Wasps are hit by DOUBLE BLOW
DUO’S DEPARTURE SPARKS REVIEW AS CLUB SEEK TO KEEP STARS
NATHAN Hughes and Willie le Roux’s confirmed departures have prompted director of rugby Dai Young to commence a review of the Wasps environment in a bid to retain their star players.
Following months of speculation linking them with moves away from the club, Hughes’ switch to Bristol Bears, for a reported £500,000 per year deal, was announced yesterday morning at the same time as le Roux’s summer departure was confirmed. A return to Japanese rugby the South African full-back’s most likely next destination.
With England international Elliot Daly also heavily rumoured to be joining Saracens and Jake Cooper-Woolley moving to Sale Sharks – another summer of great change awaits to rival the overhaul in 2018 when Danny Cipriani and James Haskell topped a list of 11 players who left the club.
“Losing players is part and parcel of professional sport and where we are at this moment in time with the salary cap,” said Young.
“We’re looking at ways of improving what we do here. The first thing to do is how we can improve the player experience so they don’t want to leave?
“How can you improve the environment so player’s feel this is the place to be? Players leaving we never take for granted.
“Certainly the people we’re talking about, we’ve done as much as we possibly can to keep them and while the circumstances of why they left is disappointing, we do get it.
“It’s professional sport and a short career. We do get that. But we’re not stupid enough to think there’s nothing we can do better.
“My job is to look at how we can make the environment better, how can we improve the player experience, how can we improve everything we do to make sure players stay.”
Daly’s rumoured bone of contention is the stagnated progress of finding a permanent training ground having been based ‘temporarily’ at Broadstreet RFC since 2016.
While agreements have been reached with Old Leamingtonians RFC to create a permanent base at its The Crofts site, the Telegraph understands no plans have been submitted to Warwick District Council for consideration at this stage.
Speaking shortly after Hughes and le Roux’s summer departures were announced, Wasps boss Young revealed it wasn’t just the physical environment that will be assessed. “We don’t take it for granted don’t get me wrong and not every guy who comes in works,” he said. “But we’ve got the best out of more players than we haven’t. My focus now is how can I make this environment better so players don’t leave.
“That goes from the coaching, facilities do come into that. But also S&C [strength and conditioning], medical, coaching. “Putting everything under the microscope and seeing how we can improve these.”
While the future of long-serving
We’re looking at ways of improving what we do here. The first thing to do is how we can improve the player experience. Dai Young
Wasp Daly remains unclear, Young was at least relieved for the announcement of Hughes and le Roux to be made public ahead of Sunday’s visit of Heineken Champions Cup holders Leinster to the Ricoh Arena on Sunday.
“The difficulty is that there seems to be no secrets in the rugby world and these things come out really early,” said the Welshman.
“So it’s a difficult situation for DoRs to be in because there’s certain restrictions in place. You want to announce it earlier but there’s issues on when you can and can’t do it.
“It is nice to get it out there because you don’t want to come across as a liar or spinning a yarn.
“There’s times when you can and can’t announce it.
“The player has to be happy, the club he’s going to has to be happy, the agent has to be happy.
“So many things can make it look like you’re stalling or treading water but to get all the ducks in a line is not as easy as some people think it is. Especially if it’s not sorted early doors and you have to give a straight bat for a number of weeks. It’s not my intention to do that.”
Wasps announced on Christmas Day that Ashley Johnson, Jimmy Gopperth, Ben Harris, Simon McIntyre and Tommy Taylor had extended their contracts while Zurabi Zhvania also committed his future to Wasps into the 2019/20 season this week.
Young is hopeful to retain the services of more players with new signings and further departures also in the offing.
“There will be more players going, more resigning, players coming in so it will soften the blow but it’s part and parcel of every club,” he said.
“There’s just been a massive focus on us the last six to eight weeks and it’s starting to come out from other clubs that they can’t fit certain players in under the salary cap.”