"Selection Crisis for Wales"

[eddo]

According to RugbyeNews.com

SELECTION CRISIS FOR WALES
WALES COULD be without as many as 12 players for its test match against Australia in Cardiff later this year.
The match, to be played at Millennium Stadium on December 1, falls outside the IRB-designated international window, meaning clubs do not have to legally release their players for national duty.
As a result, Wales could be without Gethin Jenkins, Mike Phillips, James Hook, Luke Charteris and Huw Bennett, who are all set to play in France, and their players who ply their trade in England's Aviva Premiership.
Caretaker coach Rob Howley acknowledges there could be a problem when it comes to piecing together his side and that could have a bearing on his planning.
"We need to contact [the players] on an individual basis to find out if they have release clauses in their contracts," he told Wales Online.
Wales was swept 3-0 by the Wallabies during the teams' test series in Australia last month.

Understandable problem but shouldn't one expect the WRU to:
i) Keep track of the national players contracts
ii) Be always in the know who has and does not have release clauses
iii) Be actively encouraging their players to have clauses given that the november tests have been occuring longer than any existing players contract

Another example of sport business still being run by amateurs.

 

[Bardon]

The main problem with this game, and with the one they had last December is that it's not actually a November test. It falls outside the window for internationals and not all clubs will agree to clauses in player contracts that releases them outside of the windows set out by the IRB.

 

[FiveStarStu]

PICK GARETH DELVE FFS.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Why are we playing Wales for the sixth time in 12 months?

 

[Nusadan]

Why are we playing Wales for the sixth time in 12 months?

$$$$$

 

[qwerty51]

Bit of a beat-up. Some of those players are crap and wouldn't even make the 22.

Gethin Jenkins, Mike Phillips, James Hook, Luke Charteris and Huw Bennett

Jenkins will be a loss, Phillips is nearing the end of his international career, Hook meh, Charteris will be missed but they have 3 other quality locks and Rees is back.