Scrum.com : Bateman released from Welsh trial duties

Bateman released from Welsh trial duties

30 September 2007, 2:55 pm

Alan Bateman has been released from the Welsh trials day on January 29th to allow him to line up for Northampton in the Tetley's Bitter Cup the same day.
"Graham (Henry) has been very understanding and is quite happy to release Allan. He knows his game and has seen a lot of him recently," said Northampton's director of rugby John Steele.
However other English club coaches are not so happy about the situation. Bristol's Director of Rugby Bob Dwyer, who could lose three players to the day's two trial matches in Swansea is seeking to speak to the Welsh management to clarify the position.
He has questioned the need for up to 70 players to attend, saying "Are they seriously looking at them, or are they just filling in numbers?"
Henry, although admitting that some of his proven stars may not need to play a full 80 minutes, is adamant that he will have as big a pool of players as possible on the day, with next June's development tour to South Africa as much in his mind as the imminent Six Nations campaign.
"There are some guys who have played a lot of football in European competitions. We would not want someone like Neil Jenkins to play 80 minutes - he can play for 40 because we already know about his ability and he has played a lot of rugby recently."
"But we need to see someone like Craig Quinnell play for a full 80 minutes because he has not played a lot of rugby lately. We need to get that balance right in the way we organise the trial day."
"And we will be able to take a look at the selection of the development squad that will tour South Africa in June. This trial will be a crucial part of that selection process as well."