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Ospreys confirm six players leaving along with assistant James
By Liam Heagney
Toby Booth has confirmed that six players are leaving the Ospreys along with assistant coach Brock James now that their 2021/22 campaign has ended. The Welsh region finished ninth in the URC table, winding up one spot outside the quarter-final qualification places but still finishing as the highest-ranked team from Wales to secure Heineken Cup qualification for next season.
That is a tournament they will now prepare for minus Lloyd Ashley, Ma’afu Fia, Rhodri Jones, Josh Thomas, Dewi Cross and Callum Carson, the half-dozen players who are leaving the club along with attack coach James.
A club statement read: “The Ospreys would like to pay tribute to all the players and coaches who have left and are leaving at the end of this United Rugby Championship season. We thank you for your contribution to the team and wish you all the best in the next chapter of your careers.
“We are proud that you have worn the jersey and played your part in the Ospreys' history. We pay tribute to your commitment to the Ospreys and for representing the region.
"The departures of Lloyd Ashley, Ma’afu Fia, Rhodri Jones and Josh Thomas have already been confirmed with their own personal statements during the season.”
Head coach Booth added: “This is always a challenging time of the year when we say goodbye to players and coaches but from all of us at the Ospreys we thank them for their commitment and what they have given to the region.”
Ospreys exits
Players: Lloyd Ashley (153 games), Ma’afu Fia (105), Rhodri Jones (87) Josh Thomas (17), Dewi Cross (10), Callum Carson (3);
Coach: Brock James (attack).
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Latest Comments
I think you have gone in the wrong direction here Nick. I think you need to delve down into the rules etc around Moana Pacifica’s selection policies and then you need to understand that a lot of KIWI BORN rugby players have PI heritage. It appears ok for the 4 home nations to pillage NZ born players constantly without retribution but you want to question whether NZ BORN players should be eligible for NZ? Seems a real agenda in there.
Go back and look at the actual Aims and agenda for MP becoming a entity and you see lots of things enshrined in policy that you arnt mentioning here. EG there is an allowance for a percentage of MP to be NZ eligible. This was done so MP could actually become competitive. Lets be real. If it wasnt this way then MP would not be competitive.
There also seems to be some sort of claim ( mainly from the NH ) that NZ is “cashing in” on MP, which , quite frankly is a major error. Are you aware of how much MP costs NZR Financially?
39 NZ born rugby players played at the last world cup for Samoa or Tonga. PLUS plenty for Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales.
Taumoefolau is a BORN AND BRED NZer. However I very strongly doubt he will be an AB, but who do you believe he should be allowed to play for? Levi Aumua is ALSO a born and bred Kiwi.
Aumua was eligible to represent Samoa and Fiji for the Pacific Nations Cup in July that year but ended up playing for neither. He IS eligible for his nation of Birth too Nick
He is a Kiwi. Are you saying an NZ born, raised Kiwi cant play for NZ now?
Sorry Nick Kiwi born and bred actually qualify for NZ.
Go to commentsYeah, Richie certainly stepped up for the ABs in 2022 and 2023 and proved he could translate his skills into the test arena. You have to understand many fans checked out at that point though, only to tune back in for a directionless WC final.
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