What is going on in Wales?

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Just when it looks like Wales might have become a dominate force in world rugby why is the WRU allowing its most talented players to play overseas?
One or two key players plying their trade else where can be a benefit to the squad but with the current exodus of players its must be a real worry for the fans, I can only see this hurting Wales chances come 2015.

It’s a tough call for these players as they only have a limited time to earn money playing rugby and the big bucks on offer in France makes it a no brainer when compared to their Region contracts, Gatland must be fuming with the current situation as its completely out of his hands, to be honest it wouldn’t surprise me if he walked away from it all, maybe the RFU could pull off a sneaky bid to tempt him away from the WRU?

Who knows what will happen, but I know one thing Wales’s chances of RWC glory in 2015 is beginning to slip away from them grasp due to individuals personal greed.

The "exodus" is being hyped up by the media and a few ex-players. As it stands only 3 of the starting XV are or will be playing in France. Adam Jones and JD2 have resisted the money pull, the regions have managed to shed NWQ players like Parks, Lamont, Laulala and Walker in the last few weeks and some of the departures are players who weren't even in Wales contention anyway like Rhys Thomas, Dominic Day and Tom Smith. I say once this initial phase is over things will improve.

No defecit at the end of the financial year!

RubyGuby wrote:Chunky - the maths last year were that Gethin got 20k for every game he didn't play - No brainer

I actually think this scenario is great as a lot of our youngsters and fringe players will get to develop and we'll unearth even more gems. Win win for me lads

That may be be, but when has anyone won anything with Kids!

I think it will be a very long time before a Welsh Region wins the HC, and believe me I find that sad seeing as they have so much talent in Wales.

HERSH

Stop avoiding me and answer, you nonsensical ignoramous!!!

HERSH wrote:
I think it will be a very long time before a Welsh Region wins the HC

I totally agree. But that isn't the fault of the players or the fans or the regions.

It is the WRU that continues to bite the hand that feeds.

thebluesmancometh wrote:No defecit at the end of the financial year!

No deficit? How have they got no deficit?

They do not make a profit? Are you counting assets or something?

The fans won't be so willing to part with their hard earned cash to pay and watch a youth development side for the WRU!

Rugby is a business and at the moment the Regions aren't doing a very good job. It's just as well the national team is performing well as if it wasn't Welsh rugby would be in a very big mess.

Actually a recent game between 2 welsh youth development sides commanded a near 3000 audience.

The regions are doing a fantastic job, being only a few years old. They are providing Wales with GS after GS!!

Wales rugby is in a very good state, it's England trying to keep up with France who are going to fold, as you lot spend spend spend we are tightening our belts and still competing, the Regions just introduced a 3.5 mill salary cap, that is relegation budget in the AP, but look at Wales V England head to head HC results this seaon HERSHY boy!

thebluesmancometh wrote:Actually a recent game between 2 welsh youth development sides commanded a near 3000 audience.

The regions are doing a fantastic job, being only a few years old. They are providing Wales with GS after GS!!

Wales rugby is in a very good state, it's England trying to keep up with France who are going to fold, as you lot spend spend spend we are tightening our belts and still competing, the Regions just introduced a 3.5 mill salary cap, that is relegation budget in the AP, but look at Wales V England head to head HC results this seaon HERSHY boy!

The 3000 were all related to the players, and I'll think you'll find that English clubs have a very similar wage cap, I thought you followed rugby?

By English clubs I don't count Sarries in that bracket!

HERSH wrote:

Rugby is a business and at the moment the Regions aren't doing a very good job

My region is doing an exceptional job given it's resources and lack of playing time that it's "stars" have.

Really!

HERSH wrote:Really!

Yes. I wouldn't have typed that otherwise.

The English is 4.5, busting at the seams, with umpteen ways to give the players something outside the cap, and with salary savers, as your beloved Bath and Sarries will soon get caught out doing!

