Welsh rugby regions raise player salary cap by £1m

by LordDowlais Mon Nov 09, 2015 9:44 am

First topic message reminder :

The four Welsh rugby regions have raised the amount they can spend on players' wages by £1m to £4.5m.

In December 2011 the regions - Cardiff Blues, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - imposed a salary cap of £3.5m a year when all four were posting losses.

The rise reflects improved finances, with extra money from Europe and a new deal with the Welsh Rugby Union.

Pro Rugby Wales declined to comment, but it is understood the decision was mutually agreed after a review.

It is hoped the extra cash will help the regions retain star players and potentially bring more "Welsh exiles" home.

Leigh Halfpenny, Jonathan Davies, George North and Luke Charteris are thought to be considering returning to Wales next season.

The Ospreys are hoping Dan Biggar and Alun Wyn Jones will agree to extend their current National Dual Contracts.

However, the regions - represented by Pro Rugby Wales - are expected to make building squad depth a priority, and not necessarily spend big figures on marquee signings.

The new ceiling - which is self-imposed - is still some way below that of England's Aviva Premiership.

Premiership Rugby Limited - the umbrella body that governs England's Premiership clubs - announced in October they would be raising their cap next season from £5.1m to £6.5m, and to £7m the season after that.

These figures exclude the salaries of two so-called "marquee signings" that remain outside the cap.

by GavinDragon Thu Nov 12, 2015 3:37 pm

LordDowlais wrote:
munkian wrote:I'd welcome him at the Dave

Isn't he from the Rassau in Ebbw Vale ? He is a Gwent boy after all.

Old, New or the Industrial Estate?

by GavinDragon Thu Nov 12, 2015 3:55 pm

Also surprised no one has picked this up this afternoon....

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/cardiff-blues-stop-providing-players-10432970

Run

by Cardiff Dave Thu Nov 12, 2015 4:01 pm

GavinDragon wrote:Also surprised no one has picked this up this afternoon....

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/cardiff-blues-stop-providing-players-10432970

I just did. Suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later.

by Luckless Pedestrian Thu Nov 12, 2015 4:03 pm

I thought there might be a dedicated thread for that...

by Cardiff Dave Thu Nov 12, 2015 4:04 pm

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I thought there might be a dedicated thread for that...

https://www.606v2.com/t61238-pontypridd-gone

by Stone Motif Thu Nov 12, 2015 4:33 pm

LordDowlais wrote:
munkian wrote:I'd welcome him at the Dave

Isn't he from the Rassau in Ebbw Vale ? He is a Gwent boy after all.

Who Josh Tyler?

by Cardiff Dave Thu Nov 12, 2015 8:04 pm

Stone Motif wrote:Just for context here's my all-time journeymen WQ xv from the Dragons. Anyone who can come up with a worse/more comedy NWQ team of NGD Old Boys wins a signed copy of 'C0ck Out' Lyn Jones forthcoming autobiography which will hit bookshelces this Christmas:

Dan Griffiths, Richard Fussell, Tom Cheeseman, Rhodri Gomer-Davies, Jimmy Norris, Ceri Sweeney, Luc Jones, Andy Powell, Jevon Groves, James Lewis,Bryn Griffiths, some bean-pole with the athletisism of a Walking Dead extra and the turning circle of the Ark Royal who appeared in the 60-3 prison shaming Galsgow gave us at home whose name I have blocked out because he was the worst rugby player I've ever seen, Nathan Buck, Huw Gustafson, Patsy Palmer

EDF winner and Euro champ, btw. A legend down our way.

by Stone Motif Thu Nov 12, 2015 9:41 pm

Cardiff Dave wrote:
Stone Motif wrote:Just for context here's my all-time journeymen WQ xv from the Dragons. Anyone who can come up with a worse/more comedy NWQ team of NGD Old Boys wins a signed copy of 'C0ck Out' Lyn Jones forthcoming autobiography which will hit bookshelces this Christmas:

Dan Griffiths, Richard Fussell, Tom Cheeseman, Rhodri Gomer-Davies, Jimmy Norris, Ceri Sweeney, Luc Jones, Andy Powell, Jevon Groves, James Lewis,Bryn Griffiths, some bean-pole with the athletisism of a Walking Dead extra and the turning circle of the Ark Royal who appeared in the 60-3 prison shaming Galsgow gave us at home whose name I have blocked out because he was the worst rugby player I've ever seen, Nathan Buck, Huw Gustafson, Patsy Palmer

EDF winner and Euro champ, btw. A legend down our way.

