Qld’s Gill to stick with French rugby move

Days after Wallabies coach Michael Cheika had vowed to change his mind, Liam Gill says he will stick with his decision to leave for France after the Super Rugby season.

Gill and skipper James Slipper are set to return from injury for the winless Reds on Sunday in their Suncorp Stadium clash with the NSW Waratahs.

And a Wallabies return also appeared on the horizon for Gill after Cheika claimed he would try to change the openside flanker’s mind about his overseas move.

Gill has played 15 Tests off the bench but not been picked for the Wallabies since 2013.

However, Cheika sees Gill as an ideal replacement for Wallabies flanker David Pocock who will take a sabbatical from rugby in 2017.

But Gill said on Wednesday he was committed to his two-year deal with Toulon after the Super Rugby season.

“I had to make my decision, I made it, I’m sticking with it and now it’s time to play out the season and have one last crack for the Reds for the time being,” Gill said.

“I’m more focused on trying to play the back end of the season.”

Gill missed the first four rounds due to injury but hoped to return for one last crack at NSW rival Michael Hooper.

“It might be the last time I get to play the Waratahs, so that is something I’m really excited about,” he said.

“It’s a huge game for us to really try and turn the year around.

“If we can get a result … it will change the way this year’s going.”

The Reds also hope to welcome back Slipper, who has spent the past five months recovering from shoulder and knee surgery.

“Call it a mid-season oil change,” Slipper said of the shoulder reconstruction and knee clean-out he underwent after the World Cup.

“I am confident I will get through (fitness test).

“We are playing NSW – the motivation is certainly there.”

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