PS we've introduced the cap to ensure we don't go over it, only Cardiff and Ospreys were near it, the Dragons are comfortably salaried like one of your championship clubs!

the Aviva wage cap is a million more than the welsh wage cap HERSH. Thats a significant amount to spend on the squad. I think Welsh regions focussing on development of their own players is a good thing rather than spending loads on marquee signings. In the long run it will produce more players for the national side. Up until now too many players at youth level are often lost to the game as they are blocked from progressing by non qualified players, that is a more serious problem than a minority of players going to France. Look at England, dominant at under 20 level with English qualified youngsters who then are left getting splinters on the bench at their clubs because they are blocked by non qualified "stars" That means the senior team has to trawl far and wide to get a team together. South Africans, Kiwis and Pacific Islanders then come in with no emotional tie to the jersey at senior level.

Chunky Norwich wrote:

HERSH wrote:Really!

Yes. I wouldn't have typed that otherwise.

But I don't know who you follow!

HERSH wrote:
Just when it looks like Wales might have become a dominate force in world rugby why is the WRU allowing its most talented players to play overseas?

They are not contracted to the WRU, hence the WRU has no obligation to stop them. If they go, they go.

I can't hold it against the older players. Our younger guys are staying put, so they value the rugby and not the money, for now.

thebluesmancometh wrote:The English is 4.5, busting at the seams, with umpteen ways to give the players something outside the cap, and with salary savers, as your beloved Bath and Sarries will soon get caught out doing

That’s a serious accusation, are you saying that both Bath Rugby and Saracens are cheating the system?

You could pick up a ban for something like that!

Well it is a well known runour in certain circles, I know Donalds not a world beater but he isn't at Bath for the sunshine, ladies and banter... TRUST ME!

Butch James left last season hence freeing up a lot of the salary cap due the fact that he too was RWC winner.

Do try and keep up with British Rugby news.

What has Butch James got to do with anything?

Donlads been signed on an average contract, as have a few others, but the bonus's are quite good I hear...

Do try to keep up with English rugby!

HERSH wrote:

Do try and keep up with British Rugby news.

Your inaffectual put down attempts, do your already diluted arguments no favours fella.

Please tell me you were aware that Butch James was a Bath player.

OMG!

I'm done, really!

Eat me now.

RubyGuby wrote:Hersh - It's called player development, it's a bit like students taking a year out to develop themselves. This clever WRU strategy means the french and english rugby finances will be used to develop our players and give them insight and exposure to french and english club rugby. Its a bit like spys, only you guys get to pay for them as well. This also allows for the next generation of welsh giants to develop their games in the free flowing RABO before they are then sent out on foreign missions paid for by the hosting countrys. I think its a great strategy. The next WRU move is to fund London Welsh in the GP so we have a whole team of spys in there. I think this is an ingenious plan and perhaps the real genious is that everyone thinks we are losing out

Great Ruby, now you've given the game away!

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:Bigtrev

Do you always beleive what your Coach or ex captain told you, because there were a few words from Tindall I didn't quite buy, and MJ...

Well lets just leave that there!

Well you do have a point and to be fair before most International games between Wales & other nations I tend to ignore Gatts.

This time it's different - I dont believe he was trying to wind up anyone this time bar the WRU & maybe some Welsh fans but in this case I think he has a point.

You can of course ' Always look on the bright side of life.....

Is it just the media ?

Now Emyr Lewis joins the fray

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17202019

Priestlands looking at moving now!

no he's not Hersh. He says maybe in the future he'd consider it. Please don't spread false rumours

But he is considering it.

His contract runs out in 2014, so it’s not that far off.

By not ruling it out he is inviting offers from French clubs.

This is how it works nowadays, rugby is a business loyalty has gone out the window since Agents have got involved.

Former Wales international Emyr Lewis has expressed the opinion that the regions are becoming nurseries for French and English clubs.

"All basically the regions are doing is breeding youngsters and breeding talent," said Lewis.

