‘Union has acted with disdain’, says club boss

THE Welsh Rugby Union has been accused of treating Welsh Premiership clubs with ‘disdain’ as anger over the future of the division intensifies.

Former Wales and Scarlets coach and current Merthyr chief executive, Nigel Davies, sparked a heated debate throughout the Welsh game when he criticised the WRU for its decision to cut funding to the league’s clubs.

The governing body’s plan to reduce funding from £100,000 to £50,000 per season within two years has left many of this season’s 16 teams – they will be cut to 12 next winter – fearing for a meaningful future after more than a century of service to the game.

But WRU bosses believe the introduction of new regional Under-23 or A teams is a better way of preparing players or coaches for the professional game.

Davies pulled no punches with his complaints and now Ebbw Vale chairman Jonathan Jones has gone in even harder on the union, claiming their plans have not been properly debated and thought through.

In particular, Jones turned his fire on WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips, who he accused of being ‘flippant’ in discussions with the affected clubs.

“Our biggest concern at the moment is there are too many mixed messages flying about concerning the structure of the new season,” said Jones.

“We have been quite clearly told by Martyn Phillips and Geraint John at the WRU there is no way back from our reduction in numbers from 16 to 12 next season, nor the drastic cut in funding.

“They have told us to stop paying our players, which in the modern age of rugby is an unrealistic prospect. Money is being paid all the way down through the ranks in Welsh rugby, as is permitted under the auspices of an ‘open’ game.

“The regions seem divided on what teams they will be putting into the new Celtic Cup over the seven-week period in the opening two months of the season. For the Dragons it looks like being an Under-23 team, while the Scarlets and Blues are going down the route of an A team.

“The reality is not the model the board voted for and someone needs to have the courage to reassess this.

“We hear the Celtic Cup will merely be a developmental tournament in which results will be completely unimportant. Even so, the players will be getting paid for their efforts.

“If that is the case at that level, then why not at Premiership level when they come back to play for our clubs for the majority of their season?”

Jones does not believe the voice of the Welsh Premiership clubs has been properly heard or respected.

“When the steering group set up by the WRU to look at the player and competition pathway sat down to discuss a way forward, there was a wide range of opinions,” he added.

“Our worry is the debate was never robust enough and lacked any proper problem solving techniques, detail, or thorough analysis.

“Therefore, no assessment and review of the opportunities, risks and consequences has been properly undertaken and we feel we are walking blindly into these changes.

“It also didn’t help ease any of the confusion that when the chief executive was challenged at a meeting with the clubs, his reply to a simple question from Dale McIntosh, the Merthyr head coach, about what will happen if the changes don’t work, was a flippant ‘well you can always sack me!’”

Jones, who sits on the Premiership committee, saw his Ebbw team win the competition three seasons ago having secured promotion from the Championship.

They have hosted Dragons matches at their Eugene Cross Park ground and given the region’s No.8 Harrison Keddie and wing Jared Rosser a chance to get used to the rigours of professional rugby.

Cardiff Blues and former Wales Under-20 boss Jason Strange and Dragons forwards supremo Ceri Jones both cut their coaching teeth at Ebbw.

Jones says Ebbw submitted an alternative five-point plan for the Premiership, which accepted the reduction from 16 to 12 clubs but suggested, among other things, a salary cap, extra training sessions at clubs and better alignment with the regions.

But he claims he received no acknowledgement of their document.

“The Premiership clubs have played a vital role in giving structure to the game in Wales for more than 100 years, as well as providing a clear pathway to many professional players, coaches and referees,” Jones added.

“That may never happen again in the future under the newly introduced system as the level below the professional game will drop in standard.

“We all believe this will accelerate the nightmare scenario of the game only being played in schools, colleges and professional entities, thus shrinking rather than expanded our player base.

“By making the Premiership less relevant, there will be less people involved in the game – players, coaches, committee and supporters.”

Jones continued: “The cursory way in which the WRU have planned and enacted these changes has left us all wondering about the reasons behind the move to create a distinct break between the professional and community games in Wales with the creation of a professional board.

“The Welsh Rugby Union is exactly that, a Union of clubs, not Welsh Rugby Limited, where the only thing that matters is money and balance sheets.

“There seems to be a clear view at the top of the WRU that the international and professional games are the only economic drivers and provide all the finances for the community game.

“This attitude takes the Union down one particular road, where cash is the only ‘king’ and, as we all know, you can never have enough money in professional sport.

“Growth only comes to the chosen few, while the many involved in our game would argue that without a community game, Welsh rugby has nothing!”

The WRU declined to comment on Jones’ claims.