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BREAKING: Leigh Halfpenny may just have agreed terms with a club
By James Harrington
The future appears to be clearing for out-of-work Wales and Lions fullback Leigh Halfpenny, according to reports.
He is set to join Scarlets on a three-year National Dual Contract (NDC), which would see the Welsh Rugby Union pick up 60% of his wage bill, The Times has said.
The move makes sense, as Scarlets look to plug the gap left following Liam Williams' move to Saracens.
Halfpenny has been out of contract since leaving Toulon to be third-choice fullback on the Lions' tour of New Zealand after helping the Top 14 side reach the final of this year's French competition.
Club owner Mourad Boudjellal withdrew a one-year extension to his contract, worth a reported €750,000 a year, a week after Halfpenny had left the club to go on tour days before the showpiece match against Clermont in Paris.
Boudjellal said at the time that he had taken the deal off the table as Halfpenny missed too many matches due to injuries and international commitments.
His future has been shrouded in mystery and speculation ever since, with clubs linked to his signature - including English Premiership sides Bath, Wasps and Leicester - falling by the wayside almost as soon as their names are mentioned.
Scarlets themselves had previously publicly ruled themselves out of the race for the player's signature. They said their recruitment plans were complete and that they could not afford another high-profile player, even on an NDC.
A proposed deal for him to join the WRU-owned Dragons had fallen through in March, while Blues and Ospreys - who already have Dan Evans, Sam Davies and James Hook already on the books - were also said to be uninterested in putting pen to paper on an NDC deal for Halfpenny.
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Latest Comments
In the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
Go to commentsI’d be fascinated to see what other candidates you all might have for the Lions captaincy role. Let me know, below 👍
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