Whatever. Ponty's finest son was garbage at Dave

by Guest Thu Nov 12, 2015 9:49 pm

Stone Motif wrote:Just for context here's my all-time journeymen WQ xv from the Dragons. Anyone who can come up with a worse/more comedy NWQ team of NGD Old Boys wins a signed copy of 'C0ck Out' Lyn Jones forthcoming autobiography which will hit bookshelces this Christmas:

Dan Griffiths, Richard Fussell, Tom Cheeseman, Rhodri Gomer-Davies, Jimmy Norris, Ceri Sweeney, Luc Jones, Andy Powell, Jevon Groves, James Lewis,Bryn Griffiths, some bean-pole with the athletisism of a Walking Dead extra and the turning circle of the Ark Royal who appeared in the 60-3 prison shaming Galsgow gave us at home whose name I have blocked out because he was the worst rugby player I've ever seen, Nathan Buck, Huw Gustafson, Patsy Palmer

Can I also add to the list:
Gerald Arasa
Peter Bracken - Brought in like so many others as a one man scrum fix. I remember 'Bracken watch', I.e. Watching him try to run from ruck to ruck. So out of shape he was barely alive when he left the field inevitably early in the game.
Royce Cadman
Mike 'the circus' Hercus
Danny Lee, that famous All Black
Ali McKenzie the prop
Rory Sidey (Oz centre)
There was also a winger who was a former sprinter, never played rugby. We brought him in and he used to chance the long kicks to the wing but used to bottle the tackle or completely over run it! Went to study fashion at uni after that... Forget his name.

However, I'd also add one true adage: you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Put together a team on a shoe string and it's likely a few of them will suck.

Also, I feel that something is just not right in the Dragons set up over the years. Players with some decent pedigree and promise come in and the coaches there just can't get anything out of them. We've probably got about a 1:10 success rate with star/promising/big(ish) name players who come in. It can't just be the coaching because no coaches have managed it. A good example is Chaparro. A bit of a coup signing him from Stade Francais, coaches couldn't get him playing well and he was a sub then not much game time at all, yet he's now a star for Argentina on the international stage and played very well in the World Cup. Who's the turkeys really? The players or us?! A bit of both perhaps.

by Seagultaf Thu Nov 12, 2015 10:13 pm

There is an article on the BBC with Lyn Jones saying that Jack Dixon, Elliot Dee and Ollie Griffiths are up for NDC deals.

Am I the only person who is a bit concerned that these deals are being spread a bit too far away from team Wales? Dixon has been on the fringe of the squad but what we need is players such as Faletau, Gareth Davies, Ken Owens, etc., Signed up together with extensions for Biggar and Alan Wyn.

by Stone Motif Thu Nov 12, 2015 10:19 pm

Griff wrote:
Can I also add to the list

Only if you can do a full sh1te Dragons NWQ xv to match or better my all Welsh one

Spot on with the rest though. One of the main hadicaps for pro rugby in Wales of late has been the dictat that ensured a succession of cretinous Welsh coaches being employed. These clowns,amongst whom the likes of Phil Davies and Lyn Jones stride like collossi, learnt only shamateurism and failure as players and have been responsible for that legacy being passed on to Welsh players for nigh on a decade and it has to stop.[/quote]

by Stone Motif Thu Nov 12, 2015 10:24 pm

Seagultaf wrote:There is an article on the BBC with Lyn Jones saying that Jack Dixon, Elliot Dee and Ollie Griffiths are up for NDC deals.

Am I the only person who is a bit concerned that these deals are being spread a bit too far away from team Wales? Dixon has been on the fringe of the squad but what we need is players such as Faletau, Gareth Davies, Ken Owens, etc., Signed up together with extensions for Biggar and Alan Wyn.

Depends on whether you reckon Warren Gatland's eternal contract, and our top players playing a system where plan a, b, and c are based on collisions, might mean some of them might not end up having long careers....

by bedfordwelsh Fri Nov 13, 2015 6:09 am

GavinDragon wrote:
LordDowlais wrote:
munkian wrote:I'd welcome him at the Dave

Isn't he from the Rassau in Ebbw Vale ? He is a Gwent boy after all.

Old, New or the Industrial Estate?

Old, New or Industrial - No one admits to coming from the Rassau Wink

by LordDowlais Fri Nov 13, 2015 6:23 am

Stone Motif wrote:One of the main hadicaps for pro rugby in Wales of late has been the dictat that ensured a succession of cretinous Welsh coaches being employed

You might be onto something there actually, Dragons had South African international winger Chavanga playing for them but he looked like a total waste of time playing for Dragons, he came with a good pedigree as well.

by LordDowlais Fri Nov 13, 2015 9:24 am

Wales centre Jonathan Davies will return to Scarlets from Clermont Auvergne on a dual deal with the Welsh Rugby Union.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/34783931

by Luckless Pedestrian Fri Nov 13, 2015 10:49 am

Seagultaf wrote:There is an article on the BBC with Lyn Jones saying that Jack Dixon, Elliot Dee and Ollie Griffiths are up for NDC deals.

