Australian Rugby
Mortlock considering Japan move
Scrum.com
October 5, 2009
Australia skipper Stirling Mortlock watches on during training at Xavier College, Melbourne, Australia, June 15, 2009
Australia skipper Stirling Mortlock will decide on his future soon © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Stirling Mortlock
Tournaments/Tours: Super 14 | Australia tour
Teams: Australia | Brumbies

Australia skipper Stirling Mortlock will make a decision on his long-term playing future after the Wallabies' November Test tour of the northern hemisphere.

Mortlock, 32, visited Japan during his recent time off while recovering from a knee injury and was reportedly offered a AU$3.75 million contract with a club there prior to re-signing in Australia. He is off contract at the end of 2010.

"Basically I've got to work out my long-term future," he told AAP. "It's something I'll just have a look at down the track. At this stage, nothing's really changed. Probably after the (European) tour I'll be able to sit down and have a good long, hard look at that, where to next.

"It was a good opportunity to just go over there and have a look at it. Whenever I'm in a situation where you have to make a decision, I want to make a very informed decision.

"It was part of gaining an understanding of what it's like culturally, I've got a family and everything else so there's a lot of things you've got to factor in as far as making decisions about the future."

The Brumbies centre will head back to Japan with the national side at the end of October for a Bledisloe Cup Test match against New Zealand in Tokyo.

He has recently returned to their camp after missing the majority of the Tri-Nations through injury and is confident of taking his place in the line-up for the game. The Wallabies' other injury concerns include lock duo James Horwill and Nathan Sharpe as well as flanker Phil Waugh.

© Scrum.com

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