Welsh Exiles Team

1. Gethin
2. Bennett
3. Mitchell
4. Charteris
5. Day
6. Powell
7. Siggery
8. Delve
9. Phillips
10. Hook
11. Brew
12. Shingler
13. Robinson
14. Cuthbert
15. Byrne


I cant think of an openside or a lock if cadman isnt wq with this hangover but thats quite a few of our best players not playing in Wales. The sooner the WRU come up with dual contracts the better. (edited after suggestions) thats not a bad little side really

I am starting to get a bit worried for the blues.

you could try ed siggery at london irish at openside, although his preferred is blindside. Jonathan mills and Lee Beach at London Welsh are also Back-row players and although Beach is the better player Mills is considered an openside

Cuthbert hasn't left yet.

And for dual contracts to come into effect, aren't all the regions required to commit to the WRU rather than some having stand-alone status? So it might not be all Roger Lewis' fault.

The is always the Glaws second row who last played for Wales against England under G Jenkins, James. At prop R Gill and ex Osprey now at Exeter, Mitchell and at Hooker Shervingon at the Warriors. There are many backs playing outside Wales most are rejects doing well in England.

Dom Day is going to Bath at end of season so there's a 2nd rower or there is the legend (well Jenkins thought so) Will James.

Replace Robinson with Spratt

Knowsit17 wrote:And for dual contracts to come into effect, aren't all the regions required to commit to the WRU rather than some having stand-alone status? So it might not be all Roger Lewis' fault.

The last thing that the WRU want is total responsibility for the Regions, if they do that, they will be responsible for their debts!

The problem at the moment is that the regions are not too bothered if they lose Welsh squad players because they still get paid the same by the WRU but dont have to pay the wages of the squad players when they are away with Wales. Quite simply the system is broken.

The WRU need to review the way it operates. If they want top quality professional rugby in Wales and the want Wales best players playing in Wales, they need to make more funding available and the fairest way to do so is through central contracts, with only Welsh based players eligable.

According to the WRU accounts they are making a significant profit, they also seem to have a huge number of very well paid executives. Why do they need Roger Lewis and Pickering, I am sure there are other duplications? There are certainly economies they can make to free up some of the funding to support the regional game.

The good news is that only two or three of those are first choice and that they are all playing in France rather than England.

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Huw Bennett (Ed Shervington if Huw stays)
3. Craig Mitchell
4. Dominic Day
5. Luke Charteris
6. Andy Powell
7. Ed Siggery
8. Gareth Delve
9. Mike Phillips
10. Stephen Jones
11. Aled Brew
12. James Hook
13. Jamie Robinson
14. Alex Cuthbert (if he goes)
15. Lee Byrne

16. Rhys Gill
17. Ed Shervington
18. ?? Will James?
19. Tom Smith
20. Dwayne Peel
21. Nicky Robinson
22. Martyn Thomas

23. Jonathon Spratt
24. Matthew Jones
25. Liam Davies
26. Darren Allinson
27. Steven Shingler

Apart from the backrow, thats a pretty good team - with a lot of Wales caps.

No good team... I think we have enough welsh scrum halves alone abroad at the moment, Darren Allinson, Dwayne Peel and Martyn Thomas havent even been mentioned.

Also Nicky Robinson the Wasps flyhalf.

maestegmafia wrote:No good team... I think we have enough welsh scrum halves alone abroad at the moment, Darren Allinson, Dwayne Peel and Martyn Thomas havent even been mentioned.

Forgot about Peel and Allinson

Delve returning to Europe is a big plus if gatland uses him. Whilst Toby is first choice he isnt going to play every game and Delve to come in would be a great call. No 8 is a position we lack a bit of depth in.

The coach could be Dai Young or K Jones

TycroesOsprey wrote:Delve returning to Europe is a big plus if gatland uses him. Whilst Toby is first choice he isnt going to play every game and Delve to come in would be a great call. No 8 is a position we lack a bit of depth in.

It looks like he's going to Toulon though Tycroes. I don't know if Gatts will select him now, i hope he does though! We need all the no 8's we can get!

Ryan Powell
John Yapp
Richie Rees
Breeze(spelling)
Warren Fury

Theres a couple more you could use.

It looks like he's going to Toulon

What a waste, Van Niekerk is there already and playing well. Shame Delve couldn't head to a team where he'd get regular rugby at 8.

They play a lot of rugby in France so i guess the squad will be rotated a lot. Toulon have pretty much got two internationals for each position. Jenkins - Sheridan, Delve- Niekerk, Giteau- Mermoz etc.

