Force move fast to sign South Africans
Western Force are set to sign three South African players as the Australian Rugby Union lifts restrictions on the number of overseas representatives the Super Rugby club can field next season.
The Force will be able to sign two international marquee players and six foreign development players who would become eligible to play for the Wallabies - an increase from one marquee and two development players.
The Melbourne Rebels will be given the same concessions.
The Force have moved quickly, with tighthead prop Chris Heiberg and centre/full-back Marcel Brache - both who have been members of Stormers' Super squads - about to sign deals.
The club is also understood to be closing in on a second-rower.
The Force asked the Stormers to release the 115kg Heiberg, 28, to play against the British and Irish Lions last month but the South Africans refused.
He was called into the Stormers squad this season and will replace former Wallabies prop Salesi Ma'afu at the Force.
Brache, 25, was in the Stormers' 2011 squad but has played most of his rugby for the Western Province. He was born in Los Angeles and moved to South Africa when he was a four-year-old, making him eligible for the US Eagles.
The South Africans are among a host of new faces who will join the Force next season, including Wallaby winger Luke Morahan and local products Dane Haylett-Petty and Zack Holmes.
The Force need to replace a number of players who have not come up to Super standard this year, but Force chief executive Mark Sinderberry will not be rushing overseas with a book of blank cheques to attract big-name players for a short-term fix.
"We're targeting bigger, stronger forwards and pace out wide," Sinderberry said.
"We need to increase our rate of progress next year. A number of key building blocks have been put in place this season.
"We have a team full of character and courage but the reality is there is a long way to go."
Sinderberry said the club would target players with specific requirements that might not be available in the Australian player market.
"We have to take advantage of the opportunity the ARU has given us of recruiting players from a wider talent pool," he said.
"We have identified players of the character that we want, players who can improve the quality of squad and quality of our play.
"An objective is to have a turnover rate of players closer to 15 per cent than 30 per cent." DID YOU KNOW? 2 The number of marquee players the Western Force will be allowed next season
