Wales prop Craig Mitchell to join Ospreys' exodus

[TRF_Cymro]

Wales prop Craig Mitchell is poised to sign for an English Aviva Premiership side, with Exeter tipped as his likely destination, Scrum V understands.

Mitchell faces Scotland on Saturday in the Six Nations as a stand-in for injured tight-head Adam Jones.

He is also Jones' back-up at the Ospreys who have seen Gavin Henson, James Hook and Lee Byrne either leave or announce they are to do so.

The 24-year-old Mitchell is set to quit the Ospreys at the end of the season.

He has made 35 appearances for the region, 15 of them this term after two appearances from the bench in the 2005-06 season from Neath.

Mitchell first came to the Welsh public's attention when plucked from being a Neath regular in the Principality Premiership to be a member of the national squad's 2009 tour to north America, while Jones was on British and Irish Lions duty in South Africa.

But Mitchell made steady progress through Welsh rugby's international age-grade sides before making appearances from the bench on that north America tour against Canada and the United States. Mitchell has since taken his Test tally to five.

His move to England, which is expected to take effect after the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand during the autumn, will further test Wales coach Warren Gatland's desire to have his players based in Wales.

Hook is joining Perpignan, Byrne is heading to Clermont Auvergne and Henson has already moved to Toulon via Saracens.

Scrum-half Mike Phillips has also been linked with a possible move from the Liberty Stadium, while head coach Sean Holley has spoken openly of the disadvantages of employing a high number of current Test players.

But their handling of Hook has led ex-Ospreys skipper Scott Gibbs to describe the region as "a disgrace".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/9393946.stm​

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Will be a good signing for whoever gets him,

Will admit to not seeing a massive amount of him, but he's looked good in what I have seen

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Wonder why he would go to Exeter, could do a decent job at the Blues or Dragons.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Dragons would be a great move for him. He'd be first-choice and under Gatland's eye, where as he won't be for Exeter. London Irish, I've heard, are also intrested. That would be a bit more like it, if he's playing in the Heineken Cup and the top end of the Premiership. If he has to go to England, his best bet is to head to Wasps, Sale, ect who all have Welsh players already as I can't see the managment going out of their way to monitor Craig Mitchell.

 

[dullonien]

I'm sure the biggest reason for him moving is to be first choice and not stuck behind Adam Jones. Whilst I believe Adam has been good for his development, he now needs to play regularly to improve further, and this is good news for Welsh rugby as a whole, even if it's shitty news for the Ospreys (back to Cai Griffiths as their no.2?) Wtf are the Blues and Dragons doing. He's a quality prospect, and is already a better scrummager than anyone they have in their ranks. They should be going hell for leather to sign a Welsh qualified tighthead like him, there's precious little of them available. If the Blues want to develop as a team, they simply have to recruit a quality tighthead or two. Young has stated himself that Powell, Felise and Yapp are all converted loosheads who struggle scrum time against the best. Andrews has potential, but is currently waaaay off the pace come scrum time. There will be plenty more repeats of the Norhampton games if they don't do something about it. The Dragons regularily get slaughtered scrum time, so they also need to recruit someone of better stature than Ben Castle!!!!

 

[Draggs]

I'd love to see him sign for us, and perhaps Duncan as well.
Then we would just need a hooker. Welcome to Newport, Ken Owens!

 

[Bluemoon]

Perhaps Exeter can offer Craig a more lucrative salary, where as the Blues and Dragons have openly said they are relying on youth for the next few seasons.

I do admit we should have kept him in Wales though.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

I'm sure the biggest reason for him moving is to be first choice and not stuck behind Adam Jones. Whilst I believe Adam has been good for his development, he now needs to play regularly to improve further, and this is good news for Welsh rugby as a whole, even if it's shitty news for the Ospreys (back to Cai Griffiths as their no.2?) Wtf are the Blues and Dragons doing. He's a quality prospect, and is already a better scrummager than anyone they have in their ranks. They should be going hell for leather to sign a Welsh qualified tighthead like him, there's precious little of them available. If the Blues want to develop as a team, they simply have to recruit a quality tighthead or two. Young has stated himself that Powell, Felise and Yapp are all converted loosheads who struggle scrum time against the best. Andrews has potential, but is currently waaaay off the pace come scrum time. There will be plenty more repeats of the Norhampton games if they don't do something about it. The Dragons regularily get slaughtered scrum time, so they also need to recruit someone of better stature than Ben Castle!!!!

