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Rhys Webb could be paid to sit at home in Wales for 2 years

Rhys Webb of Barbarians celebrates scoring a t during the Killik Cup match between Barbarians and New Zealand All Blacks XV at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 13, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

The Rhys Webb situation with Pro D2 side Biarritz seems to be getting messy according to reports coming out of France.

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The former Wales and British & Irish Lions scrumhalf is contesting excusations that he failed a doping test, namely for human growth hormone (HGH). It was reported in August that Webb returned a positive test for growth hormone following an unannounced screening conducted by the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD).

Webb is facing a four-year ban if found guilty, which would end his rugby career.

According to Midi Olympique, Webb has returned to Wales and has found himself in a bizarre situation where he is being paid by the club while his case is being investigated.

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It means Webb is essentially being paid to sit at home in Wales by the French club, as he is not allowed to play for them, nor is he allowed to play for any other side as he is technically still under contract.

The AFLD can offer Webb an admission of guilt and the necessary sanction but if he contests the matter the case will go before an AFLD committee in France, a lengthy process that could take months.

Biarritz Olympique is said to still be waiting on a notification concerning the analysis of Webb’s B sample, which could potentially exonerate the former Ospreys halfback, or damn him.

However, as long as the case isn’t heard and Webb continues to assert his innocence, Biarritz will still have to pay his wages, even if he’s a 1,000km away in Wales.

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Webb represented the British and Irish Lions on their 2017 tour of New Zealand and won 40 Wales caps.

The 34-year-old was recalled to the national set-up by head coach Warren Gatland during last season’s Guinness Six Nations but announced his international retirement after being named in Wales’ preliminary World Cup training squad.

Former Osprey Webb had agreed terms with Biarritz until 2025, his second spell in French rugby having featured for Toulon between 2018 and 2020.

Webb scored a try on his Biarritz debut on August 17 but was not involved against Valance Romans the following weekend.

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With Biarritz in 10th place on the Pro D2 standing, one imagines they would like the re-route Webb’s sizeable salary onto a player they can actually field as quickly as possible.

additional reporting PA

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Soliloquin 1 hour ago
Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

I don’t know the financial story behind the changes that were implemented, but I guess clubs started to lose money, Mourad Boudjellal won it all with Toulon, got tired and wanted to invest in football , the French national team was at its lowest with the QF humiliation in 2015 and the FFR needed to transform the model where no French talent could thrive. Interestingly enough, the JIFF rule came in during the 2009/2010 season, so before the Toulon dynasty, but it was only 40% of the players that to be from trained in French academies. But the crops came a few years later, when they passed it at the current level of 70%.

Again, I’m not a huge fan of under 18 players being scouted and signed. I’d rather have French clubs create sub-academies in French territories like Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia and other places that are culturally closer to RU and geographically closer to rugby lands. Mauvaka, Moefana, Taofifenua bros, Tolofua bros, Falatea - they all came to mainland after starting their rugby adventure back home.

They’re French, they come from economically struggling areas, and rugby can help locally, instead of lumping foreign talents.

And even though many national teams benefit from their players training and playing in France, there are cases where they could avoid trying to get them in the French national team (Tatafu).

In other cases, I feel less shame when the country doesn’t believe in the player like in Meafou’s case.

And there are players that never consider switching to the French national team like Niniashvili, Merckler or even Capuozzo, who is French and doesn’t really speak Italian.

We’ll see with Jacques Willis 🥲


But hey, it’s nothing new to Australia and NZ with PI!

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