Wasps dumping four England internationals sends warning to RFU
Yesterday Wasps announced the departure of four more players.
While the departure of a quartet of players is hardly remarkable in and of itself, the names being let go have raised eyebrows.
Both Paul Doran Jones and Kyle Eastmond are England internationals, and what’s more, their departure along with Danny Cipriani and James Haskell brings to four the total of non-retiring England internationals being released by the club in just one season.
Wasps headcoach Dai Young said: “Professional rugby is a tough world within which players and coaches do move clubs, but it still can be a sad time when faces change.”
Tough indeed.
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What’s more concerning is at least three of those players are deemed surplus to requirements largely as a result of big-name Southern Hemisphere signings, either already at the club or pending over the summer.
Brad Shields is a direct replacement for Haskell, while the bank-breaking signing of Lima Sopoaga has also effectively ended the reign of club stalwart Cipriani.
The 30-year-old is currently waiting on whether on not Eddie Jones picks him for England before deciding his future. According to Andy Goode writing for RugbyPass: “I spoke to Danny the other day and he’s basically waiting to see if Eddie Jones picks him before he makes up his mind and finalises where he’s going to be next season, so the ramifications of whether he’s selected or not are enormous.”
An argument can be made that Haskell and Eastmond are as much a victim of ageing and injury struggles respectively, as an influx of playing talent.
The gifted Eastmond has played just 23 times for Wasps over two seasons, scoring four tries. Injury has played a role in limiting his appearances for the Coventry based club, but so too has the presence of Wallaby Kurtley Beale (last season), Springbok Juan de Jongh, Fijian Gabiriele Lovobalavu and New Zealander Jimmy Goperth.
He may now return to League.
One can hardly imagine the RFU are jumping for joy at the news. The landmark deal they penned in 2016 is worth roughly £2 million per Premiership club per year and one would imagine they’d like for all four players to find a home in the England elite competition where they can continue remain available for selection.
It’s not difficult to draw a line between the decline of the French national team and the influx of non-French qualified players, who Top14 and ProD2 clubs have poached from the relatively low paying Super Rugby and second-tier competitions across the Southern Hemisphere; all at the expense of developing their own talent.
Of Racing 92s starting fifteen against Agen on the weekend, just six were French qualified; and that’s a ratio that is played out across the league. In stark contrast, 13 of the Leinster starting fifteen that took apart the Scarlets team in the Champions Cup semi-final in the Aviva are Irish qualified, with a remarkable ten of those coming through the Leinster academy system.
The fate of France is one the RFU will be desperate to avoid, yet they can do little but look on as Premiership sides favour buying in talent over developing players and academy systems. Exeter Chiefs may one of the few sides to buck the trend (Read Exeter’s not so secret weapon in bid for domination moves into next phase), but as Premiership revenues increase while Super Rugby’s wane, clubs desperate for immediate fixes will continue to raid their Southern neighbours for talent.
Whatever way you spin it, it’s not good news for England Rugby.
Comments on RugbyPass
It’ll be very interesting to see how Razor’s AB’s handle the new England rush D. It’s basically the Bok recipe they copied, so if England goes well then we know most likely the Boks will go well too. If England cops a hiding then we’ll have to study and adapt.
4 Go to commentsTypical trait of an australian is to moan. Goes well with there lack of humbleness as evident by the Reds bench on the weekend.
2 Go to commentsSBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
11 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
4 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
2 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
5 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
5 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
5 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
11 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
5 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
4 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
2 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to comments