Powell retired last year!

Andrews is the future for the Blues mind.

 

[MichaelBoard]

I'd love to see him sign for us, and perhaps Duncan as well.
Then we would just need a hooker. Welcome to Newport, Ken Owens!

Recruiting those 3 would be fantastic and would be a major coup for us!

 

[Bluemoon]

Do the dragons have the money for those type of signings? Or am
I missing the point and we are making fantasy signings?

Don't worry, they'll be signing some more ex blues players at the end of the season anyway

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

As an outsider, my knowledge of Welsh rugby isn't as good as the Welsh posters here. One observation I have from this move (and others) is are the Ospreys in financial trouble? Their lowish crowds must make their star studded playing staff difficult to afford (although I believe the Ospreys shift a ton of merchandise). Not qualifying for the Heineken Cup last eight must be a bit of a financial blow too. James Hook and Lee Byrne moving on dumps a lot of salary from their books and I'm sure Aaron Jarvis will be costing them less than Wales international Craig Mitchell.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

As an outsider, my knowledge of Welsh rugby isn't as good as the Welsh posters here. One observation I have from this move (and others) is are the Ospreys in financial trouble? Their lowish crowds must make their star studded playing staff difficult to afford (although I believe the Ospreys shift a ton of merchandise). Not qualifying for the Heineken Cup last eight must be a bit of a financial blow too. James Hook and Lee Byrne moving on dumps a lot of salary from their books and I'm sure Aaron Jarvis will be costing them less than Wales international Craig Mitchell.

Cuddy has the money there, I think the players are leaving because things internally are not rosey. By this the team has so much talent but to be under-performing has to be a real concern. Not only this problems from the Taibach incident and falling out with feeder clubs within the Ospreys set up has meant that certain players from certain clubs will never be looked at and the reputation of others has been damaged. Because of this the gates are also falling, maybe the only way the Ospreys can go from here is up, personally I can only think this will only really be a short term problem, anyone who watches the Ospreys will tell you that the youngsters they possess are amazing and given a few years exposure to the Magners, Wales might find players there. Regarding the signing of Jarvis, he is Welsh qualified, and I think the Ospreys are hoping they can turn him into an International prop, personally I have never seen him play so we shall see.

Where does the problem lie? Ask the same man who who was involved with Ruddockgate and is now in charge at the Ospreys!

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Where does the problem lie? Ask the same man who who was involved with Ruddockgate and is now in charge at the Ospreys!

I'd like to thank that man since he indirectly drove Rhys Ruddock into the Leinster and Ireland camp!

 

[TRF_Cymro]

I'd like to thank that man since he indirectly drove Rhys Ruddock into the Leinster and Ireland camp!

Don't mention that ever again :lol: ... please

 

[Charles]

The Dragons regularily get slaughtered scrum time, so they also need to recruit someone of better stature than Ben Castle!!!!

 

[TRF_Cymro]

According to the South Wales Argus ... of which I know nothing about ... claim the Dragons are in the mix for Mitchell.

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/8851627.Dragons_in_for_Mitchell/

Would be the best move for him, getting regular game time and stays in Wales, also sorts out a problem for the Dragons and could see the end of Castle there.

 

[dullonien]

That would be awesome for Welsh rugby. Unlike the likes of Hook, Phillips and Byrne, Mitchell isn't a mainstay in the Welsh team, he's someone who's just breaking through. If he went to England I can see that really hindering his international aspirations. He'd probably be on less pay at the Dragons, but he's guaranteed to be first choice, and if anything his chances to play for Wales will increase (or at least sit on the bench).

Would be great for the Dragons to have a decent tighthead again, someone who doesn't go backwards at a rate of knots. The knock on to that will being able to see what the young loosheads are really like over there. Whilst the likes of Gustaffson are obviously not great scrum time, their job is made harder by having such weak tightheads, so maybe they'd fare a little better with someone half decent like Mitchell. Bit hopefull maybe, but we see something similar with Gethin Jenkins, solid for Wales with Adam at 3, creaks for the Blues with poor scrummagers at 3!