Moving on ?

A glance through these names will be enough to send the average Welsh rugby fan back to chapel on Sunday to start praying. This may be the biggest raid on the reserves of rugbying talent since the dark days when rugby league teams brandished cheques the way Gordon Ramsey wields his chopper.

The glass half full fraternity may just offer the opinion that these movements may allow younger, hungrier players to come through. To which I say - they better ! In the words of the Scottish Sage of BBC punditry, you don't win anything with kids. Young rugby players need experienced players around them to develop. Sam Warburton needed Martyn Williams, Priestland needed Stephen Jones etc etc. If those older players are off (and who can blame them ?), then that precious process simply does not take place.

In national terms, this need not affect the development of what is a pretty young, ambitious set of players. But at club level, I can't see any of our teams managing to challenge for honours in the Heineken Cup. There again...what's really changing ????