Sam Costelow

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ABClub
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Sam Costelow

Post by ABClub »

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... d-17633314

Walesonline reporting Sam to Scarlets as a done deal. Absolute gut punch. Massive talent and hugely enjoyable to watch on the field. He was a leader in two academy league winning sides as well.

There's a lot of talent coming through the set-up with Costelow's year group that got promoted to the development squad a strong group of players. This years school leavers who are due to come up for next season are arguably an even stronger group.

Sam was a player that I was really looking forward to seeing in the senior side playing alongside the internationals though.
kk20gb30
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by kk20gb30 »

Agree about the talent , but players have to want to play for us
Seemingly heading rapidly toward senility .....Not long or far to go now , in fact, getting worse daily.....
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by jgriffin »

Many careers have foundered out in Llanelli. While the WRU practises poaching and blackmailing, players have to remember for the WRU (and the RFU) they are instantly forgettable as the mood suits. I wish him well and hope he gets the development and showcase for his talent; Tigers should make sure his peer group keeps close contact in case a return seems a better idea in a couple of years.
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by Traveller »

jgriffin wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:23 am Many careers have foundered out in Llanelli. While the WRU practises poaching and blackmailing, players have to remember for the WRU (and the RFU) they are instantly forgettable as the mood suits. I wish him well and hope he gets the development and showcase for his talent; Tigers should make sure his peer group keeps close contact in case a return seems a better idea in a couple of years.
wise words.
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by Knightonian »

If we rate Reffell we need to sign him on a 4 year with an offer to extend if both parties happy

Or whatever it takes to have an ability to circumnavigate Gatland law

Other wise we should keep clear or the valleys for developing players
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by SthrnTiger »

Didn’t Costelow sign his first contract last year? Does that mean he was only on a 1 year deal - seems crazy if so.
ABClub
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by ABClub »

To be an 'academy player' who doesn't fall under the senior ceiling their contract has to be below £30k a year. So even if Sam was signed to a 2 year development squad contract it won't have broken the bank for the WRU and Cardiff to bring him in.

The WRU are openly targeting players based outside the regions and putting funding into it.
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by BFG »

I think clubs and the RFU need to be doing more homework on who they are giving opportunities to.
Sam Moore has also left Sale to join Cardiff, he came through the English age grade system but has now said that he always felt Welsh.
That's a slap in the face of every English kid that misses out.
I recall a few years ago now a lad from Harborough playing for Leicestershire when his head coach from Harborough was also the county head coach and pal of his Dad, and then he got put forward for regional and then joined up with Scotland, there were much better English born and bred players who missed out.
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by SthrnTiger »

ABClub wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:58 pm To be an 'academy player' who doesn't fall under the senior ceiling their contract has to be below £30k a year. So even if Sam was signed to a 2 year development squad contract it won't have broken the bank for the WRU and Cardiff to bring him in.

The WRU are openly targeting players based outside the regions and putting funding into it.
Ah ok didn’t realise you can just buy players out of contracts.
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by ABClub »

SthrnTiger wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:21 pm
ABClub wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:58 pm To be an 'academy player' who doesn't fall under the senior ceiling their contract has to be below £30k a year. So even if Sam was signed to a 2 year development squad contract it won't have broken the bank for the WRU and Cardiff to bring him in.

The WRU are openly targeting players based outside the regions and putting funding into it.
Ah ok didn’t realise you can just buy players out of contracts.
If a player wants to leave, whether it's due to a higher offer, international ambitions, personal circumstances or whatever else then there's only so much a club can gain by refusing to release them. We won't know what Scarlets offered him whether it's cash or assurance of first team game time. 36 went to Gloucester for a promise of starting shirt for instance. It's even possible Pivac got in touch with Costelow himself for instance.

More money in the game means that players have more options available to them.
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by jgriffin »

ABClub wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:58 pm To be an 'academy player' who doesn't fall under the senior ceiling their contract has to be below £30k a year. So even if Sam was signed to a 2 year development squad contract it won't have broken the bank for the WRU and Cardiff to bring him in.

The WRU are openly targeting players based outside the regions and putting funding into it.
They have been doing this for a while, but there is more funding. My worry for some young Anglo players is that they are perceived as 'Welsh Exiles' and treated as such, with some neglect.
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by BFG »

jgriffin wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:59 am
ABClub wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:58 pm To be an 'academy player' who doesn't fall under the senior ceiling their contract has to be below £30k a year. So even if Sam was signed to a 2 year development squad contract it won't have broken the bank for the WRU and Cardiff to bring him in.

