Gareth Owen one of 10 players released by Ospreys

Article here:

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Gareth-Owen-10-released-Ospreys/story-16346074-detail/story.html

Gareth Owen, Barry Davies, Chauncey O'Toole, Stefan Watermeyer, Matt Torrance, Dai Flanagan, Rory Pitman, Ben Thomas, Craig Cross and Ken Dowding all released.

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No real shocks there to be honest.

Barrie Davies might be a loss of squad cover and we badly need a full back but with Ross Jones coming through we didn't really need him.

7 times capped utility back Gareth Owen is a bit of a shock to me though, he is only 23 and might of had a future with us. He sustained a lot of damage to his cruciate ligament in a pre season accident, i was aware he had to have several operations over the year to repair the damage, but maybe the Ospreys feel they cant afford the bills for him, or just dont think he will recover.

Basically though none of these players are really first team guys.

So the signings of O'Toole and Watermeyer were just a big waste of time and money then. Funny considering how Watermeyer was talked up long before arriving with Holley and Johnson (jeez I'm glad they've gone!) banging on about how he wanted to play for Wales etc etc. I guess this goes to further expose their mediocrity as top level coaches. No matter, I just shudder to imagine how much lower the Ospreys ship might have sunk had they stayed.

Gareth Owen was unfortunately injury-prone, when fit he was a contender in more than one position if I recall. Davies was hard done by to be constantly discarded in favour of a makeshift fullback in Fussell.

Shame.

Owen had massive potential, but fell the same fate as David Bishop with injury.

If he can stay fit Owen would be a great signing for another region, Scarlets seem set for backs but maybe Dragons or Blues?

CurlyOsp wrote:If he can stay fit Owen would be a great signing for another region, Scarlets seem set for backs but maybe Dragons or Blues?

Dragons would be a good idea. He hasn't been given a fair crack I know he's missed a whole season due to injury.

The emergence of Beck has to be a main reason. Beck has only had one full season of pro rugby and has hit the ground running. He won't be going anywhere soon.

Other than Bishop at 13 I don't think the O's are spoiled for centres, but this indicates to me that there is a whole que of talented under 20's backs ready and waiting to come in.

We have seen youth is the key. Youth helped Wales nearly reach the WC final and then a grandslam. The Wales under 20's just beat NZ (the first team to ever do so).

Things are going to be VERY exciting in the next few years and there seem to be more and more quality youngsters coming through all the time.

I hope Owen can get fit again, the Ospreys have kept with him for over a year so he can't complain under current state of affairs. I hope the Dragons or London Welsh pick him up as he is more than usefull 10, 12, 13 or 15. I assume B Davies is due to constant injuries, again a region should pick up players like Barry on a pay as you go basis and make them responsible for their own medical insurance (the Dragons would have save a fortune with Charteris).

Good luck to all the guys.

I think going to England might be a better choice than the Dragons, no offence to Dragons fans.

I'd think the Dragons would do well to pick up Gareth Owen and Liam Davies - and as has been said they could minimise the risk with a pay as you play deal, think they'd add depth to their squad and could add real quality if they hit the ground running - 9. Liam Davies 10. S Jones 11 Prydie 12 Hughes 13 Owen/Robling 14 Chavy 15 D Evans/Owens - it's a pretty good backline.

Think B Davies would be a good signing for any of the other regions - always felt sorry that he didn't get many chances at the Ospreys. Even though the Scarlets have Liam W, Stoddard, Ionghi and Newton - Liam W and Stodds could foresably be away with Wales at the same time and Barrie could well be better than Ionghi/Newton. He'd benefit the Blues/Dragons as well - though; as people in my office have mentioned; he could be too expensive for a squad player as he is a Welsh international.

Actually a fit Gareth Owen I'd be interested in for the Scarlets. Saw Nic Reynolds at the end of the season and he was ruddy awful. Adam Warren looks a decent option for us and Maule never lets us down but with Foxy, Scott, Priestland, Williams and Stodds away on Wales duty Owen would be very useful. However - is he a bit of a liability. Maybe a limited contract is a good idea. The one I note with interest is Flanaghan. He looked useful a few seasons ago - what the heck happened? I was surprised the Blues shipped him given their situation with 10's. O's have 3 up and comers at 10 so no surprise there. Dragons may want to take a look with Tovey on his way. I wouldn't bother with Barry now - in the words of the Police ... those days are over ....

Knowsit17 wrote:So the signings of O'Toole and Watermeyer were just a big waste of time and money then. Funny considering how Watermeyer was talked up long before arriving with Holley and Johnson (jeez I'm glad they've gone!) banging on about how he wanted to play for Wales etc etc. I guess this goes to further expose their mediocrity as top level coaches. No matter, I just shudder to imagine how much lower the Ospreys ship might have sunk had they stayed.

Gareth Owen was unfortunately injury-prone, when fit he was a contender in more than one position if I recall. Davies was hard done by to be constantly discarded in favour of a makeshift fullback in Fussell.

I'm no fan of Johnson, but are your comments really fair?

Johnson sees potential in players and gives them a chance with either Swansea or Bridgend, it's up to these players to grasp it.


Watermayer looked very promising his highlight video on You Tube had a lot of Ospreys fans very excited, however week to week in a poor Swansea side he was not a stand out player and looked about right for that level.

At the start of the season Johnson gave a chance to an Australian fly half called Pete Smith who had a Welsh Dad. He didn't cut it at Bridgend so was released.

Hanno Dirksen looked a decent player and has stepped up every time he has been promoted a level. He scored the try of the season and appears to be a cracking prospect.

If a young lad shows glimpses of skill then why not give them the chance? It's then up to the player to grasp it, it is not Johnsons fault if they haven't taken their chances.

Shifty - I think the problem with Watermayer (and I forgot about the Aussie lad) is that people jumped straight onto the Ospreys have signed a new wonder kid bandwagon without really knowing too much about the player.

Also I think the Ospreys needed those signings. After all before the RWC we were expecting Dan Biggar to have been going out to the RWC (only as a bench option at best), and possibly Bishop too, so Fly Half and centre would have been weaker areas for the Ospreys. I think that as cover (al though it wasn't needed in the end) signings they were not too bad. After all they were not exactly expensive.

There was a strong rumour doing the rounds in Swansea at the beginning of this year, that the financial problems at the Ospreys was such that the players had been told that, all players out of contract at the end of the season would be released!

Seagultaf wrote:There was a strong rumour doing the rounds in Swansea at the beginning of this year, that the financial problems at the Ospreys was such that the players had been told that, all players out of contract at the end of the season would be released!

Adam Jones was renewed, as well as a few others i think.

It's Adam Jones though

The players that are leaving are hardly surprises

Shifty wrote:

Seagultaf wrote:There was a strong rumour doing the rounds in Swansea at the beginning of this year, that the financial problems at the Ospreys was such that the players had been told that, all players out of contract at the end of the season would be released!

Adam Jones was renewed, as well as a few others i think.

Yeah but around that time there was talk of Ian Evans being released

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

Shifty wrote:

Seagultaf wrote:There was a strong rumour doing the rounds in Swansea at the beginning of this year, that the financial problems at the Ospreys was such that the players had been told that, all players out of contract at the end of the season would be released!

Adam Jones was renewed, as well as a few others i think.

Yeah but around that time there was talk of Ian Evans being released

Only by delusional Scarlets fans.
The Ospreys said he had 1 year left on his contract.

Shifty - I remember it being talked about during one of the Ospreys matches on Scrum V mate.