Gatland: Contracts will lure Wales exiles home

Head coach believes many players will return

Warren Gatland believes many players will return to Wales in the next two years (Getty Images)

Warren Gatland has resigned himself to picking foreign-based players as he plots Wales’ route through next year’s World Cup “pool of death”, but the head coach is confident that most of his big-name exiles – Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts and Dan Lydiate – will return to the domestic regional scene within a couple of years or so.

“We can’t back ourselves into a corner in selection,” he said on Wednesday. “But I believe that as well as seeing the best youngsters staying here in Wales, a lot more experienced players will come home from overseas.”

Gatland believes the key to reversing the trend of recent years, which has seen leading Wales internationals jump ship in pursuit of better pay days in England and France, is the establishment of dual contracts under the terms of the recent agreement between the governing body and the four professional regional sides. The implication behind the new contractual system is that players signing foreign deals from now on will put their Test status at severe risk.

“There’s pressure on players now not to leave Wales,” the coach commented. “Hopefully, all this will sort itself out over the next two years, with increased revenue from the union and from sponsors, and with the regions being successful and putting bums on seats. We can’t discount the fact that now and again there might be some benefit in a player seeking experience outside Wales; if they’re number two or three in their position, going over the Severn Bridge or playing in France might be good for them. But we’re talking about the exceptions. The overriding point is that we want our players to stay here.”

Meanwhile, the Lions Test wing Ugo Monye has been ruled out for three months after suffering a groin injury during Harlequins’ opening-day victory over London Irish at Twickenham. Monye pulled the tendon clean off the bone and now requires surgery.

Quins have already lost two wings with first-team experience, Sam Smith and Paul Sackey, during the close season. Smith is now playing for Worcester while Sackey, a World Cup finalist with England in 2007, has retired.