"English clubs and French clubs can then purchase them when they come up to a certain standard."

England, Ireland and France - have money
Wales - does not

Simples.

Always been the case. and not just in rugby. The benefactor's of the regions should eb knighted for the service they have done keeping Welsh domestic rugby afloat out of their own pockets. What thanks do they get?

The WRU know what they need to do to change the scenario.

Why doesn't Wales have any money.

Surely the MS has been paid for by now, plus it’s nearly always full and it is always in use for concerts and other events.

HERSH wrote:Why doesn't Wales have any money.

Debt

Surely the MS has been paid for by now,

crumbs. You know less than I thought you did. Apologies.

I'm afraid to say that I don't know what the WRU finances are like, maybe I could put in a FOI request?

HERSH wrote:
I'm afraid to say that I don't know what the WRU finances are like, maybe I could put in a FOI request?

You don't have to. It's all here:

http://www.wru.co.uk/downloads/WRU_ARA_2011_Final.pdf

The debt figure is there somewhere. Haven't got time to find it now.

Welsh (doemstic) rugby is broke. The WRU could do something about it if they wanted to. But Roger Lewis is paid to get them out of debt not help the regions.

Which is where the problem lies.

The WRU made a profit of 30 million plus in 2011 HERSH. The majority of the Millennium fund was from their own pockets.

Well looks liek Preistland might be off to France as well soon. The exodus can be coped with, but it leaves Wales with a real problem if they want a 4th AI again.

I doubt the French clubs will be too happy to release 22 players for the annual Shane Williams benefit match outside the IRB window.

how is Priestland off to France soon, PSW?

All I can see is that after a journalist asked, he said he MIGHT consider a move, after his 2 year contract is up.

A big non story to me.

Stories like this are usually planted by the players agent to signal availability to any interested French club.

I think Priestland is off to France in the semis of the Amlin

rugbydreamer wrote:how is Priestland off to France soon, PSW?

All I can see is that after a journalist asked, he said he MIGHT consider a move, after his 2 year contract is up.

A big non story to me.

He plays for Wales. Hell be in France within 12 months, trust me

Chunky Norwich wrote:England, Ireland and France - have money
Wales - does not

Simples.

Always been the case. and not just in rugby. The benefactor's of the regions should eb knighted for the service they have done keeping Welsh domestic rugby afloat out of their own pockets. What thanks do they get?

The WRU know what they need to do to change the scenario.

England have money because they have a population and many historic clubs (supporters). France have money because they have big money backers, a population and many historic clubs (supporters).

Ireland have money because they are, or at least were, winning. The money came in because the IRFU sorted out its support plans but the support plans require continuous winning or else the money drains away again pretty quickly. The Irish provinces didn't have 'stars' when they started winning... they won as relatively small entities fighting against the big European blunderbusses from England and France.

THEN they started making money, then the Irish team benefited from knock on effects..then the IRFU had more money to spill into acadamies and consolidating the plan.

The WRU and it's apologists keep saying the organisation needs to change. Well perhaps. But much more important is that the players who prove themselves both as starters and subs for Wales should do what is required of them to push along the finances of Wales...and that is to start winning the big titles in Europe. The game on the field, 22 men, responsibility.... and the rest will follow along smoother than now.

Please don't knight Cuddy

I can't believe people say this isn't a story!

A young player who has just broken into the international team says he'll consider it once his contract is up, his either holding out for a bigger contract from the Scarlets or is inviting interest from French clubs, this all smells like an Agents doing to me.

Greed.

Priestland's off to France? Interesting. Not surprising at all though.

I wonder who will be next.

holding out? Why HERSH do you think he's already re-negotiating his contract, when there's two years to go on it?

I find it mildly embarrasing that there are so many English posters on this thread incapable of seeing the story for what it is. BUt hey, guess they can't wait to jump on the 'doom and gloom' Wales bandwagon. Now, I wonder why that could be.......