journey men. pretorius

generally the residency rule is ok with me. i was a bit miffed when Flutey was selected for the lions as he had played against them, but the residency rule is generally fine with me.

when andreas pretorius signed for the blues he said up front he would want to play for wales. i thought then that if he puts the time in then i would have no problem with him running out for wales. he's lived and played here for the time required for him to be available for wales. good for him. he threw his hat in the ring and he's done what he needs to do to be available for wales.

the only problem i have with pretorius is that i dont think hje is good enough.

when i first saw andy powell at the arms park, smash his way through tackle after tackle i knew he was a welsh cap in waiting. i havent seen anything from pretorius to make me think we should consider ghim

i know im being harsh, and dont get me wrong, i am happy with pretoruius at the blues. i would hate for us to lose him, but i dont think he's required by wales. also, at 27 and with so many good, young players available selecting pretorius would be a backwards step.

i would say to pretorius, good on you for staking so bold a claim. thanks for sticking with the blues when so many were leaving the sinking (stinking) ship. play on and give it all because as the rules stand you have the right to play for wales. give your best to the league and if wales come calling i'll wish you well. but as it stands wales have too many good, young, home-grown players.

pretorius for wales? why not, but we have to be sure you're good enough

A work mate said to me 'Petorious wants to play for Wales', I told him 'Yeah he has said that a few times', my work mate replied 'Ah but he is qualified now, so he can play for Wales', and my reply was 'So is he going to replace Faletau or Lydiate? Or even Tipuric is Lydiate is still not fit'. His reply was silence.

To be fair Petoriouos is a good player, but has lost form this season. If a non-capped Blues backrower were to be involved in the Welsh squad I would rather seem Hamilton in there.

Thing is he is absolutely rubbish. I wouldn't want him at the the Blues anymore let alone near Wales.

Not a chance in hell of getting a cap.

He isn’t going to get in at 6 for Wales. There is too much depth there at the moment and he doesn’t stand out. He’s a good Blues player and I’d rather we were able to keep him during the international windows Copeland, Pretorius, Navidi/Young/Hamilton would give us a decent back row.

As a reply to your though of non-capped Blues back row players Scarlet Spiderman, do you not think that Navidi is more inline to be involved with the Welsh set up some time soon? I'd put him as the form #7 in Wales this season. But he has played more games than most.

With Lydiate going to France, and Faletau to England, would Pretorius leapfrog them being at a region?


I know the residency, has been done to death, but I'm not a fan of the 3 year rule, in football its five years residency,

they also have Article 18.1.a within the Fifa statutes outlines that any player who has represented their country in an official competition, at whatever level, would at that time need to have held a passport for the country they later wish to play for in order to be permitted to make the switch.

but the main point is in football you have to qualify for citizenship, having been a resident for more than the statutory five years required by law. Before you can play for the National team.
BUT rugby you only have to be there 3 years and are not able to appy for citizenship but can play for the National team, Strauss doesn't qualify for Irish or British Citzenship yet can play for Ireland, to me that isn't right.

I have no problems with players qualifing on residency but it should be the 5 years and once they gain citizenship they can be selected for the nation team, not before.

This isn't a dig at Wales or Pretorius, as he has been at Gloucester since 2006 and would qualify for British Citzenship (would maybe have rule of at least 3 years in home nation you wish to play for and 5 overall in UK), but the non Citizens that can play for the national Union.

I'd like to see it tightened up to 5 years.

If he's good enough and he qualifies then play him.

You can't afford to be choosy when strength-in-depth is already an issue and players are going abroad. Surely, it's refreshing to have a player keen to play for his adopted country when so many are chasing the buck and shipping out?

i didnt want to get into the residency thing but, kings, you are welcome to express that here, the topic does include this debate in part.

as for non capped blues, hamilton did look good when i saw him play recently. navidi is doing really well. saw him for the youth side and was sigularly un mpressed, so much so i didnt think i would ever rate him. recently he has been brilliant. not the best in wales but worth a place in the squad should injuries/unavailability strike.

and, cyril, i also like pretorius' desire for the shirt. we have had too many lacklustre performances from some of our supposedly a-list players recently.

maybe this should be in the international section.?.?

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:If he's good enough and he qualifies then play him.

You can't afford to be choosy when strength-in-depth is already an issue and players are going abroad. Surely, it's refreshing to have a player keen to play for his adopted country when so many are chasing the buck and shipping out?

Good news for England that Joubert is available now to replace Waldrom

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:If he's good enough and he qualifies then play him.

You can't afford to be choosy when strength-in-depth is already an issue and players are going abroad. Surely, it's refreshing to have a player keen to play for his adopted country when so many are chasing the buck and shipping out?

Good news for England that Joubert is available now to replace Waldrom

The production line rolls on. Anybody newly-qualified to replace Botha yet?

If I had to name a non capped blues player that I'd like to be involved with Wales I'd say Michael Paterson. Sure I read he is qualified this summer for us. Think he's a quality player.

pioden gorllewin wrote:If I had to name a non capped blues player that I'd like to be involved with Wales I'd say Michael Paterson. Sure I read he is qualified this summer for us. Think he's a quality player.

