Joe Hawkins: Exeter believe new signing remains eligible for Wales

Joe Hawkins has played five internationals for Wales

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter says he expects new signing Joe Hawkins to be available for Wales selection after signing the centre from Ospreys.

Hawkins, 20, has been capped five times since making his international debut last November.

The move means Hawkins falls short of the eligibility clause of players playing outside Wales, who are now required to have won 25 caps to represent their country.

The bar previously stood at 60 caps.

When asked whether he expected Hawkins to play for Wales at the 2023 World Cup and beyond, Baxter replied: "Yes, if selected as an eligible Wales player.

"We haven't signed him on the expectation that he won't play for Wales, if that's what you're asking me.

"I haven't got the expectation that he'll be here. I expect him to play for Wales."

Hawkins could still be deemed available for Wales by eligibility rules. He was first named in a national squad in October 2022, winning his first cap the following month.

If he signed a contract with Exeter prior to his call-up, he would still be eligible for international rugby because he was an uncapped player.

Baxter say it is up the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) to determine whether Hawkins is eligible.

In fact, the Professional Rugby Board (PRB), which runs the professional game in Wales and is made up of WRU and regional representatives, might be asked to consider the decision.

PRB chair Malcolm Wall has initially indicated he believes Hawkins is ineligible.

If Hawkins he can prove he signed for Exeter before his first national squad involvement in October 2022 things could change.

Baxter says he cannot say when Hawkins officially signed for Exeter but stated the paperwork had been submitted to the WRU.

"I can't tell you any dates because that's the confidentiality part of the contract," said Baxter.

"I've done everything I'm allowed to do. The WRU now have to deal with the player.

"The player now has to release the documents to the WRU. That's no different to any other player. It's the same if England wanted to know a contract date.

"We've not talked about it because we've not seen it as an issue. All this came about before any eligibility rules came about.

"The WRU have asked me the same question. I said to them I can only really send them paperwork with the player's permission, but he has got it all.

"So as far as I know, the WRU will sort that out with the player and the player's agent.

"I don't see it being a problem because of the timing of when we got everything signed. That's all I can say on that."

Baxter explains comments

In February 2023, Baxter denied reports linking Hawkins to Exeter. Five weeks after those comments, Hawkins was unveiled as an Exeter player after signing a long-term contract.

Baxter said on Wednesday he had to dampen speculation in February.

"I was asked by the player not to make any announcement he'd signed for us," added Baxter.

"I was in a catch 22. He was a young guy who is ambitious, wanted to play for Wales and didn't want any drama around his selection.

"We didn't make any announcement and allowed that course to run. I was put in a difficult scenario when a load of rumours broke out.

"I don't know where they came from. They put me in a situation where I had no option but to deny what was going on because I'd promised.

"It has been a difficult situation. I have probably had discussions with half-a-dozen players in Wales who haven't known where they have stood for six months.

"There's been a lot of chats about their futures and what their options might be. But they are all proud Welshman who want to play for Wales.

"So none of them have been easy decisions in terms of leaving Wales, let alone some of the guys we've spoken to who knew they would be giving up their Wales careers.

"I would like to think Joe is a player who will be here for a long time. I am not looking at him thinking he will be OK for two years.

"We want him to play for us, keep improving and hopefully become a core player in a group that can stay together for a long time and achieve some success together."

Uncapped players

Teddy Williams is the son of former Cardiff flanker Owain

Exeter have also been linked with a move for Cardiff lock Teddy Williams, with WRU acting chief executive Nigel Walker clarifying the rules on uncapped players leaving Wales.

It was assumed if a player had not featured in an international, they were free to play outside Wales and still be eligible for their country.

But Walker has stated that if a player is uncapped but has been involved in a national squad for an international campaign, he would also be ineligible for Wales.

That means Williams, who was an official member of the 2023 Six Nations squad, would not be able to play for Wales should he follow Hawkins to Exeter.

Walker told the BBC: "If someone has not been capped and they have not been a member of the senior squad, they can sign a contract and go abroad and still be eligible.

"If you have been part of a senior squad and have fewer than 25 caps and you now decide to go and play your rugby outside of Wales, you would not be eligible."

Ospreys centre Keiran Williams, who like Teddy Williams remains uncapped, is another player who cannot leave Wales if he wants to play international rugby having also been part of this year's Six Nations squad.

Scrap or not to scrap?

When the 60-cap rule was created in 2017, the fall guy was scrum-half Rhys Webb, who moved from Ospreys to Toulon.

He was Wales' first-choice scrum-half at the time but the rules were not changed and he missed out on the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

Former Wales centre Tom Shanklin has called for the 25-cap rule to be scrapped.

The four regions want the regulation to remain to ensure some of the top Welsh talents play club rugby in Wales.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland is keen to keep the rule in place because it allows him to spend more time in training camps with Welsh-based players.

The issue is that financial problems in the Welsh game mean players can command greater salaries elsewhere.