• Date of Birth: 24/07/1975
• Height: 6ft4
• Weight: 15st 5lbs
• Caps: 48 (+3 for the British Lions)

Dafydd James is the Cardiff Blues center and winger, having joined the Welsh rugby region in the summer of 2009.

He started his career at Bridgend, but it was at Pontypridd where he would make his name, forming a top class partnership with the future Welsh captain Gareth Thomas. Interestingly both were usual centers for the welsh valleys side, but would both be playing on the wing when it came to Welsh appearances.

Dafydd James’ career has taken him through a number of clubs. Llanelli, English side Harlequins, Bridgend again (twice more) and the Llanelli Scarlets – before recently signing for the Cardiff Blues. The reason for this signing was the disgraceful way he was treated by the Llanelli Scarlets.

He is a Welsh rugby legend. Actually born in Zambia rather than Wales I don’t think anyone can doubt his Welsh credentials with the name ‘Dafydd Rhys James’! With 48 Welsh caps and 3 British Lions caps it can certainly be said he has played at the highest level the game can offer. Add in the fact that he has the record number of tries in the Heineken cup and you certainly appreciated just how talented this center/wing is.

Interestingly though many people have failed to rate Dafydd James throughout his career. When he was playing for Wales there was always a suspicion amongst fans that he was simply the best of a bad bunch – and there was certainly a lot of shock he toured with the British Lions, and even more that he started the tests.

But time and again Dafydd has answered those critics with professional, hard working and talented performances. He has always shown skill and commitment in every game and is a player that young players should be looking up to as a real role model.

It is unlikely he has many games left at the top level, but as with every game and I am sure he will be giving it everything he can before bowing out.

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So anyway, two of the latest Welsh rugby transfers have been to the Cardiff Blues, with them signing former Welsh International and British Lion Dafydd James and All Black center Casey Lualua.

Step up in signings

After asking where the big signings for the Cardiff Blues were before I have to say this is more like it. OK they are not quite the world class signings Blues fans were hoping for – Lualua is far from an established international and Dafydd James is at the end of his career, but both are quality players.

With Jamie Robinson having moved to France there was a gap at 13, and that goes double so as Tom Shanklin is out injured until at least December. Gavin Evans, the Blues signing earlier in the summer, can play there but is more of a 12.

So signing both these players brings competition and cover for the 13 position. Dafydd James can play at center and wing, very successfully. As a Welsh international and a British Lion he brings in a huge amount of experience and leadership – and the sentimental side of me it is good to see such a top player get a Welsh region rather than having to play at a lower level. Especially considering the disgraceful way he was treated by the Scarlets.

Casey Lualua is a player I don’t know much about – but reports from people I know say he is a very exciting broken play runner, which is just the sort of player that Jamie Roberts needs to continue his growth as a top class inside center.

Squad Size

This is certainly good news for Cardiff Blues fans. Despite how well they did last season there is a feeling that the Blues need to be bringing in a number of new faces to kick on. The fact is that they got lucky with injuries last season – the only major ones happening where they have strength in depth. If they picked up a couple of injuries things could have been very different. It is not first team quality that is an issue, but strength in depth.

So these signings should be welcome news to all Blues fans – but there are still questions to be asked about certain positions. Center and especially wing are well covered now – but some positions, such as blindside where Molitika is the only top class specialist, still desperately need reinforcing.

All in all though a very encouraging pair of signings by the Blues, lets hope they have a few more up their sleeve.

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Dafydd James (and Gavin Thomas who also had his contract cancelled and is understood to be considering court proceedings) is a local legend, the top ever Heineken Cup try scorer, a Welsh International, a British Lion (scoring in a test vs Australia) and most importantly – a devout Scarlet, until now.

He put his body on the line time and again for the Scarlets, and they reward him by cancelling his contract because he got injured.  I know times are tough but this sort of action will dramatically hit moral and make others wonder if they really should be risking injury by going for those 50/50 balls – it could cost them their job, their careers.

They have used the money from the terminating of Dafydd James‘ contract to sign Scottish winger Sean Lamont from Northampton.  If this were a purely financial decision based upon lack of funds it would be awful but at least understandable to a degree.  But to then sign in another winger, no doubt on a very good wage, to replace James shows just how uncaring the Scarlets have become.

Now I know I have ranted on this before so I will lay off now – all I can do is wish Dafydd all the best in his court case and in finding a new club (he finished the season playing for his old side, Bridgend, in the Welsh Premiership and is now seeking another top class side).

A legend of a Welsh rugby player that really does deserve better.

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Did you know that the Scarlets have been cancelling players contracts because they are injured?

Have you heard how they told Dafydd James, one of the longest serving Scarlets, that he can’t play for them – when he tried getting on a bus to go to a game he was selected for? He was told right in front of his team mates, on a pavement, by Nigel Davies.

Check it out

Now I don’t know about the legalities of it, but never in my life have I been more angry with a team. To cancel the contracts of players, such as Dafydd James, who have got injured putting their body on the line for the team is about as low as it gets.

Despite being a Swansea lad I used to have a soft spot for Llanelli, I have family and friends from the region and always wanted them to do well. No more.

Players who lived, breathed and fought the cause as hard as they can have been told, at the side of a road in front of their whole team, that they aren’t allowed to play a game. They have been cast aside because they got injured playing for the team.

Where are the morals in that? Where is the compassion, the feeling of unity?

And how can any player play for the club again?

Think about it… would you want to put your body on the line knowing this could happen? If you were a Scarlets player right now and saw a 50/50 ball would you risk going for it? Would you stand in the way of a rampaging 8 if you were Martyn Roberts or Morgan Stoddart?

Would you bother diving into the ruck to secure the ball and slow it down if you were Simon Easterby or Richie Pugh?

I know I wouldn’t.

Moral will be at an all time low. They must all be wondering – am I next? What happens if I get injured?

It’s a disgrace. The Scarlets have shown their true colours here.

I just hope they get a new board in soon, because this one has shown in business decisions and now with regards playing decisions they are just not up to the job.

Want to show how rugby really is a family, not a money grabbing disgrace like this? Then please check out this rugby charity and donate as much or as little as you can.

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