We need to talk about Rhys Webb
We need to talk about Rhys Webb. The 31-cap Wales and Lions scrum-half is reported to have bid a final adieu to Toulon after a challenging 18-month stay down on the Cote d’Azur. This after the French superclub reached a verbal agreement with the player and his agent to sever all ties.
It was a typically dramatic turn in what has been a tumultuous time for the returning Osprey.
Webb has been a cause celebre since moving to France in the summer of 2018 given he was 29 caps short of the 60-cap limit implemented by the Welsh Rugby Union at the same time he signed on the dotted line with Mourad Boudjellal.
Only the key protagonists will ever know whether Webb was informed of the ruling before signing but either way there is sympathy for his plight.
Continue reading below…
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The Bridgend-born No 9 was part of a golden generation. He put in a decade of service for his beloved Ospreys, turning out on 154 occasions, all the while watching the steady trickle of his peers leave for France and England for ‘life experience’ but also the financial rewards on offer. Dan Lydiate and Jamie Roberts headed for Racing 92, Leigh Halfpenny to Toulon, Jonathan Davies had a whirl at Clermont Auvergne, while Mike Phillips made hay at Perpignan and then Racing 92. The English Premiership gained George North, who headed to Northampton, Liam Williams to Saracens and Taulupe Faletau who decamped to Bath. Oh and that’s not forgetting, Richard Hibbard, Luke Charteris and James Hook. All had prosperous periods outside the Welsh goldfish bowl. Last out of the door was his old mucker Dan Biggar to Northampton.
That’s pretty much an entire backline and pack of Welsh Lions moving to sunnier financial climes. Throughout this unsettling player-drain, Webb must have been thinking, ‘what about me?’ so when the opportunity knocked, the pull and sense of entitlement must have been overwhelming.
Yet behind the sunny Instagram posts by the pool in his Budgie Smugglers, it has been far from a smooth journey. First his wife, Delyth and the couple’s three kids decided there was no place like home and returned to Bridgend, leading to tear-stained interviews. On the pitch, it has been a mixed bag. He has played competently in fits and starts but his Toulon side have lost the sheen of the three-time Champions Cup winners, flirting with relegation and staving off rumours of unrest.
Indeed Boudjellal has made more headlines in spats with star players – see Julian Savea – than headlines on the pitch in recent years, before flouncing off and leaving Bernard LeMaitre to run affairs.
All the while, in Wales, the wheels have kept turning. His long-time adversary Gareth Davies has become one of Wales’ most explosive players, topping the scoring charts at the 2015 Rugby World Cup in Webb’s absence through injury and scoring key interception tries, notably against England and Australia in consecutive World Cups. The common consensus has been that he’s conducted himself with great aplomb. If that wasn’t enough, a young buck by the name of Tomas Williams has come onto the scene and through a cute box-kicking and running game is being heavily tipped to become the Wales’ first-choice No 9 sooner than later.
There’s also been a shifting narrative in the thousands of words written since his departure. A feeling that he’d left Wales for money and couldn’t take anything for granted on his return. For some, he’s been on the naughty step and is getting his just desserts. This seems harsh after a glut of his teammates had committed the same egregious crime and been welcomed back with bouquets and garlands.
If anything, Webb had grounds for hurt feelings at his exclusion in what was a unique case. Tomas Francis has been able to continue his successful Wales career on a technicality, being able to extend his Exeter contract rather than sign a new one – semantics if ever there was one, and Rhys Carre was able to sign for Saracens even though he’d made only a handful of regional appearances and still appear at a World Cup.
A real shame for the powerful winger. https://t.co/GkaSPNtWBN
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 24, 2020
It must be added that the 60-cap rule appears to be working for a Wales and their regions with the likes of Webb, and Williams returning and new caps Nick Tompkins, Louis Rees-Zammit WillGriff John all sounded out about a return to Wales.
