Llewellyn, Ospreys No.10 & Stadium Name Change?
By Lestyn
July 5 2004
Wales record cap holder Gareth Llewellyn has secured his professional future in rugby for at least one more season, signing with French outfit Narbonne.
| Llewellyn thirty-five, has agreed a move to France after failing to find a British club after being placed on the
transfer list by Neath-Swansea Ospreys, who he still had 11 months on his contract remaining with.
Such a move may finally signal the end of an international career stretched over fifteen years and ninety caps. I doubt that many tears will be shed, should Llewellyn look to prolong his club career, by making himself unavailable for international duties. The Ospreys have opted out of targeting a big name Southern outside half, instead putting faith in emerging talent Matthew Jones, who feature at full back during Wales under 21 campaign. Jones started a good percentage of Neath's matches last season, including a man of the match display in the Konica cup final, and will vie with the not so talented Shaun Connor, to partner Andy Williams or new recruit Jason Spicer at half back. ''We have recruited a number of players this summer but there comes a point where you have to develop your own and we want to do that with
Matthew. WRU chiefs have refuted speculation they would accept another bid from the JPR Williams led consortium to buy the Millennium stadium. Instead they hope to tie up a multi million pound sponsorship deal, that would the stadium re-named, with a major company have their name used instead. Talks with BT and Barclays are believed to be on going, as David Moffett hopes to slash a figure of around twenty-million pounds off the Welsh rugby unions debt. There could even be the chance of both companies securing joint rights, with BT - Barclays Bank Stadium becoming a reality before the end of the year. |