Cuthbert must say au revoir

Reports have Cuthbert leaving the blues for France. He had to go for his own development. He does not look half the player in a blues shirt and I think he will just fade into mediocrity if he stays. He needs to be playing with top quality team mates to maximise his potential as we have seen with Wales. As long as he has the Wales release clauses, I think it's vital he plays at the top level. He has to go to France for Wales' sake!

I agree. Its amazing how you watch a player like Cuthbert return to the Blues from Wales duty and he doesn't look half the player, I put that down to the Blues' game plan and lack of FH who can bring his backs into the game.

He's only 21 (?) and when your offered that sort of money at that age and the offer to play in a beautiful country with top class rugby players from all over the world, full houses and a rocking atmosphere who can blame the guy.

I just hope he adds a stipulation to his contract that frees him to join the Welsh camp for whenever he is called upon and he can stay there for as long as he's required to.

If he goes I'd like to see Gatland demote him and then promote Harry Robinson. I don't buy into this "if they go to france they will be better players" BS if I'm honest. If you want money then by all means go but if you want to be loyal to Wales then stay put.

I don't mean this disrespectfully at all. However before the 6Ns I honestly thought that Cuthbert was not a brilliant player, he was big, and he could run a bit, but that was all I saw in him. He then had a storming 6Ns and I thought that maybe I was wrong in my assessment of him. However now he is back at the Blues I do wonder about him again. Whether it is that when he is playing for Wales he has a higher quality of player around him, so he is not having to try and do it all himself or not I do not know.

I do think that he would be a fool to leave for france. He has a heap of time in his career left, and would IMO be better off staying put (or if he had to move going to another region) than chasing the cash, for now, as he has a lot to learn still. That said if he does go I hope he does well.

Loyalty only goes so far Morg!

I am all for the best of Welsh playing in Wales, but as Baber stated, a French club has offered him double the Blues best and final offer, which sounds harsh on the Blues except for the fact they do it to just about every player of quality who wants to talk to them.

Phillips just wanted an offer within 20% of the Ospresy offer, and from what Ive heard it wasn't much over 100k to the 180 offered.

Delve did everything but buy shares in the Blues and was offered a poor salary, probably because he was so eager to join. The Rebels offer was pretty average, and boy are they getting a lot for their money!

Rees has had a contract row apparently, and Yapp born and bred, has always lived Cardiff had no option but to leave!

All this BS about Cuthbert looking awesome for Wales and garbage for the Blues is rubbish!!!
Cuthbert has made a few mistakes, he is a typical 21 yr old, he will make more, and if he was put under any pressure this 6N we wouldve seen mistakes there too!!

It's similar to Michael Owen, looked excellent for Wales while going forward, captained a GS side, then when in a poor pack all of his weaknesses were shown!

Morgannwg wrote:If he goes I'd like to see Gatland demote him and then promote Harry Robinson. I don't buy into this "if they go to france they will be better players" BS if I'm honest. If you want money then by all means go but if you want to be loyal to Wales then stay put.

Disagree, the best players should be picked if they are available, whether they are in Wales, England, France or Samoa.

No, Gatland and WRU needs to send out a clear message that we are trying to develop the sport and any player not concerned with helping puts their chances of playing for Wales at risk.

IronMike wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:If he goes I'd like to see Gatland demote him and then promote Harry Robinson. I don't buy into this "if they go to france they will be better players" BS if I'm honest. If you want money then by all means go but if you want to be loyal to Wales then stay put.

Disagree, the best players should be picked if they are available, whether they are in Wales, England, France or Samoa.

I would love to see a Welsh winger able to survive a full season of playing in Samoa, the hits on them must be monsterous

Being serious I think that there is a ballence between selecting your best possible players, and selecting the best available players. For example if Jon Davies upped and left for France, and Ashley Beck moved to the Blues. I would agree on dropping Foxy for Beck and Roberts to forge a partnership in the Welsh midfeild, as there would not be too much of a drop in class. However when Gethin Jenkins leaves for France, and if Paul James is unavailable, I would have no problems with Geth starting a game instead of Nathan Williams (of the Dragons) as there would be a huge difference in quality. (I hope that comes across the way it was meant to, and more importantly that it makes sense)

Maybe the reason his not performing in a Blues shirt is that his not as good as some people would have you believe.

Not a patch on North, IMO Cuthbert is just another Banahan.

I'm willing to swap him for Banahan if Cardiff Blues are interested?

I wouldn't swap you a railing outside the stadium for bananaman

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

IronMike wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:If he goes I'd like to see Gatland demote him and then promote Harry Robinson. I don't buy into this "if they go to france they will be better players" BS if I'm honest. If you want money then by all means go but if you want to be loyal to Wales then stay put.

Disagree, the best players should be picked if they are available, whether they are in Wales, England, France or Samoa.

I would love to see a Welsh winger able to survive a full season of playing in Samoa, the hits on them must be monsterous

Being serious I think that there is a ballence between selecting your best possible players, and selecting the best available players. For example if Jon Davies upped and left for France, and Ashley Beck moved to the Blues. I would agree on dropping Foxy for Beck and Roberts to forge a partnership in the Welsh midfeild, as there would not be too much of a drop in class. However when Gethin Jenkins leaves for France, and if Paul James is unavailable, I would have no problems with Geth starting a game instead of Nathan Williams (of the Dragons) as there would be a huge difference in quality. (I hope that comes across the way it was meant to, and more importantly that it makes sense)

So what you're saying as long as there is an able deputy you would prioritise players based in Wales? I'm not sure I agree, I would still bring in JD2 and Beck because they are both on form, whoever impresses the most in training would get their place in the starting 15. I dont see why we should give priority to players based in Wales just because they play in Wales.

Is it true that he's been offered a 3 year, £300,000+ pa deal?
I'm truly astounded.

Wouldn't like to see him go. It'd just confirm the 'regions becoming breeding grounds' theory and I for one have no desire on seeing anything of the sort. If anyone needs to go it's the shoddy coaches stunting development within Wales but we should never consider that development as needing to be done for us to the benefit of other clubs. I'll be embarrassed if that day ever comes.

Don't know the exact figures Dave but it is big... VERY BIG!!!

IronMike wrote:

So what you're saying as long as there is an able deputy you would prioritise players based in Wales? I'm not sure I agree, I would still bring in JD2 and Beck because they are both on form, whoever impresses the most in training would get their place in the starting 15. I dont see why we should give priority to players based in Wales just because they play in Wales.

Erm, because we are trying to develop our rugby playing nation and club game? It's the only reason NZ rugby has survived strongly for as long as it has.

HERSH wrote:Maybe the reason his not performing in a Blues shirt is that his not as good as some people would have you believe.

Not a patch on North, IMO Cuthbert is just another Banahan.

He got selected for Wales after being very good playing for the BLUES in the HC and Pro12.

He has barely got the ball recently and his defence has been poor (as it has been all season)

So he is having a bad patch of form - Name 1 player in the Wales squad who hasn't had a drop in form?

Put it this way, if any of us were offered this kind of money, would we go ? It's a no brainer if you ask me, that kind of money could set the kid up for the rest of his life. Ask yourself this, if somebody offered you three or four times your wage for doing the same job, would you rip their arm off ?