James Haskell will be released by Wasps at the end of the season and is in danger of missing the World Cup next year because he does not have another Aviva Premiership club to play for.
Wasps will announce this week that the England flanker will be departing after two stints at the club lasting a total of 12 seasons. Haskell is keen to stay — it is understood that he would take a pay cut to do so. Wasps, however, were not keen to negotiate.
The problem for Haskell is that he hopes to carry on playing for England, for whom he has won 75 caps, and to extend his international career through to the next World Cup. He is 32 — and will be 34 by the time of the tournament in Japan — and knows that, if he remains in control of it, that is where his England career will come to a natural end.
Eddie Jones, the England head coach, will only select players who play for English clubs and, as things stand, Haskell has no club to go to. He has had interest from French clubs, but moving abroad would bring an end to his international career.
It is also understood that he has received interest from London Irish, but they are strong favourites to be relegated and Haskell knows that he is unlikely to be competing for an England place if he is in the Championship.
Advertisement
The issue for Haskell is that most clubs have already done their transfer business for next season, even if they have not yet announced it.
His hope is that he can offer himself as a bargain, even on a one-year deal. He would be prepared to take a pay cut in order to extend his shelf life in the international game.
Jones certainly appears keen to prolong Haskell’s England career. It had seemed that Haskell’s international days were coming to an end earlier this season when he was not selected for the autumn internationals. At that point, Jones challenged him to raise his game. It seemed that he responded accordingly because he was selected for the England squad for the forthcoming NatWest Six Nations.
Because of a suspension, Haskell is not available to play in the first two rounds of the tournament, but Jones has again shown his faith by keeping him in the training squad. Joe Marler, the Harlequins prop, is also serving a suspension.
“They’re guys that are potentially important to us,” Jones said yesterday. “The aim is when they are available, they come in and give the team renewed energy.”
Advertisement
Haskell’s frustration is with Wasps, a club he is so disappointed to leave, but they have something of a changing of the guard in the back row next season. Not only is Haskell leaving, but so too is Guy Thompson, who is moving to Leicester Tigers. All the signs, sadly, suggest that Wasps may also be without Sam Jones, who was a rising star of the Premiership before he suffered an injury when in camp with the England squad 15 months ago.
Jones, 26, who broke bones in his leg and ankle and ruptured all the ligaments in the latter during a judo session, has been struggling to get back to full fitness ever since. The next few weeks are expected to provide the big test that he needs to pass in order to carry on. If not, he may be forced to retire from the game.
Wasps have already signed Brad Shields, the Hurricanes flanker from New Zealand, to replenish their back-row options.
They also intend to bring back Nizaam Carr, the Springboks loose forward, who has been at the Ricoh Arena on a short-term contract in recent weeks.
Carr can play either at No 8 or blind-side flanker. The 26-year-old, who has five caps for South Africa, has been a real hit with Wasps, whose fans will be delighted he will returning, and this time on a full-time contract.
Haskell’s travels
Wasps
Joined junior side after starting at Maidenhead Rugby Club
Stade Français
Spent two seasons playing in the Top 14 in France
Ricoh Black Rams, Highlanders
Rejoined Wasps after leaving France, but first played in Japan and then in Super Rugby in New Zealand after the 2011 World Cup
Wasps
