Ross Neal

[Peej]

Is moving west to play in Major League Rugby.

Bets of luck to him. A good player, who did a good job for us in tough circumstances. And one of the best debuts I can remember! Go well Stateside, Ross

[Rossm]

Wasps can today confirm that Ross Neal will be leaving the Club in December to make the move to the United States to play for Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby.

The centre, who can also play on the wing, joined Wasps in the summer of 2018 before bursting onto the scene with a try brace against Bristol Bears on his Gallagher Premiership debut in November 2018.

But the former London Scottish man has only played 13 times for the first-team and has been allowed to make the switch across the pond to pursue a new challenge.

Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “We have a lot of competition for places in the backline and unfortunately we couldn’t guarantee Ross a lot of game-time.

“Ross approached me to ask if he could take up this opportunity in the USA and it’s a great chance for him to play regular first-team rugby and test himself on a different stage.

“We’d like to thank Ross for his efforts over the past 18 months and we wish him the best of luck in his new venture.”

Neal, 23, added: “I’ve enjoyed my time at Wasps but the opportunity to get more game-time and test myself in the USA was something that really appealed to me.

“I’d like to thank the Club for giving me this opportunity and wish everyone associated with Wasps all the best moving forward.”

Good luck, Ross. Sounds like fun.

[mike909]

Good luck to the lad - and perhaps hope we can get to see some games!

[RogerE]

Now that would make a good pre-season fixture to go to 

[Neils]

Good luck Ross - never really got back in after his injury last season.

Seattle - some nice beer and food but just as wet as Bath on a bad night

[mike909]

Seattle - that's a good fixture - means I can pop over to see my cousin in Vancouver!

[Shugs]

A shame this as he looked to be breaking through before his injury. I always thought he had the makings of a decent full back. Good luck to him.

[MarleyWasp]

Good luck to the lad - and perhaps hope we can get to see some games!

If you check out my side project, www.rugbyonthebox.co.uk and it's Twitter account, you'll get all the links as every MLR match is streamed on Facebook...

[RBB]

This appears to be player driven, salaries in MLR are low but I am guessing he is also drawn by the attraction of living and working in the US, particularly Seattle. I liked what I saw, he isn't blessed with amazing technical skills but had appetite and strength which we have often struggled to find in the current squad, the backs at the moment being suspect in a few areas. I will probably be shot down but the few times he played he appeared to have more impact than MLB, who IMO has been limited and has not been particularly impactful, so this is a loss from the squad in my opinion, as I felt he had potential but if you aren't playing then your head gets turned more easily than if you are. I am wondering as to whether Dai has a plan to augment the backs or he will persist with what we have?

[coddy]

I liked him but he was never going to be a top class inside centre and with De Jon g and Fekitoa at 13 and our back 3 options his game time was always going to be limited.

[JonnyD]

Shame as he is still young and was coming on well. But if we want to play with a more creative 12 he is stuck at 13 and with Spink and a couple of other academy lads coming through in the centres he was always going to struggle for game time. Good luck to him

[BG]

I'm in agreement with you RBB. I think Dai signed 5 or 6 championship  players at the start of the previous season and I thought Neale, filling in on the wing, performed the best out of that new group.

In my mind I still think we're a bit light in cover for the centre positions.

Its a shame Wasps didn't  use him more but I can understand him wishing to move on to try and get more game time and try a new challenge.

Up to now its tended to be european players towards the end of their career joining the MLR so Neale's move is interesting. I think MLR has a $50k per player max wage ceiling so Neale might be taking a bit of a hit in terms of money

[backdoc]

Good luck to him.

I think he has plateaued at Wasps so the move makes sense.

Get some young talent in at 12 quickly so that they can learn from Gopps.

[JonnyD]

For me replacing Jimmy is the biggest bit of recruitment that Dai needs to be sorting.

How do we want to play from 12, power vs creative?
If it is the Jimmy mould as it seems to be as MLB is seemingly second choice then a Ryan Mills type player to bring in and trust to work with Umaga and move the club on over the next 5 years is essential.
I know Dai has looked at Mills a few times but that ship has probably now sailed.  Spink coming through is more in the mould of Daly than Jimmy so I hope Dai is shopping and not looking abroad or at another 13 who can fill in at 12.
I would also seriously be thinking about what kind of 12 would work best alongside Umaga. Does he want a bit more bosh outside him or a second playmaker, he is the future, we have 4 young SHs now and Umaga to take us forward but we need to replace Jimmy ASAP.
Loz would have been perfect but again that ship has probably sailed

[RBB]

There has been some internet noise (The Ruck) that Huw Jones is leaving Glasgow to return to SA/Stormers but Wasps and Tigers are also interested. I haven't seen anything else but that would be an interesting signing?