Wigan signing more Cumbrian youngsters

[DaveO]

Far better idea than chasing Welsh RU players IMO.

Wigan are keeping a very close watch on two young Welsh players, one in particular, a centre looks a very good prospect.

I don't have any problem with Wigan scouting players from anywhere in the UK but I think the fact we get so many good players from established RL areas such as Cumbria it just makes far more sense to focus on those areas.

The Welsh thing seems a lot of effort with a much less likelihood of success in my opinion. In Wales they will be scouting players who don't actually play RL and while they may play junior RU to a good standard there is nothing to say they will take to RL. It's just introduces another variable into the mix.

I'd be interested to know how young these Welsh players you mention are. If they are at the junior or senior colt level (17 and 18+ age group respectively) they will have been playing RU for years and I think that matters as they just won't have the RL knowledge ingrained in them compared to a lad from Cumbria.

My eldest players RU at senior colt level for Chester and believe me the games are very different.

[BriH]

Just a pity there isn't a Super League Club in my homeland,

That is true. Can't see it happening any time soon though.

For well over 20 years now we have gone away with friends at New Year and one year were up there I dragged them all to a Workington game. They all live down south and so never see an RL game except on TV and they really enjoyed it.

Having a team up there would make for a great away trip.

I agree with you obviously DavO.
West Cumbria has always suffered because of its geography. My memory goes back nearly 65 years and I remember the days when King Coal was the thing and the Moss Bay steel works.
When I left school I went to work at a Whitehaven chemical company called Marchon which, at its peak employed nearly 2,500.
Alas, it's all gone and, the only big employer is Sellafield.
Without some support from the RFL or a wealthy backer, I cannot see how a Super League Club would survive.
What makes it worse is the fact that there are a wealth of very good amateur clubs e.g. Kells, Hensingham, Wath Brow Hornets etc.
There is, therefore, a great pool of talent available.
I'm actually very glad that a team like Wigan can offer these up an coming young lads a chance.
Lee Mossop is shining example.

[cpwigan]

Never write off non RL players

Jim Sullivan; Billy B (Tom Van Vol for Saints); George Fairbairn, David Stephenson, Steve Hampson, Mark Preston, Inga

Just a few

We need to scour anywhere/everywhere.

I like the All Black centre that keeps SBW on the bench for example

[DaveO]

Never write off non RL players

Jim Sullivan; Billy B (Tom Van Vol for Saints); George Fairbairn, David Stephenson, Steve Hampson, Mark Preston, Inga

Just a few

Mostly top class senior players or internationals who switched to League to earn money back in the days when RU was amateur. A completely different era.

That is very different to what we are talking about here which is scouting junior RU players.

We need to scour anywhere/everywhere.

I like the All Black centre that keeps SBW on the bench for example

I am sure we could all spot a few RU internationals playing in the RU world cup who seem suited to league but there is next to no chance of them coming and as I said we were talking junior recruitment anyway.

[jobo]

Far better idea than chasing Welsh RU players IMO.

Wigan are keeping a very close watch on two young Welsh players, one in particular, a centre looks a very good prospect.

I don't have any problem with Wigan scouting players from anywhere in the UK but I think the fact we get so many good players from established RL areas such as Cumbria it just makes far more sense to focus on those areas.

The Welsh thing seems a lot of effort with a much less likelihood of success in my opinion. In Wales they will be scouting players who don't actually play RL and while they may play junior RU to a good standard there is nothing to say they will take to RL. It's just introduces another variable into the mix.

I'd be interested to know how young these Welsh players you mention are. If they are at the junior or senior colt level (17 and 18+ age group respectively) they will have been playing RU for years and I think that matters as they just won't have the RL knowledge ingrained in them compared to a lad from Cumbria.

My eldest players RU at senior colt level for Chester and believe me the games are very different.

Billy Boston???

[DaveO]

Wigan are keeping a very close watch on two young Welsh players, one in particular, a centre looks a very good prospect.

I don't have any problem with Wigan scouting players from anywhere in the UK but I think the fact we get so many good players from established RL areas such as Cumbria it just makes far more sense to focus on those areas.

