It’s just a bridge too far... coach sounds alarm over increasing drain of talent across the border
THE exodus of young Welsh rugby talent to England has been a thorny subject for some time now.
In recent years, we have seen the likes of Callum Sheedy, Louis ReesZammit, Tommy Reffell, Ioan Lloyd and Christ Tshiunza all head across the Severn Bridge to attend English schools and colleges, then linking up with Premiership clubs. It is a trend which doesn’t look likely to peter out any time soon either. Take, for example, a game which had been due to take place this week.
Bath were scheduled to take on Worcester in an U16s fixture. It was eventually cancelled because of the issues at the Warriors, but the word is that some 19 Welsh youngsters had been due to play in the game between the two teams.
A significant number of those were players from the Rhondda who have been targeted by Bath. That is a state of affairs which deeply concerns Treorchy coach Ian Greenslade, the former Bridgend and Cardiff hooker.
“Nine of the boys who played for Rhondda Schools in the final of the Dewar Shield earlier this year against
Cardiff were due to be involved with Bath,” he told WalesOnline.
“People from Bath would probably have been down there watching that game at the stadium. There are scouts from the English clubs everywhere.
“What’s happening is Welsh kids are being offered scholarships, with places at English schools or colleges. They are being presented with an academic opportunity as well as a rugby one. It’s a no-brainer for them when you look at the facilities at some of these colleges in the West Country.
“The English clubs have gone down the road of professional football. They see a talent and they get into them at a young age. We are always hearing ‘oh, so and so is going next’.”
Greenslade, who coaches the Treorchy first team along with former Ospreys and Wales centre Andrew Bishop, continued: “I was talking with Mark Ring, Glen Webbe and Alfie [Gareth Thomas] about this not so long ago. The question Alfie raised is ‘what can you do to keep them here?’ And I don’t know the answer. It’s very difficult.
“Do we maybe look to build a school of rugby excellence here in Wales, to provide kids with both academic and rugby education?
“Watching the Commonwealth Games, Colin Jones was on there and he was saying about how the Boxing School of Excellence in Cardiff has brought the young Welsh boxers on tenfold. They have got fantastic facilities. They spend time and money on the youngsters and they bring them through from all over Wales.
“To my mind, it’s all about investing in quality facilities and quality coaches so that kids don’t feel the need to go to England to fulfil their rugby and academic ambitions. It’s wrong what is happening at the moment.”
Greenslade added: “The problem isn’t producing talent, it’s holding on to the talent. Growing up in Wales, we have all had a rugby ball under the Christmas tree. Every kid wants to play for Wales.
“In England, they all have a soccer ball. They all want to play football for England. It isn’t until they are 13 or 14 and they realise their dream isn’t going to happen and they have a go at rugby.
“They are behind Welsh boys at rugby because all the boys down here have been playing rugby from the age of five or six. They understand the game. They have been breathing it for years.
“People from England can’t get over how far in front Welsh kids are at the age of 15, 16, compared to English kids. That’s why they then come knocking on our door, tapping up the talent.
“I am just a rugby person giving an honest opinion and I worry that we are falling further bac, with all these talented young players going over the Bridge.”