Dan's A Big Loss But Ospreys Do Have Sam

Dan's A Big Loss But Ospreys Do Have Sam

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DAN BIGGAR is a colossal loss to Welsh rugby. It was no surprise to see his move to Northampton Saints confirmed this week – we all knew it was coming – but that doesn’t make the bitterest of pills any easier to swallow.

When Dan was first linked with the Aviva Premiership, I wrote how the Welsh Rugby Union must move heaven and earth to try and keep him in Wales. To their credit, both the governing body and the Ospreys came up with a good offer, but the way the market is at the moment, Saints could still blow that out of the water. It’s a once in a lifetime contract for Dan and the reality is the money available in Welsh rugby just can’t compete with what’s over the Severn Bridge.

Looking at Dan’s move from a purely selfish point of view, I’d have loved him to stay with the Ospreys. We all want our best players to be in Wales to inspire the next generation of young fans, but as we’ve seen in the past, that’s not always what happens. Players come and players return, but I don’t think anyone in Welsh rugby can deny Dan has given his all during his time here.

What a servant he’s been. His commitment to the Ospreys has been incredible and he’s delivered for his home region with distinction. Just look at his numbers; he’s played at the Liberty Stadium for over a decade and he’s made more than 200 appearances and scored in excess of 2,000 points.

Then there was his match-winning conversion to help the Ospreys lift the Celtic League title in 2012. I’ll always owe Dan for that one because it was the start of some brilliant celebrations!