So where does this leave him? Well the sight of him at training, mucking about with Justin Tipuric, all smiles has been heartening. As for his reintegration back into the squad, time will tell, but you wonder how the dynamics have changed? Will he be happy to carry the tackle bags as a clear No 3? Aled Davies may have carried out that role in Japan, but Webb, the arch-competitor, is a different case entirely. Never short of self-belief, he’s already started making an impression on Wayne Pivac, who said he’d been impressed with his sharpness at training and brought a level of experience and vocal assertiveness that comes with a Test Lion. “He brings a level of communication that comes with experience. That confidence to challenge other senior players during the training session”, chirped, Pivac. “I think it’s fantastic he’s keeping everyone on their toes. As a 9 you want everyone barking instructions. Nines and 10s have a role to play in terms of delivering the patterns and the plays that we want to use.” So reading between the lines, Webb appears to be ticking every box.
Rhys Webb's availability for the 2020 Six Nations has caused a stir among Wales fans https://t.co/uiH1NZOrzr
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 3, 2020
As for his captain, Alun Wyn Jones, again, there is the familiarity of playing together for a decade. At the Six Nations launch, mention of his name brought a smile, and due respect. “We all know what a quality player Rhys is. It will be good to see the competition we have at scrum-half. He’s gone through a bit to get back into the jersey. As long as he and his family are happy, I think Rhys will flourish as he has before. A Rhys Webb back in the mix with the two nines that we have, Tomas Williams and Gareth Davies, really puts a cat amongst the pigeons. It’s good to have him back in the mix and up for selection.”
When you think about Wales’ probable fly-half being Dan Biggar, someone who has played over 200-times with Webb since their late teens, and that understanding and natural ability to boss a pack shouldn’t be easily discarded by Pivac and his coaching team.
Of their natural understanding, Biggar once told this writer their familiarity gave them an advantage as a halfback pairing. “I can read his body language, how he’s shaping up, when he’s going to snipe, when you want to get on the end of a short pass.”
As for Webb, he knows for all the talk, it’s now down to him. There’s no doubt he’ll be hungry, having missed 23 Tests since his flight South. He’s already been doing ‘extras’ with old Bridgend scrum-half Kevin Ellis and as an obsessive trainer, you can be assured that he won’t be carrying extra timber.
Alun Wyn Jones seems to have the power of eternal life as he is set to commence his 15th year of Test rugby, but Wales must look at a Plan B for a post-AWJ future – @OwainJTJones takes a look at the contenders in line to potentially step uphttps://t.co/GId78C0zPt
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 21, 2020
Many naysayers will point to the fact he’s just turned 31 and say he’s a spent force but that’s a red herring. Look around the Six Nations. Ben Youngs is nine months younger, Willi Heinz is a year older. Over the Irish Sea, Conor Murray is only five months younger, and the recently retired Greig Laidlaw turned 34 in Japan – the same age Webb will be in France. Further afield, Will Genia was the same age at the World Cup, Aaron Smith is a month older and you’re not hearing catcalls to retire. With little rugby in the last 18 months, and some long injury-enforced breaks, Webb could have several years left.
With the Lions tour less than 18 months away, Warren Gatland, a confirmed fan, will be watching from afar with enough contacts to get regular, informed bulletins.
For Davies and Williams, life is about to get a lot more difficult and how they react will be instructive, while for Pivac, managed correctly, the talented trio could hold the key to retaining the Six Nations title.
Can Webb can retain the No 9 shirt? Don’t bet against it.
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith and Ireland live rent free in Safa’s heads. Their comments only triggers because its true. If the Boks had dismantled a 14 man AB’s, then there would be more respect. But they didnt, in fact quite the opposite, the 14 man NZ were clearly better. And the Bok have always been ordinary between RWC’s, thats why their supporters are now ‘only RWC’s matter’. They know thats BS. Its BS to both AB’s and Bok’s due to their history. But now its all the Safas have. Now we’ll hear excuses when they lose “oh we didnt have all our players available, the ABs/France/Eng/Irel were at full strength”, forgetting for a minute that its because of their own dumb policy. Oh well, makes a change from blaming ‘cheating refs’.
23 Go to commentsNo Nick, they did not, in fact, justify any ‘probables’ label. At no time did they seriously compete for the championship. Ireland led from start to finish and in the end, as a result of glaring referee errors, were never under serious pressure to lose their crown.
