SOME OF THE Welsh rugby stars who flocked to France for far bigger pay packets are keen to return home, claimed Wales coach Warren Gatland on Tuesday.
Gatland has seen a flood of his side’s most talented performers such as Leigh Halfpenny leave for the lucrative Top 14 competition while Welsh club rugby has been trying to sort itself out.
He was speaking after French paper L’Equipe claimed on Tuesday the trio of Jamie Roberts, Mike Phillips and Dan Lydiate wanted to leave Racing Metro and go home.
However, he denied the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) had played upon their being unsettled and unhappy and contacted them in an effort to lure them back to the Principality.
“We haven’t instigated contact with the players,” Gatland said in a Question and Answer session on the WRU website.
“But we are aware that one or two of them are keen to return to Wales sooner rather than later.”
The trio — who weren’t selected either in the starting XV nor even the bench for last Saturday’s Paris derby with Stade Francais — were not spared over their performances by Racing coach Laurent Labit in L’Equipe.
“We have raised the subject (leaving) with them. They have never really been that effective since their arrival,” said Labit.
Phillips, who was taken on by Racing despite being sacked by his previous French club Bayonne for serious ill discipline, was the only one of the trio to react and expressed astonishment at the contents of the report.
“Not sure why my name was mentioned today, I’m very happy at @RacingMetro92, and the coaches are very happy with me also,” tweeted the veteran scrum-half.
Welsh rugby has managed to sort out some of its differences since the players left with the WRU and the regions coming to an agreement in August this year.
That £60 million agreement included a total of £3.3m set aside for dual contracts which mean the WRU pays 60% of some leading players’ wages with the regions funding the rest.
Wales captain Sam Warburton is the only player on such a deal and it is ultimately up to Gatland who gets the dual deals.
Part of the reason behind their desire to return home could also be because in the agreement struck between the WRU and the regions, home-based players were to be favoured ahead of those playing abroad, although it isn’t quite as stringent as England whose policy is strictly to select only players who play in England.
The trio’s future may become clearer come Saturday when they begin their European Rugby Cup campaign against English side Northampton because if any of them play for Racing then they will be Cup-tied for the remainder of the season.
I don’t remember Ali ever dodging a fight for about 5 years like Mayweather!
The lead up to the fight has been a failure. People have become both bored and annoyed by how long the fight’s taking to progress to an agreement, so it’s almost like it’s too late to drum up the hype that would have come naturally to it in 2009-12.
So they’ve to come out with this these tripe statements just to fuel the media outlets who are as bored as the public with it all.
3-5 years ago I’d have bought the PPV, now I’ll just watch the highlights in bed the next morning.
pat look at his record of wins ko’s and world titles at different weights this fella dosent have to dodge anyone it’s all about the purse, are you suggesting he’s fearful of Manny?
Mayweather is a genius of a boxer but his intelligence is confined to the ring alone. Such brainless comments from a guy with zero class. He also described how he has had it as tough as Ali in his public life, laughable stuff!
Mayweather is not the greatest…but neither is Ali…
Simon that is an absolutely ridiculous comment. And to have someone back it up is even more ridiculous. I love boxing and boxers from all eras. But for you to say Ali is considered great because he talked a lot and then he got sick is one of the dumbest comments I have ever seen. He is regarded by most experts as one of the greatest as he was, end of story. Jesus lads get a grip. He doesn’t have to be your number one but don’t make stupid comments when his record speaks for itself.
he’s right John Ali’s record does not even compare to Larry Holmes who’s career was overshadowed by Ali’s persona as I said first John Ali was a great and a lot of that greatness was from his out of ring antics but a great all the same.
2 things Paul, I agree it can be argued about different records in different eras, Holmes was class but he wasn’t as good IMO as Ali, Liston, Frazier or Foreman but he came just after them. He didn’t fight anyone of the same quality so not sure how you can say his record is better, it’s different times. Simon said most people just go along with it as he shouted and and they agreed, and then though the years they called him a great because he got sick and they felt sorry for him? Brainless comment, and an insult to real boxing fans.
I never said he wasn’t in the conversation. He definitely was up there. You make it sound like I said he was completely average. What I am saying is there are ALOT of people out there who give him the edge as #1 for reasons that have very little to do with boxing. They like him because he was funny , rebellious and ultimately because he got sick and everyone felt sorry for him. People get offended when someone points it out but it’s true.
I’m not arguing with you John as your points are valid it’s hard to compare eras Tyson for example beat a lot of very average fighters mind you he battered them ( berbeck ,Michael spinks bonecrusher Smith) to name but a few .
Whisht the lot of ye……….3 words…..Big Joe Joyce………
big Joe would bate all round him.
Paul I have already said that Mayweather is a genius but even if he wins you cannot say he is without doubt the greatest of all time, it just isn’t that simple. Mayweather made some ridiculous statements like dismissing the rope a dope and claimed he has had it tougher than Ali, including racial matters in the current climate. Totally braindead stuff! For what it’s worth I have only seen videos but by all accounts from the experts Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest, and probably Ali second, I wouldn’t disagree with that.
Ali was considered the greatest because he was a showman and I loved watching him fight no doubt about that, but his record dosent stack up against mayweather who does makes some silly comments but that’s par for the course for most boxer’s.
Not only was ali the greatest boxer of all time, he was and remains to be the greatest sportsman who’s ever lived. Deal with it
that settles that so Don it must be right if you said it.
Right on paul, right on
mayweather record speaks for itself when he batters Pac man which he will he will retire as the undisputed greatest fighter of all time, his point about Leon spinks is correct a fellow of his standard would not be allowed into watch mayweather let alone fight and beat him.
I think Ali is considered the greatest by alot of people because he seemed to shout it to people the most and people just shrugged and said alright then because he could talk. They also say it because he got sick and loads of people have been patronizing him for the last 30 years. The greatest of all time is a matter for opinion and if you disagree then that’s fine. But he definitely has been patronized far too much. Mayweather said as much in an interview a few years ago too and he was right.
100% simon