Wales, the crux of the 25 cap rule: exceptions and possible abolition spark the debate

The discussion around the 25 cap rule for the national team returns to the center of current affairs in Welsh rugby. At a time of great structural fragility of the movement, the idea of ​​abolishing the restriction that limits the summoning of players who play abroad to the ranks of the Dragons is viewed with great concern by the provinces.

The CEO of the Ospreys, Lance Bradley, clearly expressed himself, defining a possible cancellation of the rule as “catastrophic” for Welsh rugby.

The rule, already widely discussed and partly voided by some recent exceptions, remains one of the few tools for retaining the brightest talents within national borders.

Read also: Warren Gatland: “I was a consultant to international referees, but now I’m thinking about the Rugby World Cup”

Exceptions to Gatland’s Law

The introduction of limits on the movement of Welsh players to foreign clubs was the work of Warren Gatland in 2014. The so-called “Gatland’s Law” adopted by the WRU initially provided for the achievement of 60 caps before being able to go abroad, then the ceiling decreased to 25; subsequently the federation began to grant exemptions.

In recent months, cases such as those of Rhys Carre and Jarrod Evans, called up despite playing in England without having reached 25 caps, or the situation of Jac Morgan, who will be able to add his caps with the Lions to those with Wales, have shown increasing flexibility in the application of the regulation.

The issue could become even more sensitive with the future of Dan Edwards, the Ospreys opener courted by Leicester Tigers but still far from the minimum requirement for international appearances. In this scenario, Bradley fears a domino effect that would lead to the best young Welshmen leaving the country.

According to the manager, allowing players to move freely abroad would reduce control over development, physical management and availability for national team meetings, with the real risk of further weakening the remaining provinces. A theme that is intertwined with the future programming of the WRU and which promises to remain central in the near future of Welsh rugby.

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