CARRE OPENS UP ON DECISION TO LEAVE
Saracens-bound Cardiff prop says his Wales prospects under Gatland look bleak
WALES international Rhys Carre says he’s leaving Welsh rugby and giving up his Test career because of his dwindling prospects under Warren Gatland after he was axed from the World Cup training camp.
Carre insists his international chances have worsened as his performances have improved at regional level, admitting he doesn’t really understand why.
The prop joins Saracens this summer, a year after being publicly cut from Gatland’s World Cup training camp for failing to hit “performance targets”, which included a weight target.
Carre’s removal from the squad was made in a public announcement, and he has not returned since. The 26-year-old was not picked for the 2024 Six Nations, with Gatland confirming he wasn’t even considered.
Carre told the Cardiff Rugby matchday programme, ahead of his final appearance at the Arms Park against Edinburgh yesterday: “I pulled Jockey [Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt] to one side and told him the news first personally.
“I said to him it wasn’t a decision to leave Cardiff, it was more everything that had gone on. The decision wasn’t based on a Cardiff perspective, more the Wales perspective.
“From a club perspective, I think I’ve got better every year. I just think from an international perspective, I’ve probably gone backwards.
“As I’ve got better playing for my club, I’ve got looked at less from an international stand-point. I can’t say exactly how and why.
“All you can do as a player is play well for your club. Some people just don’t get picked. Some people just aren’t a coach’s cup of tea or whatever.
“If you are playing well and still aren’t getting picked, there’s not much you can do.
“Some things aren’t meant to be. It just felt like now was the right time and the opportunity came up to go back to Saracens.
“I was there before and really enjoyed it. It’s an amazing club. I think it’s a chance for me to go away and get out of the environment.
“I’ve sort of stalled since the 2019 World Cup. I haven’t really gone anywhere.”
Carre has won 20 caps, meaning that he won’t be eligible for Wales at the end of the season.
Unlike another Cardiff player to depart Welsh rugby in the last year, Jarrod Evans, it’s unlikely there’d be any exception from the Professional Rugby Board in terms of Carre remaining eligible despite being short of the 25 caps required.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s done with Test rugby altogether.
Carre’s grandfather hails from Guernsey, which is where he gets his French-sounding name from.
As a dependency of the Crown outside of the United Kingdown, people from the Channel Islands are free to choose whichever home nation they like to represent.
In the past, Southampton-born Budge Pountney won 31 caps for Scotland, having qualified through a grandmother born in the Channel Islands.
In theory, Carre would qualify for all the other home nations in similar fashion.
Carre’s last cap for Wales was against England last February, meaning he would have to wait until February 2026 before he was free to represent another country.