MattyB wrote:
Hark back to the late eighties/ early nineties when Wigan were a much bigger club and a much better team than they are now. On occasions we dipped into the lower leagues for talent - Neil Cowie, Martin Hall...etc. It worked then, I'm sure we can find the odd gem now and again like other teams seem to be doing these days.
Undoubtedly. However, I still contend that if we are hoping to do the same from South Wales we will struggle to retain them, particularly if they are backs and turn out to be of international standard.
I asked earlier if players unearthed down there were of Wigan standard and Dudson and Flower were rightly pointed out as examples. Time will tell on that one but I would ask/point out - aren't they front rowers, a la Cowie and Hall? If so, they probably aren't suited to top flight RU in terms of physique which would force me to acknowledge that these RU areas may turn up some talent that wouldn't have been suitable for RU in any case. I am still to be convinced that we will uncover, develop and retain throughout the best years of his career any international quality backs from a RU heartland. I hope IL proves me wrong.