The WRU are openly targeting players based outside the regions and putting funding into it.
They have been doing this for a while, but there is more funding. My worry for some young Anglo players is that they are perceived as 'Welsh Exiles' and treated as such, with some neglect.
I think your worry is now inevitable.
The Premiership clubs don't have the resources to waste.
The WRU have made a big mistake of targeting these players at this particular stage.
Short term gain that could mean longer term pain.
It's happened before, patience will eventually run out.
It would've been more palletable to at least wait until the clubs had some return on their investments.
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by SthrnTiger »

ABClub wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:03 pm
SthrnTiger wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:21 pm
ABClub wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:58 pm To be an 'academy player' who doesn't fall under the senior ceiling their contract has to be below £30k a year. So even if Sam was signed to a 2 year development squad contract it won't have broken the bank for the WRU and Cardiff to bring him in.

The WRU are openly targeting players based outside the regions and putting funding into it.
Ah ok didn’t realise you can just buy players out of contracts.
If a player wants to leave, whether it's due to a higher offer, international ambitions, personal circumstances or whatever else then there's only so much a club can gain by refusing to release them. We won't know what Scarlets offered him whether it's cash or assurance of first team game time. 36 went to Gloucester for a promise of starting shirt for instance. It's even possible Pivac got in touch with Costelow himself for instance.

More money in the game means that players have more options available to them.
Fair point. Would probably need him to stick around for 3 more years to make any investment in developing him more worth it.

As others have said will be interesting how Prem clubs treat young welsh players in the future.
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by TomWeston »

An interesting perspective in the Telegraph as to how academy players are dealt with in France...

“ In France, the regulations for home-grown players - a ‘JIFF’ player - are tighter, the punishments more drastic. To qualify as ‘JIFF’, a player must have spent at least three seasons in a French club’s academy before turning 21, or have been licensed to play in France for five seasons before turning 23. Top 14 clubs must have 19 JIFF players across their 35-man playing roster, and match-day squads must feature on average at least 14.


This is not an advisory measure. Whereas before clubs would be fined for not meeting the JIFF quota, they will now be deducted league points. This is a ruling that even extends down to Pro D2.

As Noon attests, a French club’s valuation of a JIFF-qualified player would be far higher than that of an English club, because they are vital in fulfilling the quota.

“French players want to go to England,” adds Noon. “But [English clubs] aren’t going to want to bring in young French players, who can command more money in France, instead of EQP-qualified players.”

Former France hooker Benjamin Kayser, who spent two years at Leicester, is in no doubt about the benefits of his move to the Tigers. But, if he had the chance, would he make the same decision again?

“I wouldn’t even think twice. Leicester was a 180-degree switch for me. Leicester is not Las Vegas, but it broadened my horizons so much.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... ing-trend/

Elsewhere in that article Richard Hill points out just how lucky we were that Ben Kayser came to sunny Leicester! (BK’s English and perspective on the game make him a really good tv commentator too.)

“Circumstances play their part, too - with French players decidedly ambivalent about the prospect of English weather and cuisine.

“I’m in the north and I have trouble even attracting players from the south,” adds Hill. “They come up here and sometimes it’s rainy, cold and miserable. It’s often difficult to persuade them to come because in Provence they’ll be training in shorts and a T-shirt.””
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Re: Sam Costelow

Post by ABClub »

SthrnTiger wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 12:41 pm
ABClub wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:03 pm
SthrnTiger wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:21 pm

Ah ok didn’t realise you can just buy players out of contracts.
If a player wants to leave, whether it's due to a higher offer, international ambitions, personal circumstances or whatever else then there's only so much a club can gain by refusing to release them. We won't know what Scarlets offered him whether it's cash or assurance of first team game time. 36 went to Gloucester for a promise of starting shirt for instance. It's even possible Pivac got in touch with Costelow himself for instance.

More money in the game means that players have more options available to them.
Fair point. Would probably need him to stick around for 3 more years to make any investment in developing him more worth it.

As others have said will be interesting how Prem clubs treat young welsh players in the future.
Bristol must be concerned by it. Dan Thomas and Calum Sheedy from the first XV are WQP. Matt Protheroe, Toby Fricker and highly considered academy 10 Ioan LLoyd also.
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