What do we do about Tommy

[poshtiger]

Sign him up on a 10 yesr deal. I am sure this will be better than him playing for Dragons and wasting his time

[wigworth]

Probably we will just have to enjoy the time he is here, given he has been the player of the series so far for Wales I doubt there is much we can do long term before a move to Wales beckons.

[longlivethecrumbie]

We had until a week last Saturday to get him signed up to a long-term deal. You'd hope that we managed to get that done.

I do wonder though whether there is a way around 'Gatland's Law'. Pure speculation, but, could you get the player signed up to a rolling contract with annual pay reviews?

[Rugbygramps]

Not much we can do I’m afraid other than hope that he makes himself that important to the welsh team that they will allow him to play at Tigers whilst still remaining part of the welsh squad, as they do with LRZ , Tompkins Biggar et al. I do realise that each case is individual based on cap etc

[Darc Tiger]

Not much we can do I’m afraid other than hope that he makes himself that important to the welsh team that they will allow him to play at Tigers whilst still remaining part of the welsh squad, as they do with LRZ , Tompkins Biggar et al. I do realise that each case is individual based on cap etc

This. Its largely out of our hands. I'm sure Tommy would love to stay, if an arrangement with the WRU can be agreed.

[Pmvl]

When I was talking to his mother she stated.
A He didn’t want to leave tigers to go & play at a lower level, which he would be if he went back to Wales
B. He wanted to play for Wales
Pivac would appear to be a level headed chap so would he want Tommy to return to a lower level or would he want him to continue to grow & develop at a first class team which can only be good for Wales, if he continues to develop as he has the past few seasons Tommy could become one of the best 7’s playing, let’s hope we’ve got him signed up on a longer term deal which would only be better for him, Tigers & Wales

[TigerFeetSteve]

I for one hope we got a contract extension out of him prior to his first cap say we signed him on a 4 year contract (long but not unheard of)

He's possibly got enough time to get to 60 caps if he stays fit and plays most games for them, though realistically unless he's signed a 5+ year deal he's unlikely to pass that threshold.


We just have to see what signings we've still got to announce, hopefully his extension is one of them.

[Tigersunited]

Very much doubt we will announce anything, Steve and Andrea will have this sorted.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Very much doubt we will announce anything, Steve and Andrea will have this sorted.

If he's signed a contract extension it will get announced, like all contract extensions do.

[Chobbsy]

Cry if he leaves

[Rugbygramps]

If you are an international coach surely you look at the reasons he has moved from a very good player to an exceptional player inside a season. For me it’s who he is playing with week in and week out, the likes of Wiese, Liebenberg, and the coaching he is receiving at club level.
Why move him out of that environment.

It would just seem to be counterproductive on every level.

[GB72]

If you are an international coach surely you look at the reasons he has moved from a very good player to an exceptional player inside a season. For me it’s who he is playing with week in and week out, the likes of Wiese, Liebenberg, and the coaching he is receiving at club level.
Why move him out of that environment.

It would just seem to be counterproductive on every level.

Sadly I do not think that the player comes into it. The Welsh regions are failing to the extent that they cannot support 4 any more. Without the rule of having to play in Wales to play for Wales I can see a mass exodus of players and the near colapse of professional club rugby in Wales. By making players play in Wales, they can ensure that their star names are still bringing supporters in to the regions as well as being able to recruit players at lower salaries than if they did not have the benefit of the international bargaining chip.

Sadly I think that the rule is there to prop up the regions rather than there being any real interest in player development, in the same way that we applied this to stop our biggest names all heading to play in France.

I feel so sorry for players like Tommy who basically have to chose between a succesful club career or an international career but not both.

[jgriffin]

Welsh rugby, alas, is beginning to look like a portal to Hell, with the moribund such as Bridgend, the barely-breathing, such as Neath, and the graveyard of ambitions in general. WRU has wrought misery, and the ruination of promising careers, really starting with the failure to form the AngloWelsh leagues and then the comic invention of regions. Whoever thought up the Swansea-Neath Ospreys was taking the proverbial, and basically wrecked two great clubs (IMO Neath would've thrived in an AW League, as would Llanelli)
The trouble is that players like Tommy have the ghosts of those who've moved and disappeared to haunt their thoughts. Who wants to be a whipping boy for Zebre?

[Leicestertinytiger]

Well Welsh players in the past have still managed successful careers in the premiership like Biggar, Francis, Tompkins, LRZ etc. so no reason the club couldn’t be clever and arrange something similar.

[RagingBull]

Well Welsh players in the past have still managed successful careers in the premiership like Biggar, Francis, Tompkins, LRZ etc. so no reason the club couldn’t be clever and arrange something similar.

Francis had to leave a premiership wining team to join the Ospreys