The Australian Rugby Union has secured the services of elusive flanker Rocky Elsom until the end of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The 26-year-old, who played a starring role newly crowned Heineken Cup champions Leinster in the recently completed northern-hemisphere season, agreed to a new two-year deal with the Wallabies and Brumbies on Wednesday.
Elsom is now eligible to resume his Test career and declared his desire to slot straight back into Robbie Deans' squad for the first of two Tests against Italy next Saturday.
Named on Wednesday in the Barbarians side to play against Australia, Elsom says it was always his intention to add to his 40 Test appearances with the Wallabies.
‘We made progress last year with the Wallabies and there are exciting challenges ahead in 2009,’ he said.
‘Playing for Australia means a lot to me. Playing for the Wallabies is my number one priority.’
A decision on when he will link with the Australian squad will be made by Deans and fellow Test selectors Jim Williams and David Nucifora.
‘Any decision on Rocky's involvement with the Wallabies will be made after Saturday night because we have a game to prepare for against the Barbarians," Deans said.
‘We're pleased to have him back. We're pleased he's wanted to come back.’
ARU Managing Director and CEO John O'Neill thinks Elsom's decision to re-sign as 'a good news story of massive proportions'.
‘Let no one try to diminish the importance of this deal,’ he said. ‘When we let Rocky go last year there were personal circumstances that he raised which we took into consideration.’
‘We did not give him a sabbatical. He was going to be a free agent at the end of 2008. What we did do was act in his best interests and let him head to Ireland early. Rocky has repaid that goodwill by returning when he suggested he might.’
‘Those who said we would never get him back, and that the ARU mismanaged the situation, were grossly incorrect. Those who said we paid a king's ransom to get him back are wrong.’
‘I have seen numbers tossed around that bear absolutely no relationship to reality and Rocky deserves enormous credit in that regard. His negotiations on terms were consistent the whole way through.’
‘We were hoping Rocky's desire to play for the Wallabies would be irresistible and see him back here and available for the 2009 international season. We are delighted to say that situation is where we are today.’
