shortly.
In Whitaker, Leinster have a player of considerable talents and experience. He is currently in his 10th season with the Waratahs, having been first choice scrum-half for nine of those. He also led the Waratahs to the Super 12 final last season. While only five of his 31 caps were in starting roles, he is considered highly unfortunate to have played in the same era as Test centurion George Gregan.
“But for George, Chris might have played a hundred Tests himself,” says Alan Gaffney, another Randwick associate and close friend who also worked with Whitaker in the Wallabies set-up last year and was assistant coach at Leinster for the best part of three seasons. “He’d have the best service in Australia, very solid, very flat, definitely a long way in front of guys like George and Matt Henjak. He’s also a tenacious defender and has a fantastic workrate.
“There’s nothing he doesn’t do on the pitch and he leads by example. That’s always the way he’s always played the game. Has proved to be an enormously successful captain for the Waratahs. That they got to the Super 12 final last year is in no small way down to him. I know he gets on pretty well with the Irish guys and I’m sure he’ll be fantastic for Leinster.”
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Eddie O’Sullivan might be less enthusiastic, given that scrum-half remains a problem for Ireland and Whitaker’s presence won’t exactly hasten the development of Cillian Willis, a youngster who has impressed Knox and Cheika. As things stand, the province’s three contracted scrum-halves are Guy Easterby, who is about to agree a one-year deal, Brian O’Riordan and Brian O’Meara.
This does not end Leinster’s recruitment, of course. It doesn’t take much to figure out that they are light in the front row and it’s understood they are in the process of sourcing a prop or hooker with international experience.
In the meantime, Whitaker has business to attend to in Australia. The Waratahs got their Super 14 programme off to a good start with a 16-12 win against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane yesterday.
When he does go, he will leave many fans behind. “He will be a massive loss for NSW and for Australian rugby because he’s such a great player and a great man,” said Gregan recently.
Gaffney had no hesitation in recommending Whitaker to Leinster: “Chris is held in high respect by both Michael and Knoxy. He’s a team-oriented person. You can see it by the number of times he’s been on the bench for Australia. He hasn’t got that much game time over the years yet he’s still one of the most highly respected people in the Wallabies’ squad.” oBUCCANEERS made it three wins out of three against Connacht rivals Galwegians this season as they won their AIB Cup quarter-final clash 23-6 at Crowley Park, writes Dave Mervyn.
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Already beaten in the Connacht Senior League and Cup,’Wegians struggled throughout this tussle, and could only count on two penalties from David Slemen at the finish. Two first-half tries put Buccs well on the way to ensuring their place in tomorrow’s semi-final draw.
Centre Darren Yapp made the initial breakthrough on 29 minutes when he raced over for a brilliant try from his own 10-metre line. Yapp’s Connacht team mate Paul Warwick followed suit, four minutes later, after a quickly taken lineout to help the visitors into a 20-3 lead at half-time.
Buccs, who lost locks Brian Buckley (retaliation) and David Gannon (killing the ball) to yellow cards in either half, coasted home in the second period with only two penalties scored.
Slemen landed his second penalty, while full-back Tom Cregan, who converted both Buccs’ tries, kicked his third penalty, bringing his afternoon’s tally to 13 points.
Garryowen gained revenge on last month’s league defeat by Clontarf, knocking the north Dubliners out of the AIB Cup with a 15-14 quarter-final win at Castle Avenue.
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The Limerick side were beaten 18-10 at home by Phil Werahiko’s team, two weeks ago, but were deserving winners in the capital despite the closeness of the score line.
Munster Development winger Ciaran O’Boyle, operating at centre, cut through for two first-half tries as Garryowen established an early 12-0 lead. Clontarf winger Niall O’Brien replied with a converted try shortly before the break. Hooker Niall Carson drove over for a second Clontarf try late on, but Garryowen, with Conor Kilroy adding a penalty to his first half conversion, hung on.
In the day’s other clash, an impressive Cork Constitution enjoyed a 41-13 success over Belfast Harlequins to go into the hat for the quarter-final draw.