Ospreys sign Centre Stefan Watermeyer

Not confirmed 100% yest but looks likely. Shame we couldn't do it in time to include him in the Heineken Cup squad but hey, what can you do? anyone know much about him?

http://www.rugbyweek.com/news/article.asp?id=32563

Direct quotation from the bulls on this link to validate the rumour

http://rugbyrugby.com/news/more_news/southern_hemisphere/6996650/bulls_star_heading_to_ospreys

It seems a random signing if you can't play him in Europe. Your centres seem good enough for Pro 12

He can be added i believe in January so will be able to play a part in the group campain but yeah the timing is a bit odd. Our centre's are of pro12 standard but not HC so hoping he brings some South African power and strong running to us.

Here's his club profile if interested.

http://www.thebulls.co.za/profile.aspx?pid=677&team=Senior

and some clips...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHTrjmpUMr8&feature=player_detailpage

right, i'm not posting anymore till i get some responces!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Ospreys must be well over their NWQ limit surely?

They have signed 1 SA, 2 Samoans, 1 Canadian, They have Tommy Bowe and Nikki Walker, Hanno Dirksen.

That's off the top of my head. Any others?

nice youtube link looks great

doctornickolas wrote:The Ospreys must be well over their NWQ limit surely?

They have signed 1 SA, 2 Samoans, 1 Canadian, They have Tommy Bowe and Nikki Walker, Hanno Dirksen.

That's off the top of my head. Any others?

Doctor, I can't remember the rules but is there not a 'project player' thing that teams can do? I.e. Players who can become 'welsh' if and when they serve their time. This makes them different to those who are already capped and are definitely foreign, such as Bowe and Walker. I may have dream it, but my understanding is that there is a quota of players allowed who are in the process of becoming welsh qualified in addition to the overseas quota.

Also, isn't there something about UK players not being classed in the foreign quota, or is that soccer???!

The regions are allowed 6+2, six NWQ plus two "time-servers", players who aren't capped by another nation and could qualify for Wales on residency. The Ospreys currently have 5+2. Stowers, O'Toole, Fotuali'i, Bowe and Walker are NWQ, Dirksen and now Watermeyer as time-servers. Inside the limits set by the participation agreement with the WRU, as they always have been. Other regions have exceeded the limit and still do, yet it goes unnoticed while false accusations and outright lies continue circulate about the Ospreys. I don't fully know how they are split between NWQ and time-servers, but I believe the Blues currently have nine non-Welsh players on the books. You'll never see it mentioned in the Welsh media though. Not about the Blues.

The "foreign quota" is an ERC rule for the Heineken and Amlin Cups. A maximum of two foreign players are allowed in a match squad, but "foreign" only means non-EU. Factor in the Kolpak issue which affects many (or possibly all) South African and Pacific Islands players and it seems like barely anyone playing club rugby in Europe actually counts as foreign.

I thought the agreement with the WRU meant that these limits were supposed to reduce each season??

So did I, but I haven't heard about it or seen the regions do much to suggest that it has since. Perhaps that's why the Ospreys appear have an unfilled NWQ space, to the bemusement and frustration of some supporters.

I don't know if the agreement is publicly available or can be found online, but I know I can't find it on a sleepy Saturday morning. Best I can find is that "Match squads for all regional games will have to contain at least 17 players qualified to play for Wales out of the 22 or 23 selected, with the emphasis on reducing over a period of time the number of non-Welsh qualified players in each region." So no clarity on how and when the limits are supposed to reduce, and perhaps this "6+2" idea is supposed to apply to match squads, not the entire squad. Or it's total fiction I've come to believe. Clearly, I'm ill-informed, but I tend to jump on the notion that the Ospreys are carrying too many NWQs, which has become so widely accepted. Whatever the limits, I know the Ospreys don't and never have had the most non-Welsh players.

Finally announed today. Confident it's a bit too late for him to be eligible for the next couple of HC games but hopefully we'll see a bit of him over the festive period. It's been a long time since i announced the signing so lets hope it's worth the wait.

http://www.ospreysrugby.com/news/6019.php

zebedeeLPS wrote:I believe the Blues currently have nine non-Welsh players on the books. You'll never see it mentioned in the Welsh media though. Not about the Blues.

