More Anglo-welsh games is fans’ wish
MORE Anglo-welsh matches, a professional team in North Wales, an end to the 60-cap rule and a change in WRU financial policy.
These are just some of the calls to emerge from the findings of our Big Welsh Rugby Survey – see the full results below.
We posed a series of questions about the state of the domestic game in Wales and now readers have had their say.
Some 1,780 people responded to the Walesonline survey and the results are intriguing.
One of the most overwhelming outcomes was that fans want to see more Anglo-welsh matches, with 87 per cent in favour.
Tied in with that, a British & Irish League has come out on top as the preferred tournament for Welsh pro teams to compete in.
The jury remains out on the four South Africa Super sides joining an expanded PRO16, with that vote split pretty much down the middle.
As for the thorny question of WRU financial strategy, the views of the public are pretty clear.
Some 84 per cent feel the WRU should repay the £20m bank loan they took out to keep the pro game afloat amid the Covid pandemic, rather than the regions, who are actually having to pay it back.
There is also a strong majority (74 per cent) calling for payments from the WRU to the pro teams to be increased from normal levels.
For context, the original plan was for the regions to receive £26m this season. That was cut to £3m due to the pandemic.
As for the £51m of CVC Six Nations money, only three per cent support the WRU’S policy of spending all of it on capital projects, such as property development, a stadium roof walk or a venture into the brewing market.
There are also interesting findings on the structure of the game in Wales.
Opinion is divided and the margins are close, but the preferences that come out on top are sticking at four pro teams and for them to take the form of clubs.
But there is also a strong call for the redrawing of the regional map (69 per cent) and a majority (57 per cent) in favour of establishing a professional team in North Wales.
There is a clear winner in terms of what the stepping stone to the pro game should be, with the Welsh Premiership (58 per cent) getting the nod ahead of either Regional A or U23 teams.
There are wide-ranging views on how many clubs there should be in the Premiership, but the
current 12 has garnered the most votes.
As for the much-debated WRU 60-cap rule, only 37 per cent want to see it remain in place.
Yet, somewhat conversely, 60 per cent feel Wales players should be released to the regions more often during international periods.
Finally, there is a solid majority (63 per cent) in favour of the administration of the professional and amateur games being separated.