According to a report in this morning’s L’Equipe, Dan Lydiate, Jamie Roberts and Mike Phillips, all of whom play for Racing Métro in Paris, could be back playing for a Welsh club in time for this weekend’s European Cup fixtures.
The three British Lions, whose contracts all run to 2016, would not be eligible to play for a Welsh side in the European Cups should they line up for Racing this weekend against Northampton – hence the WRU’s haste in sorting out their return this week.
If the negotiations cannot be concluded this week, however, it seems that les Ciels et Blanc are prepared to let the three Welshmen go at the end of this season, a year before their contracts are up.
“We’ve already brought the subject up with them,” Racing coach Laurent Labit told L’Equipe. “They’ve never really performed since their arrival.”
For Lydiate and Roberts, it is thought that their leaving the club should not pose too much of a problem as the WRU would likely be quick to make the flanker and centre, amongst Wales’ most experienced and important players, the second and third men on dual contracts, following the lead of captain Sam Warburton, a move that would greatly please Warren Gatland.
Mike Phillips’ case, however, is more complicated. At the moment, nobody has come forward to express their interest in the 32-year old scrum-half’s services, who is paying for his ‘extra-sportive escapades’ away from the pitch, and less than convincing performances on it.
By Jamie Hosie
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As someone who does not watch the Top14, have their performances been so poor that the club is willing to let all three of them go?
Not sure how Philips could return. Would he be someone Wales put on a central contract? Davies and Webb are both better 9s than him now so it would be a strange move.
Lydiate and Roberts are probably more straight forward. Be good for Welsh rugby to see more return.
This would be brilliant if it comes through, just in time for world cup preps for Lydiate/Roberts.
Phillips … agree that it will be hard to see which Welsh team he could go to but the dual contract might help a club take a punt on him as a backup.
Do you think Gatland/WRU would offer him a dual contract, Brighty, at the age of 32 and with Webb/Davies playing so well? From what I understood from the L’Equipe article, there wasn’t a deal on the table for him. Didn’t say that explicitly, mind.
I think they would, yes. I don’t like the idea of Mike being first choice scrumhalf but he’d definitely be in with a good shout of being the backup guy with his experience. I can see him being contracted by the WRU until the end of the the next world cup. Davies needs more time before we can be sure he’s the right option, especially with the also relatively inexperienced Webb hopefully being the first choice. Mike has often raised his game when playing for Wales, I would say there is a decent 12 months left him yet.
Are the central contracts for back up players though? I was under the impression that they’d be used only for keeping you best players in Wales – not for back up players surely?
Agreed his experience may be valuable but I can’t remember the last time I saw him put in a good all round performance for Wales or anyone else.
For me the key here is that Gats will be directing this so given his previous preferences I’d be expecting him to put the money into Mike. I expect that in Gats opinion Mike would still be in his 22 and therefore in his mind would be one of the best Welsh players.
I know what you mean about Mike’s form but that hasn’t stopped Gats picking him in the past.
That is true! It actually wouldn’t surprise me to see him start in the Autumn – with Priestland!
It’ll be madness is Wales don’t pick (and stick with) Biggar and Webb from now until the WC.