Non WQ
Rush
Molitika
Filise
Laulala
Parks

Non Capped, Future WQ
Paterson
Pretorious
Ryan Tyrell

I count only 5 Non WQ, but i could be forgetting a few I could put Ben Blair on the list but he's all but done apparently - rumours of him being long term injured and potentially retiring, the blues want to release him but there could be legal action. We have 3 non capped players who will be WQ after a while, Pretorious is next year i believe and state he wants to play for wales. But yeah, can't think of anymore

I hope that these players who are un-capped, do not play for Wales.

They aren't Welsh, they would support the team of the country they come from if it were playing Wales, they have done that all their lives and will do continued.

It is wonderful that they enjoy living in Wales and they are incredibly welcome to do so. They add to the culture, they are all talented rugby players and are respect for their contributions to our regions.

But they have perfectly good nations of their own that they are currently qualified to play for. If they wish to play International rugby, that is who they should play for.

maestegmafia wrote:I hope that these players who are un-capped, do not play for Wales.

Just wondering where you draw your own personal line as to who should or should not play for Wales. I assume that George North is ok because he is half Welsh, and despite being born in England was raised mostly in Wales. Toby Faletau has qualified on residency grounds only, though has spent more of his life in Wales than elsewhere. Ben Morgan is English but soon to qualify via residency but has a welsh name. Pretorius (I think was mentioned in an ealier post) is about to qualify but has an Afrikaans name.

I of course have similar issues about who England pick

Residency should be 7 years. 3 years is nothing. A ridiculous rule.

Chunky Norwich wrote:Residency should be 7 years. 3 years is nothing. A ridiculous rule.

It's 5 in football and that's much more sensible.

I don't agree with players who have already represented another country at sport then switching sides. I never have done.

Even if players like those mentioned above can qualify for Wales, I would be surprised if they get selected. Luckily we are producing better players ourselves in all their positions.

Gives out the wrong message to all the kids playing good rugby in Wales.

He does look a fantastic prospect but if were getting players in to qualify for Wales then we need forwards not backs!

AlynDavies wrote:He does look a fantastic prospect but if were getting players in to qualify for Wales then we need forwards not backs!

But you just wrote on the Central Contracting thread:

AlynDavies wrote:Personally I'd like to see the WRU take control of all 4 regions, remove the non Welsh qualified players and concentrate on developing players, but in truth this has already happened, the regions cannot compete for top foreign players anymore and most are now developing from within their own academies.

Maybe it would be better if we didn't have any foreign players, whether they will Qualify as an overseas Welsh player or a Non-Welsh Qualified foreigner.

6+2 is a big number of NWQ players over 4 teams.
I remember when Blues went out of Europe either last year or before they blamed it on limited number of NWQ players.
it was pointed out on the old 606 that Irish teams do ok with 5+1, and that ended that.

But 6+2 is still alot, esp when Ireland are reduing it to 4+1. Wales should be reducing it as well, the Welsh acamadies are producing just as many good young Welsh players as the Irish acamadies are Irish ones.

Can't see a reason why it should be so high?

Will it give Welsh teams an advantage over Irish teams next year?

For Scotland and Italy it's more important to be lower as they only have two teams, but I can understand if Italy has more NItQ as they are trying to establish themselves. However I don't think have to go before the FIR, to get permission for a player, as the FIR gives out about lack of Half backs and bot teams have NItQ players there. Do the Regions have to go before the WRU to sign a NWQ player?

maestegmafia wrote:Maybe it would be better if we didn't have any foreign players, whether they will Qualify as an overseas Welsh player or a Non-Welsh Qualified foreigner.

I'm not saying I agree with bringing players in, I'm saying that if their going to do it, then get players where Wales really struggle to develop players, which at the moment is tight head prop!

Personally I'd prefer if the regions didn't have ANY non Welsh players, and were forced to buy from the Welsh Premiership or develop from within their academy, but I'm not in control so you just have to accept the situation.

Hanno Dirksen will be Welsh in Febuary , so I guess this new guy will be one of the 2 guys who we are able to have qualify on residency.

Can he be registered to play in the HC for rounds 5 + 6 (in Jan)? Or can he only play if O's reach knockout stage?