Man of the moment Sexton picks up another award
IRELAND fly-half Johnny Sexton has been voted the Rugby Union Writers’ Club personality of the year for 2018.
Sexton received the prestigious Pat Marshall Award at the club’s annual dinner in central London following a remarkable 12 months that also saw him crowned world player of the year.
The 33-year-old, who topped a poll of the RUWC’S 200-plus members, has acted as Ireland’s general during a run of 11 wins from 12 Tests, including an historic victory over New Zealand on Irish soil.
He was also instrumental in WITH a half century of caps and 12 years at the top level, Rhys Priestland won’t have too many concerns over his CV when the job hunting begins.
Priestland revealed last week that he will be leaving Bath at the end of the season after four years in the West Country.
The former Scarlets favourite has just turned 32 and hasn’t played for Wales since November 2017.
And surely an international-calibre player not part of the national squad would no doubt be an enticing prospect for one of Wales’s four professional sides.
The current negotiations over the future funding model for Welsh rugby means uncertainty continues to shroud the regional transfer market with contracts and negotiations on hold.
Would the regions be able to afford the kind of salary Priestland has commanded at The Rec?
There is no doubt that a player of his experience, game-management skills and attacking spark would be an asset back in Wales, but where?
Here we look at how the regions shape up at No. 10 and the likelihood of Priestland fitting in.
SCARLETS
Once Priestland revealed he was leaving Bath, the Scarlets emerged as an immediate favourite to welcome him home.
Hailing from Carmarthen, he made 150 appearances and scored 1,064 points for his the West Walians before leaving for “a new challenge” in 2015.
The fly-half conundrum is a strange one at Parc y Scarlets at present. Rhys Patchell has pulled the strings impressively since his arrival from the Arms Park and played an integral part in the Scarlets’ Guinness PRO12 triumph in 2017.
However, his game has struggled in recent months. He has had concussion and injury issues, while Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac has highlighted defensive concerns.
There have also been questions raised over Dan Jones without the ball, prompting Pivac to thrust Wales centre Hadleigh Parkes into the No. 10 jersey for the festive derbies against the Ospreys and Blues, although the young fly-half responded with a man-of-thematch display against the Dragons.
Priestland has been a popular figure in West Wales and you suspect that, if the price is right, the Scarlets would be delighted to welcome back one of their own.
OSPREYS
Much depends on the future of incumbent fly-half Sam Davies, who is contemplating his next move.
Davies is out of contract at the Liberty at the end of the season, with the likes of Leicester and Harlequins thought to be monitoring his situation.
Luke Price and James Hook currently provide the back-up at 10, but if Davies were to move on, the Ospreys would need to find a quality replacement.
Priestland fits that bill.
DRAGONS
If ever a side needed an experienced, composed presence at 10 it is the Men of Gwent.
There has been a revolving door of fly-halves in recent seasons, leading to the Newport-based side turning to Jason Tovey, initially as injury cover and then on a permanent deal.
As for Gavin Henson, you wonder how much professional rugby the double Grand Slam winner has left in him.
Josh Lewis has blown hot and cold since his move from Bath in the summer, while the highly-rated Arwel Robson has been plagued by injury issues.
CARDIFF BLUES
With Gareth Anscombe and Jarrod Evans battling it out for the jersey, John Mulvihill doesn’t need to be looking outside of the Arms Park for fly-half reinforcements.
Anscombe is in line to be Wales’s first choice for the start of the Six Nations, while Evans, who had a brief taste of international rugby during the autumn, has underlined his quality over the last 18 months.
Steve Shingler, with top-level experience at the Scarlets and London Irish, is a more than able third-choice option, while Ben Thomas and Ben Jones are the young 10s the region’s bosses are hoping can take the next step.
Seeing Priestland in the capital would be a surprise.
VERDICT
There are no guarantees that Priestland is heading back across the Severn and there are sure to be suitors in the Gallagher Premiership.
But if Priestland did decide his future lay back in Wales, reuniting with the Scarlets would appear the likeliest option.
It was reported that Priestland was among the top 11 highest earners in the Premiership when he signed for Bath, picking up £290,000 a year.
Much will depend on what can kind of war chests the regions have at their disposal. ■ More rugby on pages 40 and 41