Dear John... regions in a state of alert as Sharks powerpack WillGriff has a big decision to make
Wales’ regions are said to be on a state of high alert over the potential availability of WillGriff John next summer, with the Sale Sharks prop heading towards the end of his contract with Sale.
One of the strongest men in rugby, the 6ft 3in, 19st 11lb giant was named to make his Test debut against Scotland in March, only for the game to be called off because of the coronavirus pandemic.
John seems likely to get his chance, however, in the new season, with a glut of internationals lined up for Wales.
If he is capped he’ll have a major decision to make over his future: whether to stay with Sale and so fall foul of the 60-cap rule affecting exiled Wales internationals, or look to secure a contract with one of the Welsh regions.
In an interview with The Rugby Paper, he revealed he had agreed a permanent 25 percent pay-cut with Sale in June but isn’t tied to the club long term.
“The salary cut was agreed upon, but I didn’t sign an extension,” he said.
“I’m out of contract in July next year.
“It’s going to be quite a tough decision to make.
“I wanted to see out my contract and see what happens because I’ve had so much going on with lockdown and I’ve just had a little boy as well.
“It will take a fair bit of planning and thought over what’s best for me and for my family.
“By then and hopefully in the next few months I’ll have got my cap and the aim is to get more.”
So where will he end up? Here, we assess his options...
STICK WITH SALE
JOHN appears settled at Sale and the club rate him.
Less than a year ago, their director of rugby Steve Diamond was quoted as saying of the former Cardiff Blue: “He’s a massive man and a strong scrummager but he’s a lot more than that.
“Defensively, he’s in double figures every game. He has without doubt got the potential to play international rugby.
“I remember Richard Cockerill said when he was at Leicester that your highest-paid player has to be your tight-head prop and your second highest has to be your second-choice tight-head. That’s where I’m at with WillGriff John, who is one of our top tight-heads.”
John has featured 73 times for Sale over three seasons, and the old adage is it pays to play for a club that wants you.
But if he’s capped by Wales this term he will have some serious thinking to do, as he’d be caught by the 60-cap selection rule on exiled players.
DRAGONS
ON the surface, this seems a shade unlikely, with the east Walians already boasting a Wales squad prop in Leon Brown. That the big man is a handful around the field was shown again at the weekend, when he made an impact in the loose against the Ospreys. He is still a work in progress as a Test-quality scrummager, though.
The Rodney Parade region also have youngster Chris Coleman on their books and Lloyd Fairbrother can play at tighthead as well as loosehead.
So their need isn’t desperate. There again, never say never. Success in modern-day rugby often depends on depth and if Dean Ryan feels he needs a renowned scrummager who can bench-press 210kg then he knows where to look.
CARDIFF BLUES
AGAIN, the Blues appear to have plenty of options at No. 3, with Dmitri Arhip, Dillon Lewis and Kieron Assiratti on their books.
When he was at the Ospreys, Arhip was considered by many to be one of the best tight-heads in the PRO14. He developed into a punishing scrummager and, like John, could bench-press entire gyms.
He doesn’t make many headlines these days, having suffered the odd injury, but the assumption is that on a good day, he can still be a force to be reckoned with.
Lewis’ strength is over the ball and around the field generally, while there have been a few green shoots for Assiratti and he may yet develop into the player he wants to be.
Might the Blues benefit from having a power scrummager like John in their ranks? He had a short spell with them earlier in his career.
Or should the question focus on how much growth do Lewis and Assiratti have in their games?
If the Blues can get their current three tight-heads firing on all cylinders, they would have no need for John.
But for them, it seems a perennial challenge.
OSPREYS
THERE was applause from the rest of the Ospreys team when Nicky Thomas made a mess of a Dragons scrum late on in Sunday’s game in Swansea.
The ex-Waunarlwydd RFC player has had a tough time, with questions about his fitness following him around.
But as a scrummager he is useful and there’s still time for him to develop in other areas.
Ma’afu Fia and Tom Botha are also solid options.
Could John improve the Ospreys’ tighthead pool? Possibly, but one of the three they currently have would probably have to move on.
SCARLETS
THERE were encouraging signs that Samson Lee might just be back on the up with the Scarlets dominating the Blues scrum before the break in Llanelli, with Lee and Wyn Jones to the fore.
Werner Kruger is 35, but the Scarlets also have Javan Sebastian coming through.
As long as Lee stays fit, the west Walians have few concerns at No. 3.
But, long-term, don’t rule anything out.
OTHER
IF he’s capped by Wales in the coming months then it seems unlikely John would go anywhere other than a Welsh region if he opts to leave Sale.
VERDICT
THE big question is whether John is upgraded to full international status by Wayne Pivac over the next 10 months.
The probability is he will be. That being the case it will be decision time for him and his family.
He would enhance pretty much every one of the regional squads. But who’ll want him the most? The Ospreys, maybe? Well, Tom Botha and Ma’afu Fia are under two-year contracts and Nicky Thomas has been brought back from England because they Liberty team feel they can make something of him.
Perhaps the Dragons could benefit from adding to their front-row depth.
The other two regions could also be interested.
Ultimately, though, it’ll be down to the big man himself.
It’s his career and it’s about what he values the most.