Wasps ace will face big decision on Wales – Dai
WALES flanker Thomas Young faces a ‘big decision’ next season regarding his Wasps future.
That is the view of his father and club boss Dai Young, who was present at the Stadio Olimpico to watch his son make his Six Nations debut during Warren Gatland’s side 26-15 victory.
The Wasps openside finally added to the two caps he picked up in 2017 by going the full 80 minutes in Rome and was only denied a maiden Test try when the TMO ruled out the effort for a forward pass in the build up.
Young is exempt from rules that prevent the selection of non-Wales based players to the international squad but that situation will change come the end of the 2019/20 season – the last of his current deal.
Dai explained: “He’s contracted next season to Wasps and he’s not captured by the protocol so they can still select him next season.
“Obviously Thomas has got a big decision to make next season, if he wants to continue playing for Wales, he has to go back and play in Wales, it’s as simple as that.
“It’s not a cut and dried decision for him.
“He loves being at Wasps and in an ideal world he would want to stay at Wasps. This Six Nations and maybe the World Cup will have a big baring on it. “If he’s involved heavily in the Six Nations and ends up going to the World Cup I think it would be a big decision for him to turn his back on that.
“If he’s not involved in any of that, it will make the decision a little bit easier to turn your back on that.” Having been released early by Cardiff in January 2014, Young senior showed faith in his son’s abilities to shine in the Premiership by signing him for Wasps later that year following an unsuccessful stint at Gloucester.
The 26-year-old has gone from strength to strength for the Black and Golds and was part of the 2016/17 side that went within minutes of winning the Premiership title.
Understandably, Thomas has strong emotional ties with Wasps and the shot given to him by his dad when all seemed lost when he was just 21 years of age.
“Everything he has done for me seems to working out,” Thomas Young said ahead of the victory in Italy.
“He gave me the opportunity when things weren’t going well back home.
“I’m thankful for it and grateful to him and that’s one thing that will be at the back of my mind on the weekend.”
In an ideal world he would want to stay at Wasps. This Six Nations and maybe the World Cup will have a big bearing on it. Dai Young