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Exeter address the question of Joe Hawkins' availability for Wales
Exeter boss Rob Baxter has explained that he signed Joe Hawkins with the expectation that the youngster wouldn’t be at Sandy Park the whole time as he would be away representing Wales. Debate about the eligibility of non-Welsh-based players playing for Warren Gatland’s team erupted again at the start of this week when it was confirmed that the 20-year-old – who made his Test debut last November versus Australia – had quit Ospreys for a switch to the Gallagher Premiership.
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Hawkins went on to start four more times for Wales at inside centre in the recent Guinness Six Nations, but the confirmation of his Exeter deal has since ignited a dispute over whether he can continue to be selected by Gatland ahead of the upcoming finals in France.
Professional rugby board chair Malcolm Wall doesn’t expect Hawkins to be eligible for Wales as the centre’s total of five caps falls significantly short of the current 25 caps needed to represent them while signed to a club outside the country. Wales’ previous selection policy for exiled players of 60 caps did have dispensation clauses, but it is unclear whether the revised agreement contains any.
Hawkins’ new Exeter contract will start on July 1 and Baxter, who had tracked the youngster as far back as his U20s debut for Wales in 2020, claimed that Test eligibility wasn’t much of a part of their recent contract negotiations. “I’ll be honest, no, not really,” he said at his midweek media briefing ahead of the Chiefs’ Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final at home to the Stormers this Saturday.
“Listen, I know there is a lot of people that want to know all about him, but I can’t give you confidential information on a player’s signed agreements, contracts etc. I am just not allowed to. I’d be breaking all kinds of rules and regs on the confidentiality clauses within the contract, but we have not talked about it.
“All this started so far before any eligibility rules came about and the WRU asked me the same question. I said to them I can only release paperwork with the player’s permission, so as far as I know they will sort that out with the player and the player’s agent and it’s for them to provide all the information and not for me to talk out of house. I don’t see it as being a problem because of the timing when we got everything signed, but that is all I can say.”
Asked if he expected Hawkins to be available to Wales at the World Cup in September, Baxter added: “Yes, if selected as an eligible Wales player. We haven’t signed him with expectation that he won’t be playing for Wales. I have not got expectation that he is going to be here. My expectation is if selected he will be playing for Wales.
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“When did he first come on our radar? Probably three years ago, maybe longer. Dafydd Jenkins, Christ Tshiunza, we were watching those guys playing U20s and that is where we first saw Joe Hawkins. I watched quite a few Wales U20s games that he captained. Oli Burrows might have featured around then as well, and Dan John.
“I was watching quite a lot of that rugby and really since then, we have been following him, tracking him. Those other guys were heading towards the university route, which made it a process that worked for us. If that had been the route that Joe had initially started off when we first started watching, we may have well really started trying to get a contract in place that far ago.
“As it is, it started to happen more over the last couple of months because we were aware things would be changing here (at Exeter) and there would be a revamp in the squad. But it’s actually been a far longer process than people think.”
Baxter added: “We have had Dafydd here for a couple of years and he has walked past my office probably every three or four weeks saying, ‘Have you not signed Joe Hawkins yet?’ He has been doing that for two years. He has been a presence in and around the place for quite a while.
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“We haven’t been able to discuss much about it because everyone is aware of the scenario in Wales around contracts. It put a lot of the Welsh players in a bit of an awkward situation and we had to keep things under cover. It’s been an ongoing process and I am really pleased to see how he has developed.
“The nice thing with the age he is we should expect some development for a long time, and I would like to think he potentially could be here for a long time. I’m not looking at him for two years, we want him to play for us and keep improving and hopefully become a core player in a team that can stay together for a long time and achieve some success together.”
Comments on RugbyPass
You doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
43 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
5 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
5 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
5 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
5 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
5 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to comments