A couple of props finding their way back to Wales?

With all the fuss being about players leaving Wales it's nice to see that some might be going the other way..

Rhys Gill (who impressed me recently in the Ospreys matches) has stated he's going to be looking to move back as soon as he's done with the Saracens next year in order to look for caps. Also it's looking likely that Eifion Lewis-Roberts might not be favored by the set up at Toulon and be looking for a move.


Eifion - http://www.planet-rugby.co.za/story/0,25883,3551_7406830,00.html
Rhys - http://www.planet-rugby.co.za/story/0,25883,3551_7406135,00.html

What do you reckon? It'll be great to have them back IMO, perhaps the Dragons would be interested, especially in Eifion?

More the merrier...

And hopefully the WRU will work out which Region/Premiership club they want them at, so that we don't end up with two half decent players bench warming.

Gill has certainly developed very well for Sarries in recent months. He was a bit of a liability last year and I did wonder why Sarries didn't look to replace him in the summer. Had a very good season so far though and is proving me wrong and forcing Stevens and Nieto to rotate. I would have thought the Blues might be looking his way if Jenkins is stolen by a French club. Eifion is likely to be cut by Toulon in the summer from what I've heard and if he wants to gain Wales caps I'd have thought all the regions other than the Ospreys would be interested. Maybe the Ospreys as well if Jones is tempted away.

Would be good for Wales to get that back in the fold and performing for the regions.

Since Tightheads are so costly I can't see the Scarlets going for ELR with Thomas there, the blues want to develop Andrews (hopefully) and the Ospreys have Adam and want to develop Jarvis. Hopefully the Dragons could find the budget.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Gill has certainly developed very well for Sarries in recent months. He was a bit of a liability last year and I did wonder why Sarries didn't look to replace him in the summer. Had a very good season so far though and is proving me wrong .

Me too. Every time I had seen him play in the last couple of years he was appalling, yet suddenly this season he can scrummage!!

Silly question but are tight heads paid more than looseheads then?

Rhys Gill is a loosehead. Would the Welsh regions be able to afford either player?

Agree Sam.

At least Gill will be with Sarries for the rest of this season and the next one ( I think).

Eifion is a man mountain who should have had opportunities via the Welsh regions but the English and French sides wanted him more than we did.

beshocked wrote:Silly question but are tight heads paid more than looseheads then?

at the moment, it sems that THs are generally paid quite a lot more than LHs.

LondonTiger wrote:

beshocked wrote:Silly question but are tight heads paid more than looseheads then?

at the moment, it sems that THs are generally paid quite a lot more than LHs.

I heard that TH's get paid more than any position, the top ones do anyway. Maybe I'm making that up but BJ Botha for example was the highest paid player at Ulster I think.

Who counts the money for them ?

Silly question but are tight heads paid more than looseheads then?

Hayman was reportedly given one of the biggest contracts in world rugby when he first left Newcastle. Castro was offered a princely sum to go across the channel and settled for around £300k to stay at Tigers (best paid player at the club) and now Coley is about to put pen to paper on a contract of a not a great deal smaller (if you believe the rumours). Since the tighthead is generally the considered the cornerstone of the scrum and with the modern game as relient on penalties as it is you need a decent scrum or are liable to giving away territory and 3 pointers.

Would the Welsh regions be able to afford either player?

They plead poverty but the WRFU has become profitable in recent years and with the need for decent props the regions have then I think they'd find the cash. Remember that they don't need to get into a bidding war if Gill wants international recognition, whilst those in Wales are giving preferential treatment Rhys won't get a sniff until he moves back.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Silly question but are tight heads paid more than looseheads then?

Hayman was reportedly given one of the biggest contracts in world rugby when he first left Newcastle. .

"Following the 2007 World Cup, Hayman made the switch to Guinness Premiership side Newcastle, reportedly becoming the best paid player in the world game."

http://www.espnscrum.com/timeline/rugby/player/13674.html

Well that's good news. Thanks for clearing that up LondonTiger, Roddersm and Sam

Actually on reflection maybe Gill wouldn't be too difficult to coax over as he probably isn't on that high a salary at Sarries.

Obviously he'll get a lot being a prop but not the same as Stevens or Nieto.

His development of a player has been great.

Also Gill has time on his side as he is only 25.

These would be great signings for any Welsh region, I particularly rate Lewis-Roberts.

For the love of God, hope the powers that be at the Dragons are paying attention !

