The Welsh Rugby Union should regard Scarlets No 8 Fletcher Anderson as one of their own and provide the financial assistance needed to keep him in Wales, with the New Zealander a potential future international once he qualifies on residency grounds.
The 23-year-old has admitted that the prospect of playing for Wales was a significant factor in his recent decision to commit his long-term future to the Scarlets. Anderson, who impressed again against Leinster, told Scrum V: “It’s in the back of my head. It was a big, big reason I re-signed. You want to play international footy.”
He added: “Any athlete just wants to play at the pinnacle, whether that is in New Zealand or Wales. Any rugby player wants to play at the highest level and at the moment I can’t play for New Zealand. Everyone wants to play in the Six Nations or at a World Cup. That’s the dream. If that can motivate me for the next few years then I saw that as a big bonus. If that comes down the line then great but there are a few bridges to cross before then.”
Residency barrier extended
The problem for Anderson is that he is still four years away from qualifying for Wales on residency, with the period now extended to five years. Had he arrived in Wales a few years earlier, he could have qualified after three years, as Hadleigh Parkes and Johnny McNicholl did.
Anderson would greatly enhance Wales with his explosive ball carrying, relentless physicality and leadership, which proved a big hit at Parc y Scarlets last season. He will be 27 when he qualifies, with the prospect of a back row including the Scarlets man, Aaron Wainwright and Jac Morgan, with Kane James and Deian Gwynne also in the mix, offering Wales an exciting blend of power, athleticism and experience.
But four years is a long time in rugby and, if he continues in this vein of form, Anderson will surely attract interest from some of European rugby’s biggest clubs, as well as New Zealand’s Super Rugby franchises. There are already rumours that French powerhouse Bordeaux are sniffing around.
Investment and talent identification
The WRU’s director of rugby and elite performance, Dave Reddin, has previously spoken about the need to reduce the number of non-Welsh-qualified players in Wales. But the WRU should regard Anderson as one of their own and give the Scarlets the financial assistance to keep him in Wales, while Steve Tandy should already be making contact with the New Zealander.
The WRU’s commitment to invest £28 million in its player pathway over the next five years, alongside the creation of a National Academy, is both necessary and welcome. The priority now must be to get the structures underpinning the Welsh game right, but there should also be a comprehensive talent-identification strategy beyond Wales' borders.
If there is one lesson Wales can learn from Scotland, it is that successful unions leave little to chance. Scottish Rugby has built an extensive and highly effective exiles network, casting its net across Britain and beyond in search of eligible talent. Critics may argue that Scotland’s approach is born of necessity, given its domestic pathway does not consistently produce sufficient depth. There is some truth in that but Wales now finds itself facing many of the same challenges and should be equally proactive.
Opportunities beyond Wales
The pool of elite Welsh-qualified players in the southern hemisphere may not be vast, but opportunities do exist. Crusaders lock Tahlor Cahill is one example, along with Highlanders lock Tai Cribb. Recent history offers further evidence of opportunities missed. Ollie Hassell-Collins and Tom Lockett could potentially have become Welsh internationals before the next World Cup cycle had they not subsequently appeared for England A. At age-grade level, players such as Bath scrum-half Isaac Mears should also be firmly on the WRU’s radar.
Scottish Rugby and the Irish Rugby Football Union have long supplemented their pathways with residency-qualified players. Ireland’s rise has been aided by the likes of Jamison Gibson-Park, Bundee Aki and James Lowe, while Scotland has benefited enormously from the contributions of Duhan van der Merwe and Kyle Steyn.
So why shouldn’t the four Welsh regions, with the backing of the WRU, scour the southern hemisphere for young talent in positions where Wales lack depth, bringing those players into the Welsh system early enough to qualify for the national team? There should be no shame in that. The laws are the laws and Wales should be prepared to use them to its advantage. They should start by doing everything possible to ensure Anderson eventually pulls on a Wales jersey.
