Welsh regions - Common sense needed

Why are our regions keeping/getting players that are not Welsh qualified and don't improve the quality of the squads? I find it baffling.

For example:

Scarlets -
Deacon Manu

Cardiff Blues -
Robin Copeland

Ospreys -
George Stowers

Dragons -
Nimmo

Thats just a few examples. Those calibre of players are not needed in Welsh rugby, i'd rather see young welsh players take their places. We cannot afford to waste money on 'journeymen'. Common sense please.

Squad cover.

Deacon Manu has been a very good servent to the Scarlets, first to get 50 appearances I think. Up until this season he has always been on of the two best tightheads in the region, and now with Samson looking destined for big things with Wales, Manu will be needed to keep us going durig the 6Ns etc. The same can be said for Stowers with the Ospreys, when they lose Ryan Jones, AWJ and Evans etc.

Copeland has seemed pretty solid for the Blues so far, and IMO looked better than Petorious this season. And I have not seen enough of Nimmo to really make a decision, but he does look like the sort of player that is decent enough, and probably as good as the Dragons can realistically afford.

Not sure what you're getting at - Manu has never kept an quality WQ players out of the Scarlets team but has been a lot better than the other WQ players available that we could afford - like Cai Griffiths, while we developed players like Samson Lee and improved R Thomas.

Nimmo has been one of the Dragons better locks and they are desperatley short at lock (as the Scarlets were at TH), and Stowers is the 2nd best 8 at the Ospreys, but seeing as Ryan Jones is either away with Wales or needed to play 6 or lock then that means Stowers is needed - he is also a 1st choice international.

Most of the players you listed are there to give squad depth and enable the regions to compete when either the internationals are away, or when injuries hit (see the Ospreys current troubles) - and re: Manu, Nimmo and Copeland - the regions couldn't afford top notch NWQ players anyway.

By the way, who would you have instead of these players?

Teams have to take chances on foreign players, personalli id rather them take on welsh lads instead though. i look at a lot of these players and wonder if there is really no welsh player in the premiership who can step up.

Well I know the Scarlets - and most/all of the region have struggled to find quality TH's and when the Scarlets did either they had to retire (Rhys Thomas - and even Iestyn) or were called up to the Wales squad almost before they were ready (Lee). Of course we could have signed Cai Griffiths instead of Manu - but for some reason I'm much happier we didn't

Stowers has done a lot better than Jon Thomas IMO, and adds some much needed experience to the pack when the internationals are away at the 6Ns, helping to bring along the next wave of Welsh internationals at the Ospreys.

As the Blues have had a sever cost cutting exercise and gotten rid of players like Powell in the past, they needed to bring in cheap options, but even with that Copeland has impressed and is fighting for 1st place even though he was only brought in as cover - so far he looks better than the WQ Pretorious, who is meant to be one of the most promising young 'Welsh' No 8's. so he isn't a bad signing for so cheap.

And Nimmo has been the Dragons best (or one of) lock this season - of course they would rather have kept Charteris, but there was no way they could have - they would rather have signed Gough, or Reed or Dom Day but again there was no way they could compete with Bath/Gloucester. He's been a very good signing again for cheap.

But you seem to be questioning players who've done reasonably well for their regions - or have you just chosen some NWQ players at random? While not presenting any WQ players that should/could have been signed in their stead.

Sorry but are we talking about the same Ian Nimmo here? Looks like a caveman, plays like an old woman? He's been a rubbish signing, definitely a punt that went wrong.

In one word, cost.

I see your point but you have certainly listed the wrong players there, Manu has been a huge servant to Scarlets rugby and probably given the first team more than the likes of Matthew Rees who has been on int duty for long periods for years.

Copeland was a top scoring lock in the Championship, is very raw but actually quite talented, he also cost very little, who else does the Blues have in the academy ready to take the 6/lock spot? Pattersons long term injured, Hamilton not quite ready (although I like him) and Navidi.

Regarding Nimmo, I can tell you there are no locks in the Dragons academy ready, a few teenagers with potential but no lock ready to step up, Adam Jones and Sidoli are on the verge of retirement and cannot play every minute of every game of the season, Nimmo again is cheap. Also add to that Sidoli Coaches the U18's 3 nights a week he is more than pulling his weight on and off the pitch and he isn't getting any younger.