Welsh Rugby 2014 -2015

[ratpack]

EXLUSIVE: Aviva clubs close in on deals for Welsh stars
Posted on December 16, 2014 by Nick Verdier in Featured, RaboDirect PRO12 League

English clubs are lining up “massive” bids to land four Welsh stars in time for next season.

Leicester are preparing a move for Liam Williams, Northampton are pursuing Jake Ball and Bath are understood to be confident about signing another Scarlet, Rhys Priestland.

The fourth Welsh transfer magnet, Ospreys flanker Justin Tipuric, is wanted by more than one Aviva Premiership club, Leicester believed to be heading the queue

First real test of whether these new dual contracts can persuade the top Welsh guys to stay put. Hope they do for the good of the Pro12.

[JB1973]

EXLUSIVE: Aviva clubs close in on deals for Welsh stars
Posted on December 16, 2014 by Nick Verdier in Featured, RaboDirect PRO12 League

English clubs are lining up “massive” bids to land four Welsh stars in time for next season.

Leicester are preparing a move for Liam Williams, Northampton are pursuing Jake Ball and Bath are understood to be confident about signing another Scarlet, Rhys Priestland.

The fourth Welsh transfer magnet, Ospreys flanker Justin Tipuric, is wanted by more than one Aviva Premiership club, Leicester believed to be heading the queue

First real test of whether these new dual contracts can persuade the top Welsh guys to stay put. Hope they do for the good of the Pro12.

Pretty sure tups is staying and that will be nailed down shortly, I reckon Ball and Liam Williams will get a Central contract and stay especially in a world cup year.

Preistland is a different one it looks like he is struggling to hold down a welsh squad place and certainly doesn't merit a CC.

Bath seems a strange destination though, ford is clearly first choice and given the fact the coach is his dad I don't see that changing!

Seems an expensive bench warmer/back up player for Bath

[simonokeeffe]

Also why would Bath spend big money on a flakey player/kicker?

for the good of the league I hope they all stay and put medium term ambitions of playing for Wales ahead of the money

[neiliog93]

Also why would Bath spend big money on a flakey player/kicker?

for the good of the league I hope they all stay and put medium term ambitions of playing for Wales ahead of the money

Because they can!

[simonokeeffe]

Also why would Bath spend big money on a flakey player/kicker?

for the good of the league I hope they all stay and put medium term ambitions of playing for Wales ahead of the money

Because they can!

surely Bruce Craig needs it for a Bond proof lair

Rumour is Owen Williams going back to Scarlets which would be an upgrade for them IMO

[leinster4life13]

Twitter idiots ruin fancy dress fun for most hated man in Munster, Liam Williams.
https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/ov ... 09132.html

[simonokeeffe]

Liam Williams issues shock come and get me plea to Ulster

[RoboProp]

Liam Williams issues shock come and get me plea to Ulster

Unf**kingbelievable. Classless turd monger

[simonokeeffe]

the numpty cleared with Bony, but then society got involved

[olaf the fat]

The Bony impersonation is wrong, but the Joni Mitchell one is ok?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I despise Liam Williams as much as the next man, but can never understand the issue with dressing up like that. The Jackson one was different because of the chains, to me it's racist to NOT be able to dress up as someone from another race.

I both can and can't believe that Leicester would be after him. Fine player but a total pr!*k, can see why Cockerill would like the look of him. If Cockerill stays on next season and the move happens then I can foresee him defending Williams for elbowing someone in the face and saying that these things happen in rugby.

[RoboProp]

I despise Liam Williams as much as the next man, but can never understanfront andsue with dressing up like the Jackson one was different because of the ithains, s racist to NOT be able to dress up as someone from another race.

I both can and can't believe that Leicester would be after him. Fine player but a total pr!*k, can see why Cockerill would like the look of him. If Cockerill stays on next season and the move happens then I can foresee him defending Williams for elbowing someone in the face and saying that these things happen in rugby.

I can be a bit politically correct, so not best person to say, but my problem is would I feel ok dressing up as such in front of any of my black friends? In short no. But then I am a sensitive sort.

[blockhead]

Alex Cuthbert is going nowhere, say Cardiff Blues amid reports winger wants out of Welsh rugby

Dec 21, 2014 14:24
By Delme Parfitt

'He is under contract, and that's that,' says Arms Park chief executive Richard Holland to claims Cuthbert is seeking an early departure from the region

Cardiff Blues have vowed Alex Cuthbert will not be sold or released early from his contract, amid reports the Lions winger wants out of Welsh rugby.

The 24-year-old Grand Slam winner has rejected a national dual contract and is seeking to leave the Arms Park, according to the Rugby Paper.

But Blues chief executive Richard Holland says any request from the player to go will be dismissed out of hand.

“I don’t really want to get embroiled in media speculation but as far as we are concerned Alex has 18 months left on his contract and that’s that. He is not on the market,” said Holland.

“The only other contract we would permit him to sign would be a national dual contract.”

If Cuthbert does refuse to sign the jointly-funded deals being offered to the nucleus of Warren Gatland’s Test stars then he would put his future on the international stage at serious risk.

The Gloucester-born flier has been a mainstay of the Wales set-up since breaking through during the 2012 Six Nations Grand Slam campaign.

His predatory instincts and powerful physical frame earned him a place on the 2013 Lions tour to Australia and he scored a try in the first Test victory against the Wallabies in Braisbane.

However Cuthbert’s form has been indifferent this term and he has not scored for the Blues in eight matches since the opening day of the season.

In an interview with Rugby World magazine last month he said he felt he had been ‘worked out’ by opposition teams and would have to ‘reboot’ his game.

