It is a Welsh rugby rule which has caused almost as much controversy as the never-ending debate in grammar circles over the Oxford comma, about which it is said there will never, ever be complete agreement.
Some have been against Wales' 60-cap regulation from the start, contending that players should be free to play their club rugby where they want. Others support it wholeheartedly.
Plenty argue about why it was brought in and who benefits the most.
“The primary reason it's there was to retain the best Welsh talent in Wales,” reckoned Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Phillips this week. “The main driver is to support the regions in having the best players and talent available to the regional teams.”
Well, the measure introduced to stop exiled players with fewer than 60 caps from playing for Wales also grants the men's national coach greater access and so improves his preparations for matches, with exiled players not available for all training sessions and games.
Whatever, change is in the air, amid talk of the threshold being lowered from the golden 60. "I think that's the conversation,” said Phillips. "Australia recently changed theirs to 30 but I think the concept is the key thing. I'm not saying we need to change it but that's not to say we don't need to review it. You can get into a debate over is it 60, is it a 100, is it 10 or 20 but if you do it as a concept it's always important.
"It's about getting the best players in Wales which supports the regions. It also supports the national interest because if we've got enhanced player release then Warren [Gatland] and his team have better access, 13 extra days every campaign.”
As to what Phillips precisely wants on the issue, the point at which the cap limit should be set, we can’t be sure.
But unless special dispensation is granted to Will Rowlands, who is joining Racing 92 for next season, he could be ineligible for next year’s World Cup, with the Dragons man currently having made only 23 Wales appearances.
Expect something to be done. It’s hard to imagine Warren Gatland being happy with a situation which stops the current Welsh player of the year from playing for the national team, and — statement of the obvious here — Gatland is someone whose words carry weight. He knows that if Wales are to have any chance of being competitive at the next World Cup they need to take the field with their best players on board.
Phillips said it was a question of looking at each circumstance as it presented itself, adding: “I don't know the full extent of where Will is going or what he's doing and that will have to be reviewed in due course. Without going into specifics we've seen this before with Rhys Webb and so forth. If there needs to be a special case this is something which is discussed at Professional Rugby Board level, yes."
Rough translation: Expect Rowlands to be at the World Cup, with a French phrasebook in his kitbag.
Giant locks who can carry, tackle, achieve turnovers, lead and poach opposition lineout ball and be safe on their own set-piece possession are not exactly to be found on every street corner in Wales. If a situation isn't brought about that sees the 6ft 8in forward on the plane for the global tournament next year, it will be a huge surprise.
But at what point should a new cap threshold be set if the rule is to be altered? Should it be put at 20 caps, allowing a swathe of experienced players to potentially depart the Welsh scene if they so wanted and still play for their country? Imposing a 30-cap rule would bring about a similar situation.
Or might a special measure might just be put in place for World Cup year?
Here’s an idea: unlock the financial impasse at the top of Welsh rugby and offer players the security they crave and a more settled environment in which to work, then they might not be so inclined to consider offers in England and France.
News that the regions are to be allowed to offer players conditional contracts is an overdue step forward, but every day without an overarching agreement between the Welsh Rugby Union and the regions is a day which is more damaging.
Let’s return to the cap rule. Below are the Wales appearance details of home-based players and the cap brackets they are in. Some of Welsh rugby’s most promising uncapped players who feature for the regions are also listed. It gives an indication of at what point players could be affected by any tweaking of the measure:
60 caps or over
Alun Wyn Jones (155), Justin Tipuric (89), Tomas Francis (67), Taulupe Faletau (95), George North (109), Leigh Halfpenny (97), Jonathan Davies (96), Liam Williams (81), Dan Lydiate (69), Ken Owens (86), Bradley Davies (66), Gareth Davies (67).
Between 50 and 59 caps
Rhys Priestland (56), Alex Cuthbert (55), Scott Williams (58), Ross Moriarty (54).
Between 40 and 49 caps
Josh Adams (44), Tomos Williams (40), Samson Lee (45), Wyn Jones (45), Elliot Dee (41), Adam Beard (41), Nicky Smith (42), Dillon Lewis (45).
Between 30 and 39 caps
Gareth Anscombe (35), Ryan Elias (33), Josh Navid (33), Lloyd Williams (32), Rhys Webb (36). Rob Evans (39), Aaron Wainwright (36), Scott Baldwin (34), Owen Watkin (36).
Between 20 and 29 caps
Rhodri Jones (24), Aaron Shingler (27), Rhys Patchell (21), Leon Brown (22), Will Rowlands (23).
Between 10 and 19 caps
Gareth Thomas (17), Kieran Hardy (16), Jac Morgan (16), Johnny McNicholl (10), Steff Evans (13), Rhys Carre (17), Seb Davies (17), Ellis Jenkins (15), Josh Turnbull (13), Willis Halaholo (10), Taine Basham (11).
Between 1 and 9 caps
Ben Carter (9), Dewi Lake 98), Rio Dyer (3), Joe Hawkins (1), Sam Costelow (2), Sam Wainwright (4), Bradley Roberts (3), Josh Macleod (2), Sam Cross (2), Dan Evans (2), Sam Parry (5), Owen Williams (3), Luke Morgan (1), WillGriff John (2), Tom Rogers (2), Matthew Morgan (5), Ben Thomas (2), Owen Lane (5), Jarrod Evans (8), Kirby Myhill (1), Matthew Screech (1), Rory Thornton (1), James Botham (9), Sam Davies (8), Ollie Griffiths (1), Johnny Williams (6), Thomas Young (4), Shane Lewis-Hughes (3), Kristian Dacey (8), Rhodri Williams (3).
Those who have yet to win a cap include…
Dane Blacker, Rhys Davies, Harri Deaves, Will Griffiths, Harri Morgan, Keiran Williams, Michael Collins, Keelan Giles, Mat Protheroe, Steff Thomas, Kemsley Mathias, Harri O’Connor, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Dan Davis, Joe Roberts, Ryan Conbeer, Archie Hughes, Harri Williams, Corey Domachowski, Efan Daniel, James Rattie, Joe Peard, Liam Belcher, Teddy Williams, Max Llewellyn, Mason Grady, Aled Summerhill, Morgan Morse, Max Clark, Chris Coleman, Jack Dixon, Ben Fry, Ashton Hewitt, Steff Hughes, Harri Keddie, Sean Lonsdale, George Nott, Aneurin Owen, Angus O’Brien, Will Reed, David Richards, Ellis Shipp, Jordan Williams, Cameron Winnett, Ryan Woodman, Alex Mann, Ethan Fackrell, Che Hope, Garyn Phillips, Morgan Morris, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Ioan Nicholas, Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler, Rhys Henry, Jac Price, Corey Baldwin, Dan Jones, Luca De La Rua, Harri Ackerman.
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