It’s time for ‘draft’ to be used
THE Welsh Rugby Union deserves plaudits for introducing a National Dual Contract system which has resulted in Jonathan Davies, Leigh Halfpenny, Dan Lydiate and Bradley Davies returning to Wales.
But it missed a gilt-edged opportunity to ‘draft’ a player when it allowed points machine Halfpenny to join the Scarlets.
For the governing body seemed to hold most of the cards with serious interest in the full-back or wing seemingly non-existent from clubs in France and England following his departure from Toulon.
Halfpenny thought he had a lucrative deal to remain in the south of France, but the three-time European Cup kings withdrew the option of another year after he chose to go with the Lions to New Zealand rather than play in the latter end of the French Top 14.
So the 28-year-old was left scrambling for a contract elsewhere and it was the WRU who came to his rescue, with Halfpenny’s former employer Cardiff Blues and the Scarlets bidding to be their partners.
Halfpenny understandably plumped for the Scarlets with the west Wales region being Guinness PRO12 champions rather than return to the Arms Park.
When the NDC system was introduced three years ago after the Blues, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets signed a new Rugby Services Agreement with the WRU, it was stated a player’s former region would have preference should he return from exile, unless there was special circumstances.
However, it’s been blown out of the water by Lydiate, Bradley Davies and Halfpenny.
Back-row forward Lydiate signed for the Ospreys rather than rejoining the Dragons after being let go early by French club Racing Metro, citing family reasons, and lock Bradley Davies followed him to the Liberty Stadium from Aviva Premiership Wasps despite the Blues wanting him back. And it seems player-power is alive and well with Halfpenny being allowed by the WRU to sign for the Scarlets.
Don’t get me wrong, I fully understand why the goal-kicking maestro would elect for Parc y Scarlets but is his move there in the best interests of Welsh rugby?
As Blues coach Danny Wilson pointed out, the danger of the current NDC system is the “strong get stronger” and the “weak get weaker”.
Ospreys, and you have to applaud their development programme, have eight players on NDCs, six of them home-produced, and the Scarlets four, with just four in east Wales, two apiece at the Blues and Dragons.
Scarlets thrived last season after switching creative New Zealander Johnny McNicholl, who became the catalyst for their dazzling brand of counter-attacking play, to full-back and shifting Liam Williams to wing.
So it can be argued full-back Halfpenny should have been placed elsewhere, either at the Blues or the Dragons, although the WRU’s ownership of the latter would have prompted claims in some quarters of preferential treatment.
But imagine the impact Halfpenny, working with Gavin Henson, would have on the likes of Tyler Morgan, Ashton Hewitt and Hallam Amos at the Dragons.
New Zealand, who happen to be back-to-back world champions, have operated a central contract and draft system with success for years, moving hot prospects to franchises where they would get plenty of opportunities to start.
That policy has improved and strengthed their rugby with all of their franchises – Crusaders, Hurricanes, Highlanders, Chiefs and the Auckland-based Blues – having been Super Rugby champions.
New Zealand’s teams have lifted it during 16 of its 23 tournaments, six of the last seven.
Drafting may not, in the shortterm, lead to a Welsh sides being crowned European kings for the first time but, further down the line, it could have a positive impact. Surely, it’s worth a punt?