Squad building – The nWq conundrum

Following from the first part of this squad building series, which focused on some higher earners in the squad who are coming to the end of their current contracts this summer, this second part moves on to look at the best use of non-Welsh qualified members of the squad.

Contrary to what you may read from some people in and around Welsh rugby, overseas talent is vitally important when composing a squad at a Welsh club. Rather than blocking young Welsh players coming through, they complement them and play a vital part in their development. Just ask Leigh Halfpenny about Ben Blair, Bradley Davies about Paul Tito, Sam Warburton about Ma’ama Molitika and Xavier Rush.

Non-Welsh qualified talent also lifts the overall quality of the squad, which means the club should be more competitive and gets the Welsh players playing at a higher level, leaving them better equipped for the step up to the test arena. That is all in theory, of course.

With the Welsh Rugby Union’s failure to re-invest in the professional game, particularly in the development pathway, during the success of the golden generation over the last 10-12 years and the financial strain that their mismanagement and the global economy have placed on the clubs, there is less depth of quality in the Welsh player pool now than there was before.

As a result, and this is something we’ve seen at Cardiff, the non-Welsh qualified signings are being used to plug holes in the playing squad. That’s not a slight on any individual, there have still been some good players coming in from overseas in recent years, but the recruitment has been on a needs must basis where we have been short in a certain position.

The current list of overseas players at the Arms Park is; Ed Byrne (loosehead), Josh McNally (lock), Ben Donnell (lock/flanker/8), Johan Mulder (scrum-half), Tinus De Beer (fly-half), Rory Jennings (fly-half/centre), Rey Lee-Lo (centre).

All good players in their own right, but the question for Cardiff to consider during this recruitment/retention window is “are they the best use of our non-Welsh qualified spots?”. From where I’m sat the answer is no.

For starters, it’s fair to say that only two of that list, in the form of McNally and Lee-Lo, start in a full strength Blue & Blacks XV. Byrne, possibly Donnell, and then one of De Beer or Jennings probably make the bench, but ideally your overseas additions to the squad would be nailed on starters, or at least be definitely included in a strongest possible 23.

And then beyond that some are in positions that are no longer of need. With Welsh-qualified talent either now at the club or available to sign in the 10/12 channel, in the back row and at outside centre, it should be considered that Donnell, De Beer and Jennings not being renewed may actually be the correct decision in order to re-invest that money elsewhere.

They are all excellent professionals, and particularly in the case of De Beer he has undoubtedly become an Arms Park cult hero on the back of his week-after-week performances last season where he played in all 22 of Cardiff’s matches in all competitions, starting 21 and only being substituted in five of those. Professional sport leaves little room for emotion though, and with budgets still tight every penny counts.

Byrne, an experienced player in a position where the depth isn’t quite available currently, and McNally, a leader who has cemented himself into the starting XV, are absolutely worth keeping hold of. Mulder too, although it’s not optimum to have a non-Welsh qualified player as third choice, is probably one who should be retained until we see the emergence of current Academy players.

Then there’s Rey Lee-Lo. At this point I think he’s earned the title of ‘Cardiff’s greatest ever overseas player’. There’s some recency bias in that, for sure, but with the consistency of his performances over such a long period as well as the type of man he is around the squad, his contribution to the club is difficult to quantify.

It may well be the year that the Samoan hangs up his boots, but if there is life left in the legs for one more season then the club would be foolish to turn that down. It would offer more time for Academy prospects to develop, and plenty of minutes are still available for the likes of Mason Grady.

With up to four departures from the non-Welsh qualified ranks in the squad, Head of Recruitment Darren Allinson and Head Coach Matt Sherratt then have the room and some budget to make targeted overseas player recruitment decisions.

Where is best for those forms the basis of the third part in this squad building series…