Ospreys chief hits out at rivals

Llanelli and Cardiff blasted for foreign player recruitment

Ospreys chief Mike Cuddy has vigorously attacked the 'stand-alone' Welsh regions Llanelli Scarlets and Cardiff Blues for recruiting overseas players, saying their attitude and policy 'beggars belief'.

The attack comes after Llanelli recruited two antipodean players this week - All Black prop Dave Hewett and Australian lock David Duley - and after Cardiff coach David Young admitted he would have to look abroad to strengthen his squad.

The Blues and the Scarlets both signed up to the Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) new rugby charter, which limits the regions to two foreigners per region. Llanelli and Cardiff would now appear to have done an about turn.

Cuddy sees this as totally belying the 'stand-alone' status accorded to the two clubs during the regionalisation of rugby in the principality.

"I am absolutely horrified that these two clubs, who had the audacity to want stand-alone status, are now coming back and pleading that they don't have the players," he said in an interview with the Western Mail.

"These guys thought they were bigger than anybody else.

"They thought they were going to take on the world. Now they are falling apart and shouting for help outside Wales. It just beggars belief.

"They are saying there is not enough talent in Welsh rugby for them to have decent teams - even though we have gone down from nine, to five, to four sides.

"On top of that, I would say there are going to be at least 40 players coming out of contract at the four Welsh regions at the end of the season.

"We will be looking to recruit another four or five international players in the summer and that is where we will be looking first.

"What really leaves a bitter taste in our mouths is the perception these two clubs have of themselves. I have had a gutsful of it."

"We all had the same opportunity to recruit players in the summer, with the demise of the Celtic Warriors.

"I was bewildered by Gareth Jenkins' remarks that the other regions must have known more about the Warriors folding than the Scarlets did.

"I found that disrespectful and felt it was just a case of them trying to save face having not signed many players.

"We only signed the agreement a couple of months ago," he added, referring to the rugby charter.

"We all knew what squads we had and surely those two knew prior to signing what they would be needing."

The Ospreys have undoubtedly been the success story of the regional revolution. While the Dragons were initially beset with political problems (which are now admittedly easing), and Cardiff and Llanelli have both struggled to ensure any sustainable development, the Ospreys have developed their facilities and maintained a youth policy that is bearing considerable fruit this season.

"The Ospreys are going to be a phenomenon," said Cuddy.

"That sounds big-headed, but I really believe it. We have got superb indoor facilities now and a fantastic new stadium coming next year.

"The Ospreys jersey is outselling the Blues jerseys by two to one in Cardiff.

"Young boys in our area don't want to be Neath or Swansea players, they want to be Ospreys. That has happened in the space of 18 months.