Am I the only person who is a bit concerned that these deals are being spread a bit too far away from team Wales? Dixon has been on the fringe of the squad but what we need is players such as Faletau, Gareth Davies, Ken Owens, etc., Signed up together with extensions for Biggar and Alan Wyn.

If Rory Thornton is near enough to Team Wales, so are those three at the Dragons.

I do see your point, though. I always saw the NDCs as a way of keeping players who were in danger of being poached by English and French clubs. I'm not sure there's been a bidding war for Thornton or Dixon, although I could be wrong.

by Guest Fri Nov 13, 2015 11:37 am

LordDowlais wrote:
Stone Motif wrote:One of the main hadicaps for pro rugby in Wales of late has been the dictat that ensured a succession of cretinous Welsh coaches being employed

You might be onto something there actually, Dragons had South African international winger Chavanga playing for them but he looked like a total waste of time playing for Dragons, he came with a good pedigree as well.

What pedigree did he come with? We aren't talking Habana here, we are talking a guy who had a rep of being fast and scored six tries v Uruguay or something. In that respect he didn't disappoint. He was fast and did score some tries.

by munkian Fri Nov 13, 2015 11:41 am

Risca Rev wrote:
LordDowlais wrote:
Stone Motif wrote:One of the main hadicaps for pro rugby in Wales of late has been the dictat that ensured a succession of cretinous Welsh coaches being employed

You might be onto something there actually, Dragons had South African international winger Chavanga playing for them but he looked like a total waste of time playing for Dragons, he came with a good pedigree as well.

What pedigree did he come with? We aren't talking Habana here, we are talking a guy who had a rep of being fast and scored six tries v Uruguay or something. In that respect he didn't disappoint. He was fast and did score some tries.

It was disappointing we barely got him the ball.

by Luckless Pedestrian Fri Nov 13, 2015 11:46 am

I remember us using him on the crash ball. It's hard to think of a winger less suitable for that.

by Seagultaf Fri Nov 13, 2015 7:07 pm

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:
Seagultaf wrote:There is an article on the BBC with Lyn Jones saying that Jack Dixon, Elliot Dee and Ollie Griffiths are up for NDC deals.

Am I the only person who is a bit concerned that these deals are being spread a bit too far away from team Wales? Dixon has been on the fringe of the squad but what we need is players such as Faletau, Gareth Davies, Ken Owens, etc., Signed up together with extensions for Biggar and Alan Wyn.

If Rory Thornton is near enough to Team Wales, so are those three at the Dragons.

I do see your point, though. I always saw the NDCs as a way of keeping players who were in danger of being poached by English and French clubs. I'm not sure there's been a bidding war for Thornton or Dixon, although I could be wrong.

I agree on Thornton also King, who I am yet to see anything in. I personally think that NDCs should be for players who are current or on the fringe of the national side. Unless there is another injury crisis I cannot see these guys getting anywhere near the Wales starting 15 in the next 2 seasons, so why sign them up to team Wales now?

by Stone Motif Fri Nov 13, 2015 9:55 pm

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I remember us using him on the crash ball. It's hard to think of a winger less suitable for that.

Me?

by Stone Motif Fri Nov 13, 2015 10:00 pm

Seagultaf wrote:
Luckless Pedestrian wrote:
Seagultaf wrote:There is an article on the BBC with Lyn Jones saying that Jack Dixon, Elliot Dee and Ollie Griffiths are up for NDC deals.

Am I the only person who is a bit concerned that these deals are being spread a bit too far away from team Wales? Dixon has been on the fringe of the squad but what we need is players such as Faletau, Gareth Davies, Ken Owens, etc., Signed up together with extensions for Biggar and Alan Wyn.

If Rory Thornton is near enough to Team Wales, so are those three at the Dragons.

I do see your point, though. I always saw the NDCs as a way of keeping players who were in danger of being poached by English and French clubs. I'm not sure there's been a bidding war for Thornton or Dixon, although I could be wrong.

I agree on Thornton also King, who I am yet to see anything in. I personally think that NDCs should be for players who are current or on the fringe of the national side. Unless there is another injury crisis I cannot see these guys getting anywhere near the Wales starting 15 in the next 2 seasons, so why sign them up to team Wales now?

As already stated, Team Wales play more games than anyone else,with a single-minded obsession with contact. Any of our 'heroes' coyld play his last game at any time, and the likes of Jaw will be lucky playing into their 30's

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