New fan ban leaves Welsh sides fearing financial ruin

WELSH RUGBY faces a worrying winter as their bumper festive derbies were forced behind closed doors, leaving struggling sides in financial trouble. The Welsh government have banned fans from sporting events from Boxing Day, to help curb a rise in Covid cases, while offering £3million in support for clubs and venues. Cardiff, Scarlets, Dragons and Ospreys, who all were set to host games in the United Rugby Championship against each other, will now count the costs and those involved in the game across the Severn Bridge are deeply concerned. It is especially bad for Cardiff and Scarlets who had to spend sevenfigure sums on quarantine hotels after they were stranded in South Africa when the country was put on the red-list earlier this month while they were preparing for fixtures over there. Cardiff boss Dai Young said: ‘It’s something I’m aware of, it’s a bit concerning. ‘We’re not awash with money at the best of times, and budgets will be hit by the costs of the South Africa trip and losing these big games. It’ll hurt us, I’m sure. From a financial and commercial point of view it’s one of our biggest days. ‘Everyone felt a bit flat during training. It’s not the first thing on your mind, the financial implications, but when you do sit down and think about it, it’s a worry. The shorter this is, the better for us. Health and wellbeing is the most important thing, though. ‘If we keep on playing in front of no crowds and losing all the commercial revenue, it’s going to have an impact — it’s bound to.’ Dragons chairman David Buttress called the Welsh government’s decision ‘devastating’ and ‘horrendous’ for rugby in the country, and his counterpart at Scarlets, Simon Muderack, said: ‘The commercial impact to all of us as clubs is catastrophic without significant further support.’ Ospreys’ game against Dragons set for Boxing Day was called off as the Swansea side have 18 positive Covid cases. In Scotland, they have limited outdoor sporting events to 500 fans for three weeks from Boxing Day — which will worry the Six Nations as England travel to Murrayfield on the opening day of the tournament on February 5. Meanwhile, Bath financier Bruce Craig will step aside as club chairman after more than a decade in charge, with former Saracens chief executive Ed Griffiths taking his place on January 1. Griffiths was recruited in October to review the club’s winless start to the season. Bath then signed defence coach Brent Janse van Rensburg and Munster boss Johann Van Graan for next year.