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Cuthbert comments may rile Cardiff Blues

Alex Cuthbert to join Exeter Chiefs

New Exeter Chiefs winger Alex Cuthbert insists he has no regrets leaving Wales.

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Cuthbert made almost a century of appearances for the Cardiff Blues, racking up over 200 points while he was in the Welsh capital, but he feels he’s made a step up by joining the Gallagher Premiership club.

“It’s different to what I’ve been used to at Cardiff, it’s a far bigger organisation and the way they go about things is probably on another level, but I’ve settled in well and I know it’s a club that’s pushing for honours.”

Those comments about the Chiefs being “a far bigger organisation” may agitate some, particularly with the Blues having won their second Challenge Cup in May with a thrilling 31-30 win over Gloucester. They’ve also opened the chequebook over the last few weeks to bring in 20-stone Samu Manoa from Toulon and former Ospreys prop Dmitri Arhip. Jason Harries has also joined, along with the season-long loan of Rory Thornton.

Cuthbert’s international career is now over too, he’s picked up 47 caps for Wales, but the ’60-cap rule’ means he’s not eligible to play for Warren Gatland’s side now he plies his trade outside the country.

“Reaching 50 caps was obviously in the back of my mind, but I just needed a change and when the opportunity came up at Exeter it was perfect. They’d been tracking me for a quite a while and I first spoke to Rob Baxter and Ali Hepher a couple of years ago, so if a top club like this is looking at you and they feel you’ve got something to offer, it gives you a lot of confidence.

“I’ve always wanted to play in the Premiership. It’s one of the best leagues going and to have the opportunity of joining one of the best teams in England and Europe now is something I wanted to grab with both hands.

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Cuthbert was a try scoring British and Irish Lions test winger in Australia in 2013, but has struggled to recapture that kind of form. He insists people should not write him off.

“I’m only 28 and still have a lot to offer. I bring size and speed and I’ve got a lot of power. With the experience I’ve got of playing in a lot of big games, I’m looking to bring that out and win things at the Chiefs.”

“I know I’ve got a battle to win a place here with the quality of competition from guys like Jack Nowell, Olly Woodburn, James Short and Santiago Cordero.

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Soliloquin 19 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Hastoy was a good prospect before the 2023 RWC, he was the fly-half who led La Rochelle to the victory in the Champions Cup final in Dublin against Leinster.

But he made it to the squad only because Ntamack got his ACL.

He played against Uruguay, which a terribly poor game by the French side, and since then he declined a bit, alongside his club.

Under the pressure of Reus and West at 10, he regained some credit at the end of the season (among all a drop at the 81st minute of a game).

He’s quite good everywhere, but not outstanding.

He doesn’t have the nerves, the defense and the tactical brain of Ntamack, the leadership and the creativity of Ramos or the exceptional attacking skills of Jalibert.


I really hope that:

-Ntamack will get his knee back. The surgery went well. He wasn’t the most elusive player in the world, but he was capable of amazing rushes like the one against NZ in 2021 or the Brennus-winning try in 2023.

-Jalibert will continue to improve his defense. He started working hard since March (after his defensive disaster against England) with a XIII specialist, and I’ve seen great moments, especially against Ntamack in the SF of the Champions Cup. It’s never too late. And it would be a great signal for Galthié.

-Hastoy will build up his partnership with Le Garrec, that La Rochelle will start a new phase with them and Niniashvili, Alldritt, Atonio, Boudehent, Jegou, Bosmorin, Bourgarit, Nowell, Wardi, Daunivucu, Kaddouri, Pacôme…

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LONG READ Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France