Rugby 2020: No Gatland or Schmidt

[Antepli Ejderha]

It's nearly the end of the calendar year so it's time for a new thread.

The big news in Wales is that Liam Williams is coming home to the Scarlets and Ross Moriarty is probably joining the Ospreys. I presume the former transfer spells the end of Halfpenny at the Scarlets.

The Scarlets are also set to lose their coach to the All Blacks at the end of the season, that's bad news for them but good for him as he's joining the coaching team.

[Ray de Galles]

Good work on starting the thread. I didn't know about Williams rejoining Scarlets but leaving Saracens seemed a cert. Where is the Moriaty rumour from and any reasoning behind it?

I've seen a lot of Gloucester in recent weeks and watching them eventually dismantle Worcester tonight. Wales need to cap 18 year old winger Louis Rees-Zammit in 2020, both on form and to make sure England don't poach him (even if he has pledged his future to Wales before). He already looks a hell of a player.

Ah, he's just been made Man of the Match.

[Ray de Galles]

Oh, I love him already ;

[URL]https://twitter.com/louisreeszammit/status/1208204338541350918?s=21[/URL]

[Antepli Ejderha]

Moriarty is almost certain to leave the Dragons and if he wants to play for Wales has to stay in Wales, Wales online reported both stories yesterday. They've also been giving a lot of coverage to Louis Rees-Zammit in particular and lots of the other Wales qualified exiles.

[Ray de Galles]

That issue has been touched upon in the Guardian's Breakdown mail out and general coverage in the last few days ;

Leicester Tigers are like Arsenal – stuck in the past, desperate for reinvention

Premiership’s four fallen giants face up to very real relegation risk

[Ray de Galles]

Not great injury news for Wales next year already. Gareth Anscombe has now been ruled out beyond next summer and out of contention for the tour of NZ and Ellis Jenkins won't return until March at the earliest which will put him close to 18 months out in total.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Ollie Griffiths is also out injured again and Wales also have only one fit centre, Hadleigh Parkes. Jonathan Davies and Owen Watkin out and Scott Williams not fit. Either Owen Lane or Josh Adams expected to fill in.

[Ray de Galles]

Did Scott Williams pick up an injury in Saturday's game then?

[Antepli Ejderha]

Did Scott Williams pick up an injury in Saturday's game then?

I think he's not international ready is what has been said.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Jonathan Davies is now officially out for the season. I doubt he'll tour either but that's not been confirmed.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Brad Mooar: Scarlets coach to leave for All Blacks role - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50900896

Unsurprisingly confirmed, Mooar to leave the Scarlets at the end of his first season to take a role in the new All Blacks coaching team.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Apropos bugger all - the thread title gives me a 'Clash - 1977' earworm....

[Antepli Ejderha]

I couldn't find any title so glad it's worked out for one of us. I was going to reference Uncle Eddie as it's all going to be about him and not the new coaches.

Who's the new Italy coach?

[Ray de Galles]

Former Springbok Franco Smith is interim coach for the Six Nations.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Thanks Ray. Never heard of him as a coach which bodes well for Italy. They'll be competitive at the start then get hammered.

The new British and Irish league is also going to be bad news for them. I cannot see them getting out of the rut they are in even though their PRO14 sides are doing slightly better, part of that is because the Wales regions are so poor.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rhys Webb is apparently being released early by Toulon and is heading back to the Ospreys.

Edit: Confirmed

Rhys Webb: Scrum-half agrees to rejoin Ospreys from Toulon - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50951102

What does this mean for Aled Davies? Joining Sam Davies at the Dragons perhaps.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Allen Clarke finally and officially departs the Ospreys a month after being relieved of his duties.

Mike Ruddock is back temporarily and the region appear in a real mess which could get a lot worse if Justin Tipuric decides to leave, and frankly who could blame him.

Project Reset is also starting to bite, 38 centrally contracted players to be distributed across the four regions with the WRU paying for them. Apparently this means the number of players at each region as well as the budgets will become much more similar. Currently the Scarlets have a budget nearly double that of the Dragons. This might mean Ross Moriarty stays put and a few players might be moved to bolster the Dragons. Logical if we have the depth, for example do the Scarlets really need Halfpenny and Williams? Foreign based players won't be included in the 38, currently all are in England.

No news on Gatland's law so I presume it will continue. Unless Thomas Young returns to Wales he will no longer be eligible, I think with so many opensides available he'd struggle to get in the squad and more importantly which region would take him? Probably only the Ospreys if they lost Tipuric.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rhys Webb has been ruled eligible to play for Wales in the Six Nations. A big boost for all.

[Ray de Galles]

Bloody hell, I saw some reference to the idea from a rugby journalist on twitter and thought it was a gag!

[Ray de Galles]

Northampton managed to throw away an 18 point lead, be reduced to 13 men and still win away to Franchise RFC with this today ;

[URL]https://twitter.com/btsportrugby/status/1213866642335248387?s=21[/URL]

[Antepli Ejderha]

From BBC sport, "Worcester Warriors forward Michael Fatialofa is "stable in intensive care" after the neck injury he suffered in Saturday's defeat at Saracens."

I've not seen it nor do I want to but this sounds really bad.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rhys Webb: Toulon boss says Wales scrum-half played last game for club - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51002110

I've no idea what's going on here. The Toulon owner is erratic and eccentric at best so I think there are more twists and turns here but an earlier release than planned is entirely possible. Whether that's a return to the Ospreys immediately or a loan to an English club I'm not sure.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Wales apparently have 21 players either injured or definitely out of their Six Nations squad. In a post Gatland title defence that's really tough on Pivac.

On the field the Dragons have turned a corner, two people stand out for this. Dean Ryan as coach and what he's brought, especially Olivier Azam as scrum coach, and Sam Davies as a ten who has brought game management. They aren't good yet but a corner has been turned.

[Ray de Galles]

Rhys Webb: Toulon boss says Wales scrum-half played last game for club - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51002110

I've no idea what's going on here. The Toulon owner is erratic and eccentric at best

It's a new owner, isn't it, is he as mental as Boudjellal?

[ursus arctos]

He appears to be trying to match the standard