Matt Symons Retires

[will311293]

Sad to see Symons has announced retirement aged 32 at Quins.

Real shame as hugely talented enforcer who was a cracking player for us.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/61248266

[wasps]

I'd not realised it was 4 years ago that he left.


I had been thinking recently about a number of the locks we've lost over the years while still in their prime or approaching it.




I feel Simon Shaw still had some time left in him.
Tom Palmer, George Skivington, Thibaud Flament, James Cannon, Matt Symons, Charlie Matthews, Will Rowlands


I'm sure there's others that were 1st choice or matchday squad players who have moved on too...


It feels like a high turnover position for us

[baldpaul101]

out of those though:
Simon Shaw & Tom Palmer wanted to take the French cash while they had an opportunity (can't blame them)
George Skivington didn't he leave because he wasn't getting enough games? Can't remember
Thibaud Flament - needed to be in France to play for France
James Cannon - always a 4th choice
Matt Symons - had missed most of a season with injury, Wasps might have had doubts as to his longer term fitness
Charlie Matthews - never really cemented his place even though he always looked decent when he played
Will Rowlands - needed to be in wales to play for Wales

out of that 8, I don't think Wasps could do much about 4 of them, and they probably weren't that bothered about at least 2 others.

However, you could also add Levi Douglas, Lash Jaiani & the other guy signed from a French club Edwards, can't remember his first name, don't think he ever played a game. But I would say none of those were guys Wasps would probably break the bank to keep.

[JonnyD]

We definitely didn’t see the best of Symonds when he was with us,  it helped by injury.
Frustratingly, in the first few seasons he had at Quins he was exactly the type of lock we needed.
Still think his best rugby was in NZ but a very decent career.

[DGP Wasp]

It's difficult to retain a player when they know that their opportunities are largely limited to covering international call ups.  No matter how good your squad depth at lock, if Launchbury is fit and available then he plays, and before him the same could be said of Shaw.  Absolute nailed on starters that stayed with the club for 10 years plus.  That's quite a barrier to anyone aspiring to start week in week out.  The same could be said of Shaw himself in the context of England.  He'd easily have twice the caps he had if a certain M Johnson hadn't got in the way (difference being he couldn't opt to change countries to get the opportunities his talent undoubtedly deserved).  No matter how good you are, out and out legends take some shifting.