Frustration as Welsh talent headhunted by England

Former fly-half Elinor Snowsill says it is "very frustrating" when England come after Wales' best young talent.

Snowsill has been leading one of the Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) player development centres since calling time on her Wales career two years ago.

She also coaches Wales Under-18s and Cardiff Met, where she said there is a "golden generation" coming through.

But Snowsill is concerned by "headhunting" from across the border.

"In the past couple of months some of our most talented players at age grade are being approached by England and asked to go over there instead," she told the Scrum V podcast.

"I find it very frustrating as they've come up through Welsh systems and pathways."

Snowsill said she understood the draw of going to play for the World Champions, especially given the success of Wales-born Meg Jones and Lucy Packer, but "it just feels wrong".

"You've seen the RFU [Rugby Football Union] invest heavily in their top side in the Red Roses, in contrast Wales and Scotland have invested heavily in their pathways in the last couple of years," she said.

"They [England] are so dominant right now, they've got so many players playing.

"There's a couple [of Welsh players] that are saying this is actually what I want to do.

"They watched Wales come out in the early stages of the World Cup and not perform and then watched England lift a trophy and the buzz around that."

But Snowsill says staying in Wales does have its benefits.

"We're a small nation so we can really pool our resources together," she said.

"If they go over to England they are just another number, the chances of them getting capped for the senior squad is so much smaller."

Snowsill welcomed the WRU's extra funding for its two Celtic Challenge teams Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning.

It will allow for dual contracts, additional coaching staff and resources - all with the aim of attracting Welsh talent back to Wales.

"We 100% have to be bringing players back if they're not making the team sheet or playing a significant amount of rugby [in England's Premiership Women's Rugby]", she said.

But Snowsill believes it has to be a competitive package or players will remain in England, even if they are not making matchday squads.

"We've worked hard to develop our talent, the challenge now with this new funding is to make sure that we make it as attractive as possible to stay in Wales and be part of the journey," she said.

"It's not going to happen overnight.

"But I genuinely believe in the next World Cup cycle - and the one after that - that Wales are going places."

As well as extra money into the Celtic Challenge, the WRU also proposes a new four-club league, with teams competing against each other in a league format.

Former Wales international Philippa Tuttiett thinks Wales would be better off with just one professional team - whether that be in the Celtic Challenge or the potential of entering the PWR.

"Every player deserves to be supported in the best possible environment to try and achieve their ambitions, but you can't give too much too soon," Tuttiett told the Scrum V podcast.

"If you take Wales' Six Nations team that came bottom and who had a poor World Cup - that's 30-35 players - how are you going to make two pro teams out of that? You've got to add even more players."

Tuttiett also emphasised the importance of making players aspire to be professionals, rather than contracts just being handed on a plate.

"I worked so hard when I was younger to even get into my club team. If someone turned around to me when I was 18 and said 'there you go, there's a professional contract' I don't know if that would have kept my hunger still alive," she said.

"I personally would prefer it to be one professional team and build, let's not go too big too soon.

"Arguably the best [Wales] players who are getting that PWR game time will probably want to stay there, so maybe you're only looking at half of the Six Nations squad making this professional team and adding to that with some extras."