By Andrew Collins
April 3 2006

It's becomming more and more common amungst the Arms Park faithful, another failed signing, so what are the real implications?

So Hal Luscumbe has signed for the 'All Star' Harlequins side, who this weekend confirmed that next year, they shall return to the Guinness Premiership. Hal was a big target by the Blues, and failing to land the South-African born Welsh-man may well turn out to be the beginning of the end.

Having been in talks with Hal for months, it had seemed at one stage recently that an official announcemnet of his signing were iminant, but once again, Dai Young and Peter Thomas have failed to net their man.

His decision to reject the Blues is becomming a common theme amungst Wales players, with Steven Jones, Matthew Watkins and Barry Davies all opting for the Scarlets rather than the capital. It comes at a time of great worry for fans, as rumours of Peter Thomas stopping his spending on the region are being murmured aswell as exits left right and centre AND debate over stadia and facillities.

Having said over Christmas that '6 Quality Players' would be signed by the former owner of 'Peter's Pies', he has retracted the statement and sent a message that his funding of the Blues is beginning to slow down.

Last summer, Thomas brought in world superstar, Jonah Lomu, Mike Phillips, Xavier Rush aswell as a host of other quality signings. But this season's push has seen one failure after another.

With just returning prop Gary Powell on the in column, the exits are looking a lot more hefty. Maama Molitika, Craig Quinnell, Lee Thomas, Ben Evans, Tristan Davies and Nick Macleod are all heading toward the door, following Ryan Powell, Lomu, Dewdney, Mark Lewis and a number of other frindge players.

Are these players paving the way for new arrivals, or just lowering the cost of the wage bill? At the moment, just the latter.

Figures spilling out of the Arms Park are that Dai has just £140,000 to pick up 4 new players for next seasons capaign. But after this years dire affair, how on earth is Dai going to improve the squad significantly, with such a scant budgett?

Bearing in mind BMI Baby agreed a new 2-year deal with the Blues at Christmas, and when you consider CQ is on around £80,000, and Ben Evans near £30,000, you've got to wonder where all this extra money is actually going.

Could this turn of penny-squeezing by Thomas signal his eventual exit, or worse, saving for a new ground share with Cardiff City?

Thomas recently said he was looking to claim back some of the money he'd spent on the region, but at what cost for the side?

Although it only seems like bad news at the moment, you've got to remember, most of the above players are fringe or rather too experienced. CQ and Evans are both getting on and offer very little for their wages, while Tristan Davies and Nick Macleod have shown nothing to warrent regional status.

So this may well see a host of new youth players making the step up from premiership level. James Goode, Jamie Roberts, Dai Flannagan and Wayne Evans are quality players, long overdue a chance with the Blues. Expect to see these names much more next season, aswell as the possibility of 18 year old lock/back rower, Bradly Davies, who captained Wales u19's to a Grand Slam this season.

Though fans can be worried by the lack of spending, there does seem a plan in place to promote these youngsters in hope of bringing on the Blues for the future.

Thomas tried buying some success last season, and even in the easiest group possible, we couldn't qualify for the quater-finals, so i think he's got a new plan. The same plan that brought through Craig Morgan, Rhys Williams, Ryan Powell and Jamie and Nicky Robinson some 5 years ago. The same sort of plan that brought Yapp, Rhys Thomas and Chris Czekaj more recently.

This is still a very young squad, Rhys Williams is still just 26 despite being around the best part of a decade. If we can bring in these youth players now, maybe theres a real hope not for next year, but for 3 or 4 years time.

What happens next will be a very interesting move by Thomas, and will give an indication into his eventual mind set for the Blues. If buying success won't work, maybe growing it will.