He said: “I haven’t been playing for too long and I’m still pretty raw, but it’s come to the point teams have started to work me out.

“Maybe I need to start adding a few strings to my bow, time for the Cuthbert reboot 2.0!

“Hopefully it is just a stage all players go through.”

Thus far, Sam Warburton and Dan Lydiate are the only Wales players to have signed the dual contracts though more are expected to follow in the coming months.

It’s understood Ospreys pair Dan Biggar and Alun Wyn Jones are both poised to commit soon.

Cuthbert was a target of European champions Toulon two years ago before deciding to stay put at the Blues.

Big spending English and French clubs are bound to be alerted to his current disaffection.

But it's understood the Blues will not countenance selling Cuthbert in the same way the Scarlets off-loaded George North to Northampton when there was still a year left on his contract.

I remember someone on here saying that he wouldn't mind moving to Dublin.

[johng]

I am a sensitive sort.

If only opposing props had known Too late now

[RoboProp]

[quote="RoboProp am a sensitive sort.

If only opposing props had known Too late now [/quote]

Pitch and gym monster

Everywhere else liberal bore

[simonokeeffe]

Cuthbert is very prone to leaving space behind him, maybe a season in T14 would help him work on his kick tennis game

RE Williams/blacking up think it its a case of historical baggage of that; white entertainers imitating them rather than having actual black entertainers on stage/tv. But pretty much all my black UK colleagues would find it very offensive. Plus no one in this day and age can say they wouldnt know it is taboo/offensive/liable to be controversial

[IanD]

RE Williams/blacking up think it its a case of historical baggage of that; white entertainers imitating them rather than having actual black entertainers on stage/tv. But pretty much all my black UK colleagues would find it very offensive. Plus no one in this day and age can say they wouldnt know it is taboo/offensive/liable to be controversial

He dressed up as a particular person ie Wilfred Bony and not as a whole race. He even asked Bony if it was alright beforehand. Maybe this proves that Williams looked beyond skin colour and to the individual person concerned. Hardly the act of a racist.

With the press appetite for any kind of scandal IMO it was a stupid decision but nothing more.

My worry if I were a Scarlets fan would be why did he dress up as a Swansea Soccer Player.

[IanD]

EXLUSIVE: Aviva clubs close in on deals for Welsh stars
Posted on December 16, 2014 by Nick Verdier in Featured, RaboDirect PRO12 League

English clubs are lining up “massive” bids to land four Welsh stars in time for next season.

Leicester are preparing a move for Liam Williams, Northampton are pursuing Jake Ball and Bath are understood to be confident about signing another Scarlet, Rhys Priestland.

The fourth Welsh transfer magnet, Ospreys flanker Justin Tipuric, is wanted by more than one Aviva Premiership club, Leicester believed to be heading the queue

First real test of whether these new dual contracts can persuade the top Welsh guys to stay put. Hope they do for the good of the Pro12.

Scarlets: Wales pair Ken Owens and Liam Williams sign new deals

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/30575470

Ospreys: Wales flanker Justin Tipuric signs new contract

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/30573300

Not criticising the original post just wondering if Welsh agents have learnt a thing or two from the Irish ones - Priestland to the Miami Dolphins anyone? 2 of the 4 mentioned have signed new deals. Good to see some deals being concluded and others being worked on.


http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/30581429

Rhys Priestland must 'make up mind' on Scarlets future - Pivac

Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac says Wales fly-half Rhys Priestland must make a decision on his future with the region.
Priestland, 27, is in talks about a new contract but has been linked with a move to English Premiership side Bath........

[JB1973]

RE Williams/blacking up think it its a case of historical baggage of that; white entertainers imitating them rather than having actual black entertainers on stage/tv. But pretty much all my black UK colleagues would find it very offensive. Plus no one in this day and age can say they wouldnt know it is taboo/offensive/liable to be controversial

He dressed up as a particular person ie Wilfred Bony and not as a whole race. He even asked Bony if it was alright beforehand. Maybe this proves that Williams looked beyond skin colour and to the individual person concerned. Hardly the act of a racist.

With the press appetite for any kind of scandal IMO it was a stupid decision but nothing more.

My worry if I were a Scarlets fan would be why did he dress up as a Swansea Soccer Player.

Williams is a Swansea boy (another one we let slip past us) the guy is as thick as concrete , he wore this to outfit to Swansea town centre on their xmas bash!

I don't think for a minute he meant it to be racist , and personally I don't have an issue with it but I'm surprised the scarlets didn't have a word with the team to say what is and what is not acceptable

[blockhead]

RE Williams/blacking up think it its a case of historical baggage of that; white entertainers imitating them rather than having actual black entertainers on stage/tv. But pretty much all my black UK colleagues would find it very offensive. Plus no one in this day and age can say they wouldnt know it is taboo/offensive/liable to be controversial

He dressed up as a particular person ie Wilfred Bony and not as a whole race. He even asked Bony if it was alright beforehand. Maybe this proves that Williams looked beyond skin colour and to the individual person concerned. Hardly the act of a racist.

With the press appetite for any kind of scandal IMO it was a stupid decision but nothing more.

My worry if I were a Scarlets fan would be why did he dress up as a Swansea Soccer Player.

Williams is a Swansea boy (another one we let slip past us) the guy is as thick as concrete , he wore this to outfit to Swansea town centre on their xmas bash!

I don't think for a minute he meant it to be racist , and personally I don't have an issue with it but I'm surprised the scarlets didn't have a word with the team to say what is and what is not acceptable

It's hard to keep up with the rapidly increasing ways that you can offend someone else these days.
So whats the lesson to be learned here then?
Thou shalt not attempt to look like anyone from any other ethnicity for whatever reason.