Hill, Staniforth boost depleted Force
The Western Force have snared former All Blacks playmaker David Hill as a replacement for injured signing Andre Pretorius.
And they have re-signed 2006 player-of-the-year Scott Staniforth on a short-term contract to help ease the injury crisis.
The Force have been in delicate negotiations with Hill and his Japanese club Toshiba for the past week since the Australian Rugby Union gave them dispensation to recruit another overseas player.
They have been desperate to fill the fly-half role after Pretorius was ruled out for the season and back-up Mark Bartholomeusz injured his back.
Stand-in pivot Sam Harris has been far from successful at No. 10 and Hill will ease the burden on teenager James O'Connor, who was used in a dual role as full-back in defence and playmaker on attack in the 47-22 loss to the Hurricanes on Saturday.
Hill will return to Japan at the end of the season and Staniforth has signed initially for four games while players such as Cameron Shepherd recover from injury.
Speaking from Japan last night, Hill said the past two weeks had been "pretty crazy" since receiving a phone call from Force head coach John Mitchell.
"It's been an interesting couple of weeks," Hill said. "Pretty crazy.
"It's a unique situation for me and a real challenge but I'm looking forward to it.
"I'm hoping to get to Perth by Wednesday or Thursday at the latest, as soon as I can arrange my flights."
Hill, 31, last year's Japanese player of the year, is already well known to Mitchell, who coached him with the All Blacks and at Waikato, where he played until 2006.
He could make his Force debut against the Chiefs at ME Bank Stadium on Saturday.
Hill played his early rugby at full-back for Marlborough and Southland and joined Waikato in 2001. He made the All Blacks on that year's tour of Ireland, Scotland and Argentina.
He played the midweek games against Ireland A and Scotland A, and made a surprise return to the NZ squad in 2006, coming on as a substitute against Ireland. He also played in the Junior All Blacks and NZ Maori.
He has also played in England's Guinness Premiership with Bristol.