Munkian I fear that those players would say 'no thanks' to us at the Dragons if given the choice. Players of their calibre need HC action guaranteed which we can't offer. Shame but true. I'm seriously fearful for the Dragons future, but that's another topic altogether.

A couple of good props at the Dragons would be good.

I think the WRU should take control and appropriate players wanting to come back to Wales, ones who are Welsh, to the regions that need them most.

I would love to see either of them at Dave especially Eifion but could we afford them.

This is where a central contract system could work, its obvious we struggle in the scrum so if they were contracted in some way shape or form to the WRU they could then say ok lets put them in the Dragons side.

In an ideal world

Gill would replace Gethin at the Blues (though, hopefully he will stay and Gill will replace Yapp)

Eifion will replace Filise at the Blues and finally give us a stable scrum, with Andrews being developed off the bench.

he's got a year or so left on his contract so I think he could be a great replacement for Iestyn as he'd be 36? by the time gill becomes available.
The only problem is it may restrict Rhodri Jones' game time but I reckon they could both get a decent amount of games.

Come on guys be fair let us have at least one of them our front row needs far greater than yours

Eifion is another player forced over the border because none of the regions had shown any interest in him.

Cymro,

We couldn't afford him and one reason he originally choose Sale was because of his own farm or parents farm in North Wales.

Obviously once Toulon came knocking with money then he can support farm and play the game.

I think instead of centralised contracts the WRU should encourage a loan system where players who aren't getting much gametime/or there's a lot of competition in front of them (Myhill & Gardiner for the Scarlets for example) could go on loan to another Welsh region where there is a need at that position.

The WRU could encourage the regions to do this, maybe compensating the loaning club and facilitating the move with the recieving club.

That way (in this example) Myhill/Gardiner could move to the Dragons and get game time, increasing the strength in depth of the Dragons front row and improving both the player and the region - the Scarlets then could recieve some money without significantly weakening their squad.

And all without getting into the messy business of centralised contracts

Priest,

Its happened in the past as we had Brew in originally on loan before signing him full time.

It could work and as you say should be encouraged or even enforced (difficult I know) by the WRU, which if they had a stake in the player they could do surely.

I would really like to see more loan players.

I always thought it was weird since the creation of regions where one team would have 3 internationals and a promising youngster in 1 position with barely any of them getting game time yet another region would be crying out for a player in that position yet there was no talk of a short term loan or the WRU talking about being displeased with the situation.

A loan system would seem to be an easy win win

It seems the regions 'loan' or lend their players to the respective feeder clubs that it is affiliated with.

Adam warren on loan to dragons would be a good move too.

Warren and Hughes would be a very tasty pairing.

That would be maes - though he'll probably get plenty of gametime with Maule when JD2, S Williams (if he gets selected) and Lamont are away with Wales.

A backline of Evans, Tovey, Brew, Warren, Hughes, Chavy and Thomas would be very scary ... if they were all on form

Draigoch wrote:Since Tightheads are so costly I can't see the Scarlets going for ELR with Thomas there, the blues want to develop Andrews (hopefully) and the Ospreys have Adam and want to develop Jarvis. Hopefully the Dragons could find the budget.

Pretty much my thoughts also, I can't see the Dragons out paying Saracens or Toulon for either player though. Besides the Dragons have 12 props on the books already!

Gill is a loose head and whilst he did ok against Adam Jones, the regions already have loose heads coming out of their ears.

Gethin Jenkins, Sam Hopps and john Yapp at the Blues.
Duncan Jones, Paul James, Ryan Bevington at the Ospreys
Iestyn Thomas at the Scarlets, all of these players are going for the Welsh shirt.

If central contracting comes into play then perhaps the WRU will contract them? Should keep them in Wales for a good few years. I think we should be looking to get Mitchell back aswell. If Geth and Adam move overseas then all 4 teams will be looking for their services.

Gill and Mitchell need to be included in this years 6 Nations squad btw.

Morgannwg we will have more trouble getting English based players than French. I don't see it happening.

I really hope ELR comes to Dave Parade, as that is our problem position. Gill would be a good signing for us too, but Nathan Williams isn't doing too bad from what I've seen of him.

I was interested (and very disappointed) to read that we could have signed Rhys Gill when he moved to England, but Turner decided on Ali McKenzie instead. That couldn't have turned out any worse With that, although we are under new stewardship now, I would be surprised if Gill would come to RP, unless his hand was forced by one of the other regions not snapping him up.