Cardiff in ‘good space’ to retain top players

Coach Corniel Van Zyl believes Cardiff are “in a very good space” to keep hold of their key players after Ospreys were hit by the exits of Wales captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake.

Morgan and Lake will leave for Gloucester at the end of the season because of the uncertainty in Welsh professional rugby.

The duo have opted to head for Kingsholm while Ospreys fight for their survival amid the Welsh Rugby Union’s plans to cut to three men’s clubs.

There are fears that more Wales internationals will leave, with Aaron Wainwright, Dan Edwards and Kieran Hardy among leading figures approaching the end of deals.

Josh Adams and Taulupe Faletau are the most high-profile names out of contract at Cardiff, but the Arms Park side, who are currently owned by the WRU, are confident they can keep hold of their top talent.

“Not only for Ospreys but for Wales it was a tough one to take,” said Van Zyl about the Morgan and Lake exits.

“On our side, not to get too far ahead of ourselves, it’s really positive in terms of trying to keep hold of the players we currently have.

“We are in a very good space and I just believe we need to give people certainty when there is uncertainty with everything that is going around.

“We will wait and see what happens going forward, but at least for the next few months or year they will have certainty and we will see then what the future holds.

“Retention is the most important thing, to try and hold onto the players that we currently have, and that is really positive at the moment.”

Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel is sad that Lake and Morgan have opted for a new challenge over the border.

“From a Welsh rugby perspective, it is disappointing to see it,” said the former Wales scrum-half. “Undoubtedly, because you want your best talent staying within Wales.

“There’s a restructure going on at the moment and the uncertainty of that really creates situations where players need clarity.

“Once this is sorted out, I think it is really important that we try and hold the best players in Wales.

“It’s obviously disappointing for Welsh rugby to lose two quality players like that.”

Welsh rugby is currently facing a period of upheaval, with the number of professional clubs set to be reduced from four to three by 2027.

Plans point towards one team in Cardiff, one in the east of the country and one in the west – a scenario that could result in a straight fight for survival between the Swansea-based Ospreys and Scarlets in Llanelli.

An alternative proposal has also emerged, with Ospreys owners Y11 Sport & Media reportedly considering a takeover of WRU-owned Cardiff, which would also bring the number of professional sides down to three.

Against that backdrop, more than 80 Wales-based players are out of contract at the end of the season, creating a challenging environment for regions trying to plan ahead.

“It’s always a difficult period, because it is contracting season,” Peel said. “People are looking forward to next season and trying to get their future secured or sorted out.

“The uncertainty obviously doesn’t help that. As soon as everyone does get certainty, that will be for the best.”

Peel, like Cardiff counterpart Van Zyl, is hopeful that Scarlets will retain the core of their squad.

“You can only control what’s on the table at the minute for us,” he added. “Timing is a big thing.

“We do need to get a move on with a few things, but as soon as we get clarity, I’m sure we’ll be able to do the work we need to do.

“We want to be competitive as regions and as clubs. Having the best Welsh players available to us makes us that.”