After watching Delves performances down under I think he is perfect competition for Toby at 8 moving forward. I dont think going to Toulon can be held against him with all the others now playing outside of Wales.

Would have loved Delve at the Blues

IronMike wrote:Would have loved Delve at the Blues

I guess that they didn't want to lose Rush and couldn't afford both he and Delve. In hindsight they should have let Rush go and taken Delve on.

They should have gone for Delve in a shot instead of Rush if they had the chance - It's a question not even worth pondering, ones a great player whose on his way down and looks half the player of 2 years ago and has a season or 2 left, and the other is taking the SH by storm and seems to be improving all the time and is only in his late 20's.

Though I suppose the Blues are looking to Rush joining their coaching team and bringing through their young 8's

Smirnoffpriest wrote:They should have gone for Delve in a shot instead of Rush if they had the chance - It's a question not even worth pondering, ones a great player whose on his way down and looks half the player of 2 years ago and has a season or 2 left, and the other is taking the SH by storm and seems to be improving all the time and is only in his late 20's.

Though I suppose the Blues are looking to Rush joining their coaching team and bringing through their young 8's

Rightly so, Rush seems the sought of bloke who would make a good coach.. Hamilton already looking the part and in hindsight Delve as out of their price range now anyway.

maestegmafia wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:They should have gone for Delve in a shot instead of Rush if they had the chance - It's a question not even worth pondering, ones a great player whose on his way down and looks half the player of 2 years ago and has a season or 2 left, and the other is taking the SH by storm and seems to be improving all the time and is only in his late 20's.

Though I suppose the Blues are looking to Rush joining their coaching team and bringing through their young 8's

Rightly so, Rush seems the sought of bloke who would make a good coach.. Hamilton already looking the part and in hindsight Delve as out of their price range now anyway.

True but you would have thought (before Toloun came in) that Delve wouldn't have commanded as much wages as Rush...

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:They should have gone for Delve in a shot instead of Rush if they had the chance - It's a question not even worth pondering, ones a great player whose on his way down and looks half the player of 2 years ago and has a season or 2 left, and the other is taking the SH by storm and seems to be improving all the time and is only in his late 20's.

Though I suppose the Blues are looking to Rush joining their coaching team and bringing through their young 8's

Rightly so, Rush seems the sought of bloke who would make a good coach.. Hamilton already looking the part and in hindsight Delve as out of their price range now anyway.

True but you would have thought (before Toloun came in) that Delve wouldn't have commanded as much wages as Rush...

I agree

maestegmafia wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:They should have gone for Delve in a shot instead of Rush if they had the chance - It's a question not even worth pondering, ones a great player whose on his way down and looks half the player of 2 years ago and has a season or 2 left, and the other is taking the SH by storm and seems to be improving all the time and is only in his late 20's.

Though I suppose the Blues are looking to Rush joining their coaching team and bringing through their young 8's

Rightly so, Rush seems the sought of bloke who would make a good coach.. Hamilton already looking the part and in hindsight Delve as out of their price range now anyway.

True but you would have thought (before Toloun came in) that Delve wouldn't have commanded as much wages as Rush...

I agree

I agree with you

Yes you do..

I wonder if the lure of a French contract would encourage delve back to Europe. He is a touch in the wilderness at the moment, despite how well he is playing.

He is certainly the stand out exciled player on the list.

maestegmafia wrote:Yes you do..

I wonder if the lure of a French contract would encourage delve back to Europe. He is a touch in the wilderness at the moment, despite how well he is playing.

He is certainly the stand out exciled player on the list.

Hasn't he signed for Toloun?

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:They should have gone for Delve in a shot instead of Rush if they had the chance - It's a question not even worth pondering, ones a great player whose on his way down and looks half the player of 2 years ago and has a season or 2 left, and the other is taking the SH by storm and seems to be improving all the time and is only in his late 20's.

Though I suppose the Blues are looking to Rush joining their coaching team and bringing through their young 8's

Rightly so, Rush seems the sought of bloke who would make a good coach.. Hamilton already looking the part and in hindsight Delve as out of their price range now anyway.

True but you would have thought (before Toloun came in) that Delve wouldn't have commanded as much wages as Rush...

The Blues made Delve an offer (though they couldn't offer a contract until after the financial review), Delve decided to take the big money in France instead. He turned his back on a chance to get into the Wales team if you ask me.

I seem to recall Delve was not impressed with the clicks within the Welsh team and Gatland and co. His face did not fit and/or he wanted nothing to do with Gatland's management team. When you look at the management team apart from Edwards two years ago, they were hardly inspiring. I am not sure he will get another look in, why was he called up prior to the RWC and then cast off, injury or attitude?