The Welsh thing seems a lot of effort with a much less likelihood of success in my opinion. In Wales they will be scouting players who don't actually play RL and while they may play junior RU to a good standard there is nothing to say they will take to RL. It's just introduces another variable into the mix.

I'd be interested to know how young these Welsh players you mention are. If they are at the junior or senior colt level (17 and 18+ age group respectively) they will have been playing RU for years and I think that matters as they just won't have the RL knowledge ingrained in them compared to a lad from Cumbria.

My eldest players RU at senior colt level for Chester and believe me the games are very different.

Billy Boston???

Was he signed as a junior? He was 19 when he made his Wigan début and since then (1953) how many Welsh RU players who were not already fully fledged adult players have Wigan signed? I think it is zero. Compared to literally thousands of juniors from traditional RL areas.

[No straw damn us]

Never write off non RL players

Jim Sullivan; Billy B (Tom Van Vol for Saints); George Fairbairn, David Stephenson, Steve Hampson, Mark Preston, Inga

Just a few

Mostly top class senior players or internationals who switched to League to earn money back in the days when RU was amateur. A completely different era.

Only Voll and Inga were International player. The two young Welsh player that Wigan are looking at have both played RL.

[cpwigan]

I don't have any problem with Wigan scouting players from anywhere in the UK but I think the fact we get so many good players from established RL areas such as Cumbria it just makes far more sense to focus on those areas.

The Welsh thing seems a lot of effort with a much less likelihood of success in my opinion. In Wales they will be scouting players who don't actually play RL and while they may play junior RU to a good standard there is nothing to say they will take to RL. It's just introduces another variable into the mix.

I'd be interested to know how young these Welsh players you mention are. If they are at the junior or senior colt level (17 and 18+ age group respectively) they will have been playing RU for years and I think that matters as they just won't have the RL knowledge ingrained in them compared to a lad from Cumbria.

My eldest players RU at senior colt level for Chester and believe me the games are very different.

Billy Boston???

Was he signed as a junior? He was 19 when he made his Wigan début and since then (1953) how many Welsh RU players who were not already fully fledged adult players have Wigan signed? I think it is zero. Compared to literally thousands of juniors from traditional RL areas.

Nes Flowers, Dave Wilicombe (not 100% about him), Glyn Shaw, signed a lad 3 seasons ago too.

The point still stands. RL lies way down the food chain in terms of access to quality athletes so we need to scour anywhere and everywhere.

Targetting those players at junior level makes sense BUT lest we forget Gareth Ellis and several other great players came back into the game quite late after breaks or spells in football.

[Panchitta Marra]

Never write off non RL players

Jim Sullivan; Billy B (Tom Van Vol for Saints); George Fairbairn, David Stephenson, Steve Hampson, Mark Preston, Inga

Just a few

We need to scour anywhere/everywhere.

I like the All Black centre that keeps SBW on the bench for example

Maybe Sonny Bill's tie is the wrong colour, or he uses the wrong knot to tie it.
Maybe he cant speak a posh enough tongue to justify his place in the starting 15.
All justifiable reasons for him to be parked on the bench.
Its a pity he wasnt as fit as when he was playing League, he is a real talent.

[Warrriors]

Maybe Sonny Bill's tie is the wrong colour, or he uses the wrong knot to tie it.
Maybe he cant speak a posh enough tongue to justify his place in the starting 15.
All justifiable reasons for him to be parked on the bench.
Its a pity he wasnt as fit as when he was playing League, he is a real talent.

Perfectly OK comment if you were talking about the English RU, but not about NZRU. Don't assume the British class system has any relevance in NZ or to the NZRU, it doesn't. Nor is someone's colour an issue - few All Blacks would fail to qualify for either NZ Maori and/or one of the Island teams.

Sonny Bill's already a cult hero in New Zealand with the fans and a good RU players for the ABs, but his relative lack of experience at union means he's not nailed on for a starting spot, that's all. With sheer quality like Conrad Smith and Ma'a Nonu available in the centres as well, that's fair enough.