That's who I would've said to be honest.

Would love to see Hamilton get more game time for the Blues. He has a real promising future ahead. Seen him a few times and he's always looking for the ball and looking to take it up the middle. Just does not get a look in for Blues. Hopefully he'll take advantage of the 6N when it comes around.

Thing is on the Navidi point is he's been superb for the Blues but he's been playing 6, where I think he's done a tremendous job. Tackled his heart out and has also made some nice breaks. If only the Blues had a decent pack and a couple of centre we'd be a decent side. All if's and but's though unfortunately.

Liam wrote:Would love to see Hamilton get more game time for the Blues. He has a real promising future ahead. Seen him a few times and he's always looking for the ball and looking to take it up the middle. Just does not get a look in for Blues. Hopefully he'll take advantage of the 6N when it comes around.

Thing is on the Navidi point is he's been superb for the Blues but he's been playing 6, where I think he's done a tremendous job. Tackled his heart out and has also made some nice breaks. If only the Blues had a decent pack and a couple of centre we'd be a decent side. All if's and but's though unfortunately.

Nalvidi has had plenty of time at seven too. Warburton has been unavailable for Blues a lot so far this season through injury and international commitments. Cracking player even if he does look like blwdi "Swampy"..

Problem Navidi has is his size, he's been so much better than Warbs it's unreal, and it's hard not to compare them!!!

Hamilton I hated in the U20's, really tried too hard and made so many mistakes in so many facets, however the more I see him in the Blues side the more he looks very promising!!!

He is simply not good enough and Wales do not need him, the problem is he plays for Cardiff so Howley will do his best to import another dud e.g., Williams, James, Andrews (did well but if he did not play for the Blues would he be picked?), Robinson and we have a Blues captain also a part time Roberts who makes himself fit just before Wales selection. I wonder whether there is an agenda to keep Ospreys players out of the Wales squad in the hope they still win, it is not working. This may be the reason for the talk in the news about the Ospreys future with the WRU.

glamorganalun wrote:He is simply not good enough and Wales do not need him, the problem is he plays for Cardiff so Howley will do his best to import another dud e.g., Williams, James, Andrews (did well but if he did not play for the Blues would he be picked?), Robinson and we have a Blues captain also a part time Roberts who makes himself fit just before Wales selection. I wonder whether there is an agenda to keep Ospreys players out of the Wales squad in the hope they still win, it is not working. This may be the reason for the talk in the news about the Ospreys future with the WRU.

I heard it was to give the Ospreys a better shot in the HEC and Rabo Being serious I think whenever we have a Welshman involved somewhere in the welsh coaching setup their will be accusations of favouritism towards which ever region they are deemed to belong to.


As for Petorious, I was thinking, I don't want him in the welsh squad but I guess it all depends on who is available/on form etc. I think I would probably take him over an off for Turnbull or McCusker right now.

generally the residency rule is ok with me. i was a bit miffed when Flutey was selected for the lions as he had played against them, but the residency rule is generally fine with me.

Sadly im not a fan of the residency rule mate...we (England) have overused it recently...and in many ways i think its been to the detriment of the National side in the long run.
There have been the odd exceptions..but in general i feel those players coming in through the residency rule just arent good enough in the first place.

GeordieFalcon wrote:

generally the residency rule is ok with me. i was a bit miffed when Flutey was selected for the lions as he had played against them, but the residency rule is generally fine with me.

Sadly im not a fan of the residency rule mate...we (England) have overused it recently...and in many ways i think its been to the detriment of the National side in the long run.
There have been the odd exceptions..but in general i feel those players coming in through the residency rule just arent good enough in the first place.

Sometimes it does seem like a case of just hearing a SA of NZ accent and assuming that means they must be good. The truth is that 90% of the time if they were any good they would have been capped by their home nation before coming over to play in the UK, there are the odd few who came over when they were younger, but most of those who become qualified around their mid to late twenties are really just not up to the job.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Problem Navidi has is his size, he's been so much better than Warbs it's unreal, and it's hard not to compare them!!!

Hamilton I hated in the U20's, really tried too hard and made so many mistakes in so many facets, however the more I see him in the Blues side the more he looks very promising!!!

What's wrong with Nalvidi's size?

6 foot 1 and 95 kgs

That's a good

Totally agree mate...and if they had been a native from their new chosen country they probably wouldnt have been selected...

I know immigration has been discussed many many times on here...and i have no issues with those who have been here since youth...like a few England have now...but the 3 year rule is the biggest frustration for me. It should be lengthened substantially.

I was surprised and disapointed when the Blues named Pretorious captain. I know there was hardly anyone left from last season to pick from but he hadn't done anything I could see to merit it and he has confirmed his very average abilities this season. I prefer to see Copeland at 8. Josh is playing very well although he needs to fall off less tackles befre we can say he is up there with Warbs and Tuperic.