Louwrens, Prior set to stay with the Force
Western Force are on the verge of locking away scrum-halves Ryan Louwrens and Ian Prior.
Louwrens has attracted interest from Eastern States clubs, particularly with the number of scrum-halves likely to leave Super Rugby after this season.
The pair will join former All Black Alby Mathewson as the No.9s for next season at the Force.
Louwrens, 24, burst into Super Rugby last month when he came off the bench against the Chiefs after Prior was sent off.
He has held his starting spot despite Mathewson’s return from an ankle injury and has scored two tries in four games.
Coach Michael Foley credited Mathewson with helping Louwrens move into the match-day squad.
Prior, who has more than 50 Super Rugby appearances, began his career at the Queens-land Reds.
He moved to the ACT Brumbies in 2012 before signing a two-year deal with the Force.
A 2010 Australian under-20 representative, Prior was in the Reds’ 2011 Super Rugby championship-winning team, the ACT side that lost the 2013 Super final to the Chiefs, and started for the Brumbies in their historic 14-12 win over the British and Irish Lions that year.
Equal most-capped Wallaby prop Ben Alexander has resisted the lure of an overseas contract to re-sign with the Australian Rugby Union and the Brumbies until the end of the 2016 season.
