JOSH ADAMS ON TOUR BOMBSHELL
WALES have made their most significant statement yet to players who ply their trade outside this country ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
And it spells out loud and clear that if you play your rugby in England, France or anywhere other than Wales, you’re running the risk of harming your international ambitions.
On the face of it, that seems a fairly ruthless approach and in many respects it is. But, in my view, it’s the correct one.
Worcester winger Josh Adams was at the Aviva Premiership awards dinner – where he was recognised as the league’s joint top try scorer and named in the team of the season – when news broke on Wednesday night that he, Tomas Francis and Luke Charteris were being dropped from Wales’ summer touring party.
The fact the 23-year-old won’t get a further chance to showcase his considerable talents on the international stage this summer is a crying shame.
Francis will have been hoping to stake a claim to the No.3 jersey and Charteris had seemingly been handed a chance to prove he still has something to offer at international level.
So, why have the trio been released? Because they wouldn’t be made available to Warren Gatland and his coaching team until the week before Wales’ first Test against Argentina.
It would mean the players miss a week of training in Wales, a week of training in the USA and the game against South Africa.
The point of this tour, especially in the case of Adams, is for the coaching staff to spend a concerted amount of time working with the player and further integrating him into the set-up with a view to next year’s global showpiece.
The player flying to the other side of the world for what would become a two-week camp, doesn’t fit that bill. For years, Gatland has repeatedly warned of the potential harm players would be doing to their international hopes by playing their domestic rugby outside of Wales.
With 16 months to go until the World Cup, by dropping three players from the squad, Gatland’s warnings have been followed by unequivocal action.
Players on the fringe of the squad can now be left in no doubt – playing your rugby inside Wales puts you in a better position to be selected by Wales.
So, why name the players in the squad if this debacle was always possible?
It’s understood positive conversations had taken place with between the Welsh Rugby Union and Premier Rugby Limited – the umbrella organisation that looks after the interests of the English clubs – before Gatland named his squad.
Wales were hopeful of getting the players when they wanted them and there is precedent for PRL releasing Wales players for an out-of-window summer Test.
Ahead of the 2016 summer tour of New Zealand, Wales had George North (Northampton), Jamie Roberts (Harlequins), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester) and Rhys Priestland (Bath) all available for a clash with England at Twickenham.
Wales’ case for getting hold of their players was enhanced by the fact they’re not adding to the players’ workload because this is not an extra Test match. Player welfare doesn’t come into it.
The WRU couldn’t move the tour back a week to line up with the international window because it would then create a clash with England’s tour of South Africa.
One viewpoint could be that all Adams’ presence on the Wales tour does is showcase his remarkable development at Worcester Warriors and in the Premiership.
But PRL’s argument is also a strong one. As part of the deal with the RFU, English clubs are paid for Eddie Jones to have access to players for one-off training camps.
If those clubs released their players to the WRU during periods when they are not obliged to, then you can see why it could cause friction with the RFU.
When it comes to the out-of-window autumn Test, PRL undoubtedly have the upper hand because releasing players to Wales would have a tangible impact on their season. The summer tour, though, wouldn’t mean players missing games in the Premiership. You’re left with two sides with strong arguments and we reach an impasse where, ultimately,
Players on the fringe of the squad can now be in no doubt – playing in Wales puts you in a better position MATT SOUTHCOMBE
a player suffers.
And it strengthens the case for players in Adams’ predicament returning to Wales, which would end any debate over player availability.
Then we reach the George North and Ross Moriarty situation.
Strictly speaking, though they’re joining the Ospreys and the Dragons next season, they could be deemed to be in exactly the same situation as the axed trio as they remain under contract at Northampton and Gloucester for another month.
However, it is understood the players’ representatives and their respective current employers are close to agreeing an early release from their contracts as it would be beneficial for all parties, allowing the players to tour.
So, what appeared to be a routine squad announcement actually became a bit of a debacle and Adams, in particular, has found himself at the centre of it.
The player himself is ‘gutted’ and his coach at Worcester, Sam Vesty, has laid the blame at the feet of PRL, tweeting: “Why do the PRL have to stick their noses in? Hard luck ‘Jadsy’.”
But, if nothing else, the situation gives Welsh exiles absolute clarity and, in the long run, that can only be for the good.