Concern over 'vultures' AKA Ospreys down West Wales

Coach Nigel Davies has admitted the "vultures are circling" around the Scarlets' Welsh World Cup heroes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15876593.stm

It's a sad state to be in. I wouldn't actually mind the WRU bailing the Scarlets out this time should it need to come to that. Hope the Scarlets can keep their big names and pull themselves out of that plug-hole. No doubt Cuddy has his eye on a few of their backline players though, but question is can even the Ospreys afford to outbid the French?

Actually the vultures aren't the Ospreys. We have had to let a lot of players go because we simply couldn't afford them, and it's likely the Blues and Ospreys will see another mass exodius from their teams at the end of the season.

The danger is if the French clubs come in for the Scarlets players, Though I think the Irish teams present more of a danger than the other Welsh regions!

Haha. I actually thought it was a rant against the Ospreys when I saw the title! Why is there concern from you over the Irish teams?

Morgannwg wrote:Haha. I actually thought it was a rant against the Ospreys when I saw the title! Why is there concern from you over the Irish teams?

They have money the Welsh teams don't.

The Irish teams are in the hunt for top players when they become available and moving from the Scarlets region to Ireland isn't really that far away and they would still be within easy viewing of the Welsh selectors.

I'm sure Ulster could make good use of players like George North, Rhys Priestland and Jonathan Davies!

I hope we can hold on to these players. It's been tough building up this team and to start again would be disastrous.

The regions really need to be able to hold on to Star players until they are at least 27. Similar to what the NZRFU do...!

THe only player out of contract soon is John Davies, everyone else signed up on 2-3 year contracts at the end of last season, so need to panic just yet I don't think.

And all the players seem really happy at the Scarlets. I would hope that would mean more to them them money but we shall have to wait and see. Some might go, but I would see most of them staying, especially if things keep developing as they are.

Scarlets could realistically lose Jon Davies and still not lose much as they have some great centers in Scott Williams, Adam Warren, Gareth Maule and Reynolds

But I dont think that the Ospreys will buy anyone senior, they dont have the cash.

North, Priestland and Ben Morgan would get into most European sides at the moment and would be lethal.

Team spirit seems to be good at the Scarlets and that will play a big part if players want to stay or not.

Cymroglan wrote:Team spirit seems to be good at the Scarlets and that will play a big part if players want to stay or not.

I agree.

They look like they want to stick together and win things. About time too, for one of the biggest most famous clubs/regions in the world game, they have dwindled in the shadows for too long.

AlynDavies wrote:I'm sure Ulster could make good use of players like George North, Rhys Priestland and Jonathan Davies!

Nonsense. We're limited to 5 NIQ players on long-term contract and one player who will become eligible on residency and thats going down to 4 NIQ/1 Project at the end of the season. We can only sign players if the IRFU agree to it and I see no reason why they would agree to us giving playing time to some of our NH rivals best when we can go shopping in the SH.

What's more, centres and win are our strong areas and the IRFU are famously loathe to allow NIQ players at 10. We're probably going to be in the market for 1 NIQ backrow player if anything and a new scrum-half if Pienaar doesn't resign.

Yeah, I don't think the Irish will have any interest in signing Welsh players. Not because they aren't good or anything, it's just that we're limited in who we can sign. And blocking an Irish players development to play a Welsh player doesn't make much sense. And we might be better off than the Welsh regions, but we're not rolling in it. We can't compete with what the French can pay either.

The French vultures will be circling. In fact they were circling around Leinster last year, looking for Sexton, Heaslip, O'Brien and Kearney. They all turned down offers of bigger money to stay with Leinster because they liked where the team was going and how they were playing. Hopefully the Scarlets can can convince their lads to stay in the same way. Winning silverware for your home region playing alongside your friends will mean more to a player than doing it as a mercenary for a team of mercenaries.

I would be delighted to see a home grown Scarlets team win the Heineken Cup some day. The key is to convince the best local players that they can achieve it for their home region, and they will be looked after and payed well, even if it's not as much loot as the French can offer.

No bad thing if Ospreys did pinch their best players. They should be merged into one, proper, west Wales region anyway.

Take the first step to setting this whole thing up properly. Blaze the trail for a brave new world in Welsh rugby.

Couple of years and we'd be consistently strong at test level.

Casartelli wrote:No bad thing if Ospreys did pinch their best players. They should be merged into one, proper, west Wales region anyway.

Take the first step to setting this whole thing up properly. Blaze the trail for a brave new world in Welsh rugby.

Couple of years and we'd be consistently strong at test level.

Your insane, do you really think the Ospreys fans could really tolerate being in the stadium as "that lot" for every home game?
I sat next to the fun loving lunatics for the recent Ospreys and Scarlets clash and being sospaned and popeth'd to death for 3 hours was enough!

Casartelli wrote:No bad thing if Ospreys did pinch their best players. They should be merged into one, proper, west Wales region anyway.

Take the first step to setting this whole thing up properly. Blaze the trail for a brave new world in Welsh rugby.

Couple of years and we'd be consistently strong at test level.

with the amount of talent being produced by the Ospreys and the Scarlets how would you fit them all into one team? you'd be much better off merging the Dragons and the Blues, might just about make a decent team between them.

AlynDavies wrote:

Casartelli wrote:No bad thing if Ospreys did pinch their best players. They should be merged into one, proper, west Wales region anyway.

Take the first step to setting this whole thing up properly. Blaze the trail for a brave new world in Welsh rugby.

Couple of years and we'd be consistently strong at test level.

Your insane, do you really think the Ospreys fans could really tolerate being in the stadium as "that lot" for every home game?
I sat next to the fun loving lunatics for the recent Ospreys and Scarlets clash and being sospaned and popeth'd to death for 3 hours was enough!

They don't need to sit near each other. Plenty of room to spread out at PYS and the Liberty.

I reckon a 'proper' West Wales region would be a genuine force in Europe and would be great for Welsh rugby.

Those that enjoy a bit of cross-town rivalry can go and watch Llanelli and Swansea in the Premiership, where those quaint old ways belong.