Welsh Rugby Union
Transfer Talk
By Dai
March 21 2003
Transfer Talk
With Swansea going into administration and wage cuts of up to 60% for the All Whites players there will inevitably be some action in the transfer market over the coming weeks. Red Dragon Rugby have recently reported that Darren Morris may be going to South Africa in a short term deal and in Welsh newspapers there have been huge exaggerations of a player exodus to England.
The aim of Red Dragon Rugby will be to bring you all the latest transfer rumours as we hear them and if you have heard about a move which we haven't mentioned then you can let us know by filling in the short form at the bottom of this page. All you have to do is enter the player name and the club that he is linked with and hit send - this will send your information to Red Dragon Rugby where it will be passed on to a member of the team to investigate. The results of our investigations will then be published on this page in a short report.
Keep checking this page regularly as constant updates will be taking place
The Investigation Reports
The most recent reports appear at the top
| Player: | Gareth Cooper | Current Club: | Bath |
| Possible transfer to: | Pontypridd | ||
| Investigation findings: | Been speculated about in the past however, with Bath poised to be relegated from the Zurich premiership Cooper may feel that a move across the border would benefit his international aspirations. Pontypridd are believed to have shown interest in him in the past and with Paul John coming to the end of his career, a rotation system involving Gareth Baber and Gareth Cooper could work well together at Pontypridd. | ||
| Player: | Ben Evans | Current Club: | Swansea |
| Possible transfer to: | Cardiff/Pontypridd | ||
| Investigation findings: | Cardiff have been struggling in the forwards all season and so in the short term, he could be a good purchase. Pontypridd however, have a strong front row already but with injury problems and a large number of games still to be played, Evans could do a job for the club. Expect a move to either of the clubs although Cardiff look to be the front runner. | ||
| Player: | Rhys Williams | Current Club: | Cardiff |
| Possible transfer to: | Harlequins | ||
| Investigation findings: | No substance to this rumour - Expect to see him playing for Cardiff or the province featuring Cardiff next season. | ||
| Player: | Dafydd James | Current Club: | Bridgend |
| Possible transfer to: | Gloucester | ||
| Investigation findings: | A possible move on the cards. Gloucester have two consistent centres however many regard them as too similar players. However, Gloucester will not take any financial risks due to the changes to the salary cap rules in England next season. | ||
| Player: | Duncan Bell | Current Club: | Pontypridd |
| Possible transfer to: | Bath | ||
| Investigation findings: | Bath were keen to sign Bell last season although the move eventually fell through due to salary cap problems. Bell enjoys his rugby at Pontypridd but given the opportunity he would make the move across the border to play for his hometown club. Having said this, should Bath be relegated, he may decide to stay in Wales and gain Welsh residency. | ||
| Player: | Kevin Morgan | Current Club: | Swansea |
| Possible transfer to: | Harlequins - Investigation indicates a move to Pontypridd more likely. | ||
| Investigation findings: | Possible but unlikely. Morgan is exempt from the changes to the contracts of Swansea players for this season. He will probably be moving clubs next season but it will more than likely be to hometown club Pontypridd. Morgan is understood to have looked for a move back a season ago but the club were not willing to offer him the money he wanted (Between 5 and 10K more than he was offered). However, Davey is coming to the end of his career as a player at the highest level and Morgan possesses all the qualities to get into any provincial team. | ||
| Player: | Sam Cordingley | Current Club: | Swansea |
| Possible transfer to: | Australian team | ||
| Investigation findings: | Cordingley hasn't really had the impact on the Swansea team that John Connelly was hoping for. A high wage which looks set to be slashed in the coming weeks will probably result in the player moving back home to Australia. | ||
| Player: | Guy Easterby | Current Club: | Llanelli |
| Possible transfer to: | Munster/Leinster | ||
| Investigation findings: | Easterby is happy to stay at Llanelli. A move would only be on the cards if there was a limitation on the number of non welsh qualified players in the club squads. If this is to be the case then any of the Irish provinces and a number of English clubs will be in the hunt for his signature. | ||
| Player: | Colin Charvis | Current Club: | Swansea |
| Possible transfer to: | Stade Francais, Biarritz | ||
| Investigation findings: | Problems at Swansea may result in Charvis seeking a move away from the All Whites however, Red Dragon Rugby investigations don't show any obvious link to Stade Francais or Biarritz. | ||
| Player: | Arwel Thomas | Current Club: | Swansea |
| Possible transfer to: | Sale Sharks | ||
| Investigation findings: | Charlie Hodgson has suffered an injury which will keep him out until September and so Arwel Thomas may be a suitable replacement. If Thomas was to move to England then he would have to be content with a place on the bench come next year as Hodgson has cemented his place in the Sale first team and is an automatic selection when fit. | ||
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