Warren Gatland believes players should not rush into decisions they will later regret. Photo: Getty Images/Ramsey Cardy
The closeness between England and Wales He has often faced loyalty dilemmas over the years, given the number of players who can represent both countries.
Stuart Barnes was one of them . He was born in Grays Thurrock in Essex, but when his family moved to Newport he became captain of Wales Schools against England. He was called up to the Wales senior team before withdrawing while studying at Oxford University and heading to England instead.
Dewey Morris, the former England and Lions halfback, went in a different direction. He was born and raised in the Welsh town of Crickhowell, near Abergavenny. He came to the attention of England after further education took him to Crewe.
Professionalism further complicated matters given the financial rewards offered for playing. In England, private schools are offering scholarships to young rugby talent in Wales, and clubs such as Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester are offering contracts to Welsh players.
Exeter striker Immanuel Fahey-Waboso's decision to declare for England, despite being born and raised in Cardiff, has understandably brought the issue of loyalty into the spotlight.
I understand young players who want to keep their options are open and choices are made. because what they think is best for them. This is completely understandable: when you look at the resources and finances available in England, and the way things are going at the moment, there are many opportunities and options for players to consider.
But players should also be careful not to make a decision that they will ultimately regret and that will prevent them from pursuing other opportunities. Once a player receives a restriction, they are bound to that country, but as we saw earlier, some of them do not appear again for a long period of time.
Immanuel Fahey-Waboso could have played for Wales but chose to represent England. Photo: Getty Images/David Ramos
Take Ollie Hassell-Collins, for example. He is a player I would have loved to have selected for Wales, but he decided to go the England route and played against Scotland at the start of last year's Six Nations and has not been seen in an England shirt since.
The truth is that I probably would have played Fahey-Waboso in the Six Nations Championship game had he not decided to commit his future to England, but I have to respect his decision. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with his medical research.
Mike Forshaw, our defender, spoke to him and I know Steve Borthwick spoke to him. Look, he's got the talent, but that doesn't mean England are lacking a potential back three, and then you've got players like Henry Arundell and Joe Marchand, who's in Paris for a couple of years and could come back into contention if he decides to return.
The best reaction I had was when I told Neil Jenkins about the Fahey-Waboso decision and he, let's just say, reacted very loudly. I can't use the language he used, but it basically went something like this: “He was born in Cardiff and if he doesn't want to play for Wales then he can leave.” This made me laugh. That's what makes Wales so special: how proud they are to be Welsh.
I also found out in about an hour that week that Louis Rees-Zammitt had decided to leave rugby union to try out for Wales. NFL. I just wanted to laugh, telling myself that there's never a dull moment in Welsh rugby either.
Louis' decision came as a shock, but I've come to terms with it. I talked to my son Bryn about this. Louis is a good guy; he's not a bad person, and the most important thing I'm learning is that the younger generation has different influences and ambitions. Social media is very important, both Luis and his girlfriend have a lot of followers, and this probably gives him a chance to express himself in a different way.
He is only 22 years old and wants to try something new and fulfill his dream. It will be difficult, but he wants to become a superstar. He may be a superstar in rugby, but he can also be a superstar in American football. If that doesn't work out, he will still have plenty of time in rugby and time away could make him a better player because he will have to show resilience in a new environment.
Louis Rees-Zammit's decision to try his hand at the NFL has ruined Wales' game; Six Nations plans Photo: Reuters/Andrew Boyers
I appreciate the fact that he took the time to call me personally, even if his last-minute departure caused chaos behind the scenes before our Six Nations squad was announced. I would have been disappointed if he didn't call. He thanked me for the World Cup. He said he enjoyed the experience and learned and developed a lot during it.
Over the years I have realized that there is no point in having a player in the squad who does not want to be there. And this is even more important in terms of interaction with the current generation of players.
Players cannot be half in the game, half out of the game. If you want to play for us, then we will accept you and welcome you into our ranks. If not, good luck to you.
I remember seeing George North play at the age of 19 and thinking he was double qualified and I couldn't afford to wait another 12 months so I shut him up. We're such a small nation in terms of tier 1 gaming base and financial concerns, but I think we've punched well above our weight.
I would like to think that the players that come to the team that I coach and our staff will learn and develop and hopefully have some success that will give them the opportunity to develop and maybe compete for the Lions and be successful. in the Six Nations and at the World Cup.
But at the moment it is a difficult task. I've read comments in England about whether the jersey has the same traction. The same can be said for the Wales jersey because players today have so many options. They can do different things and go down different paths and that's the challenge for us as a nation and regions to be as successful as possible and create an environment where players want to be there and are happy to be there. We're not quite there yet as a collective group, and we really need to improve on that over the next few years. But we are building a core of young talent who I believe can be the heart of the team at the next two World Cups. That's what worries me.
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