28 Go to commentsMoney for him, and his family, has been the sole motivator since he signed for Queensland aged 17. Why else sign for Melbourne. Tupou is poorly advised. If he’d stayed and developed in NZ he would have had a long Test career. If Leinster offer him a few more coins than he’s currently earning, he’s goneburger.
4 Go to commentsFinn. No one would say Ford had played well up until the last game. One standout performance in 5 is hardly in form . It should be a given that a 10 will control play . Not in Fords case be praised for suddenly doing so. Where was he against Scotland ,Italy. The pundits were saying how far away from play he was standing and one even said that the Ireland game was his last chance saloon to perform . Not exactly top form catching anyones eye. If he can play like this game after game then great. Keep him in . But after 90 odd caps we all know he just doesnt keep it going . By all means keep him there but the issue is that Borthwick will persist even when he plays poorly. Which is more often than not. Thats why i am concerned that Smith ,despite fab form , cannot get a game at his preferred spot. Can you imagine Ford at full back .
5 Go to commentsI do not really get why put Ollivon at 6 when he’s a 7, while Cros was the best Frenchman of the tournament, playing at…6. His only game replacing Aldritt at 8 doesn’t change much in terms of his impact. Lamaro was also outstanding in that brilliant Italian side, probably better than Reffell. So putting 2 Welsh players from the wooden spoon holders, and none of the 4th nation (Scotland) is also strange. Is it about showing that in this harsh transition Wales is, there were some standouts…?
6 Go to commentsThe events at this year’s six nations should undermine many of the arguments made against promotion and relegation between the six nations and the REC. If Italy had been allowed to yo-yo between divisions it conceivably could have really hurt their development, but if Italy, Wales, and Scotland are all at risk of relegation, with none of them being relegated more often than once every 3 or 4 years, you’d have to back all of them to muddle on through it, especially when you factor in the likelihood they’ll still be guaranteed world league matches against tier 1 opponents. Another way of looking at italys resurgence would be to say that the development model of adding an extra team to the six nations has worked, and now must be done again. Georgia could join to make it a 7 team round robin, and if and when Georgia demonstrate an ability to consistently win games, Portugal can also be added to make it an 8 team 2 conference competition. Frankly at this point I think it falls to world rugby to demand that the 6N act in the interests of the game. If the 6N won’t commit to expansion then the 6N teams should be handicapped in world cup draws (i.e. world cup seedings would not be based on their ranking points, but on their ranking points minus a 5 point penalty).
5 Go to commentsSteve Borthwick deserves credit for releasing the shackles on his England side and letting them play in a manner that somewhat resembles the top sides in the Gallagher Premiership. Will they revert to type in New Zealand in July.?
28 Go to commentsJames Lowe wouldn't get in any other 6N team. He's a great example of Farrell’s brilliance, and the Irish system. He is slow. His footwork is poor. But he fits perfectly in that Irish system, and has a superb impact. But put him in another team, and he'll look bang average.
6 Go to commentsCrusaders reached their heights through recruitment of North Island players, often leaving those NI teams bereft of key players. Example: Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock robbed the Canes of their lineout and AB locks. For years the Canes have struggled at lock. This rabid recruitment was iniated by rule changes by a Crusader dominated NZR Head Office. Now this aggressive recruitment has back-fired, going after young inside back Hamilton Boys stars. They now have 4 Chiefs region 10s and not one with the requisite experience at Super level. Problems of their own making!
2 Go to commentsOver rated for a long time…exposed at scrum time too.
4 Go to comments“Firing me” should have been Gatland’s answer.
2 Go to commentsFinn Russell logic: “World” = 4 countries. Ireland may be at or near the top. FR’s bigger concern should be he and his fellow Scots (incl. the Bloemfontein ones) sliding back down to below top 10
42 Go to commentsMind games have begun. Ireland learned their lesson after saying they could beat England with 13 players or whatever. Still, if they win at Loftus, that would be impressive - final frontier etc.
58 Go to comments$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
4 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
6 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
28 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
22 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to comments