Grace takes step closer to playing for Pivac’s Wales
WALES rugby league superstar Regan Grace has confirmed his switch to rugby union in a move which could pave the way for a call-up to Wayne Pivac’s team.
The St. Helens winger will switch codes later this year to link up with Top14 side Racing 92 at the end of the current Super League season, opening up the possibility of a Wales call-up under Pivac.
Since making his debut for the Saints in 2017, Grace - who would be dual-qualified with his father from England - has proven to be one of the code’s deadliest finishers.
In 138 appearances for the Super League giants, he has crossed for 86 tries. However, the 25-year-old, who hails from Port Talbot, will now try his luck in the 15-a-side game after signing a 12-month contract with the Paris outfit.
He had been offered a contract extension by St Helens and had several Gallagher Premiership outfits keen to secure his services, while the Welsh teams have now also missed out amid suggestions of dithering and having already spent their player budgets for next season.
The idea of the Welsh Rugby Union signing him was floated but evidently nothing came of it.
Asked about his dual eligibility, Grace previously said: “My dad (Leroy) is from Birmingham.
“I am aware that would make me eligible for England but it’s something I haven’t thought about.
“As a kid, Jonah Lomu was my big hero, then Shane Williams and Jason Robinson.’’
Grace said of his code switch: “I want to thank everyone at St Helens especially Eamonn McManus, Mike Rush as well as academy head coach Derek Traynor for bringing me up here and taking a risk on a young kid from Wales.
“It was a big move for me and I have loved every minute of being here.
“All the years being here, the club and coaches have looked after me well and have given me my chances.
“Thanks also to all of my teammates who I have had the privilege of playing with.
“And of course, I want to thank all the St Helens fans, in particular the Imperial Exiles who sponsored me and looked after me when I first came over.
“Thanks also to the Donnelly’s and my partner’s family too who have all played their part and help me feel at home.
“The town has been a big part of my life. I have spent my entire adult life here and it has become my home.
“It was such a hard decision to leave because of those emotions, but I want to go and test myself and experience a new challenge.
“To win three Super League titles and a Challenge Cup has been a dream come true and my full focus is now ensuring we win a fourth title at the end of the year.”
Saints chairman Eamonn McManus added: “Regan has been an exciting and important contributor to the major successes of the Saints in recent years.
We clearly very much wanted him to stay at the Saints and in Super League in the years ahead.
However, we fully accept and respect his decision to pursue a new career, life and lifestyle in France and wish him and his family every happiness and success.”
YOU can appreciate the quality in the South Africa side that has been named for the second Test this weekend while concluding that it completely devalues the series.
Head coach Jacques Nienaber has made 14 changes to the starting XV that won 32-29 in one of the liveliest Test matches in recent times last weekend.
In completely tearing up his squad for the second Test in Bloemfontein, he has ripped almost 200 Test caps out of the side.
Inspirational leader Siya Kolisi? Nowhere to be seen. Cheslin Kolbe? Sitting in the stands. World class front row of Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Frans Malherbe? With their feet up. It is a crying shame.
Is it a side capable of beating Wales? Absolutely. Is it South Africa’s best XV? No.
From South Africa’s point of view, you can see the value in it.
One thing that is abundantly clear when questioning their management is that when they have a plan - be it style of play or team selection they will stick to it steadfastly. This is clearly a selection with one eye on next year’s Rugby World Cup. The general sense among Bok fans is that it is an exciting group of form players.
Seven of the 23 featured in the URC final and the captain, Handre Pollard, just won the Top 14 with Montpellier.
There is also Evan Roos, who cleaned up at the URC’s end of season awards, and former World Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Nienaber has named a very formidable side that is absolutely capable of beating Wales but it is tantamount to an ‘A’ team.
Wales did not come here to face second string sides, they came here for three cracks at the world champions.
That they have been robbed of at least one of those opportunities will be difficult to stomach.
That is particularly so in light of what happened at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday. It was a crackling affair that had niggle, a hostile atmosphere, the sharpest of edges and plenty of points.
Ultimately, it ended in heartbreak for Wales, who are still chasing a historic victory on these shores, but the beauty of touring is that you are supposed to have another opportunity next week.
They will still face green jerseys this Saturday, but it is not the same side. Tommy Reffell will have wanted to see Kolisi again, Dan Biggar will have wanted another crack at, quite frankly, anybody who was on the pitch last week. But those head-to-head rivalries will not grow.
Of course, Wales will be desperately craving revenge, having let a 15-point lead slip in Pretoria, succumbing to a Damian Willemse penalty in the final kick of the match.
But if they do end up on the right side of the result in Bloemfontein, in light of the team they’ll be facing, will it really feel like revenge?
Perhaps there is a painful reality in this selection for Wales and one that may well serve as motivation.
Wales are not averse to rotating their squad. We see it time and again in the autumn, usually against tier two nations, when Pivac - and Warren Gatland before him feels comfortable throwing in inexperienced players without compromising the outcome.
It seems that South Africa view Wales through the same lens.
This selection may well be exciting for South African fans because it gives them a look at form players who have not really had a chance at Test level yet. But from a Welsh perspective, it detracts from the whole tour.nIt also puts Pivac’s side in a sticky situation. Win and it will come with the caveat that it came against a largely secondstring side. Lose, then they’ll be subjected to ridicule.