Haskell deserved swansong season as thanks for his loyalty

JAMES Haskell’s exit from Wasps is a clear demonstration that loyalty is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity in the professional game. By the same token it sounds a death-knell for the great tradition of the ‘one-club player’.

Although the England flanker went walkabout for three years, honing his back row attributes by playing in France, Japan and New Zealand, he deserves the accolade of being seen here as a oneclub man.

Having come through the Wasps academy he not only shared in the glory days of the Lawrence Dallaglio era, but after his overseas experience he returned to the club in 2012 when they were at a low ebb having narrowly avoided relegation.

That was a true measure of Haskell’s commitment to Wasps because there were more attractive offers on the table from other Premiership clubs, both financially and in terms of playing strength.

Instead, through sheer force of personality off the pitch and physical presence on it, he was a key player in a Wasps resurgence, with Dallaglio describing his captaincy during the difficult relocation period to Coventry as ‘magnificent’.

Haskell wanted to stay, and says that finances were not discussed. However, having signed English-qualified Kiwi back rower Brad Shields from the Hurricanes, he was deemed surplus to Wasps’ requirements.

It is not sentimental to say to Dai Young, and others in the Wasps heirarchy, that if the commitment and loyalty shown to clubs by players like the 32-year-old Haskell disappears, the game will be much poorer for it.

Haskell was with Wasps man and boy and deserved at least a swansong season. My hunch is that he will make that point forcibly for whichever club he joins next.