Shane: Politics again undermining the players
IT’S a question that has bugged me throughout my time in Welsh rugby. I grappled with it in my career as a player and it’s the same for me now in retirement. Why, when we have something so good in Welsh rugby, do we always seem to try and ruin it? It happens time after time and I’m sick of it. It’s all so amateurish.
I remember in 2005 when we won the Grand Slam with Wales for the first time in 27 years. All was rosy in the Welsh rugby garden, the fans went berserk, and as players we felt on top of the world.
Less than a year later Mike Ruddock was forced out as head coach and more carnage ensued. The politics in Welsh rugby at least gives us all something to talk about, but I wish it didn’t exist.
I’m very concerned about the latest debacle. Not for one second do I think it will lead to Warren Gatland quitting from his role in charge, but my worry is it could still cause huge amounts of trouble.
The Welsh Rugby Union and the regions have often had their differences at various times over the years and now they are unable to agree over ‘Project Reset’ as all five parties look to form a way of making rugby in Wales work moving forwards. I’ve been asked a lot about this in the last week.
The first point I would make is that those involved are right to explore the possibility of bringing more money into Welsh rugby, making the game more sustainable, and looking to a brighter future.
The problem, as ever, is how that process has been undertaken. It’s an absolute mess.
For me we should continue with all four regions in their current guise. WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips wants to create a new professional team in north Wales. I have grave reservations about that.
What I would say is that as a country, we can’t totally neglect north Wales. There is a great deal of rugby talent there and we do lose out on players from that area who often end up playing in England rather than joining any of the regional academies in south Wales. That is a disappointment.
It would be to the benefit of Welsh rugby as a whole if we can better tap into the north Wales system, but helping develop players from that area is very, very different to putting a fully professional outfit there. I don’t think it would work.
North Wales is a very interesting area, but in terms of population depth, infrastructure and travel links, the reality is it is not in the same league as the M4 valley in the south.
It would be a logistical nightmare to have a region there in terms of travel.
There is, admittedly, a great deal of passion for rugby in the area, but my view is that a Welsh region in north Wales would also struggle to compete with the lure of football.
The lesson of the Border Reivers from all those years ago springs to mind for me. In the Wrexham and Colwyn Bay area you are just a stone’s throw away from Manchester and Liverpool.
Those two cities contain four huge Premier League football sides. I think it’s a reality that they would always hold an edge over any professional rugby entity which might end up being played there.
The other thing I feel very strongly on is the future of the Ospreys. How anyone at the WRU can think about closing them down is simply beyond me.
Of course I have history with the region. They were the only side I played for in the professional era. I won Celtic League and EDF Energy Cup titles there. They also gave me the platform to play for Wales. I owe them everything, but I’m not being biased in my view that they must survive.
Just look at the facts. The Ospreys have won more silverware than any other region. They’ve provided more players to the senior Wales side than any other region.
At the final whistle of Wales’ Six Nations win over England, there were seven Ospreys players on the field. That shows they must be doing something right.
Yes their results over the past 18 months haven’t been up to their usually high standards and I know they have some financial issues to solve. But at the same time, surely the WRU should be looking to support a region with such a proud and successful history, not casting it aside at the first opportunity? I’d be absolutely devastated if that were to happen. At the moment we know the status quo will be maintained for next season. Beyond that, who knows?
The other thing to think of here of course is the players. It’s a horrible situation for them. For Wales’ Six Nations squad to have to be forced into talks with the WRU last week when they should be focusing on Saturday’s game with Scotland is out of order. They shouldn’t be dealing with this now.
Could this distract from the Grand Slam bid? I’d hope not, but of course there is a chance it could.
The last thing guys like Alun-Wyn Jones and Ken Owens want at the moment is to be talking politics when they should be focused on training.
As diligent professionals and thoroughly decent blokes I know they are acting on behalf of the Wales squad and also the rest of the players in Welsh rugby at all four regions.
The guys at the regions are the ones I’m very concerned about, particularly the Ospreys squad. How can you ask them to give 100 per cent on the field when they know they could be just a matter of weeks away from unemployment? It’s a horrible situation.
Hopefully the players will be able to put all this to one side for the Scotland game, but I would understand if their heads have been turned. Guys like Gareth Anscombe, Alun Wyn and Rob Evans are all out of contract at the end of the season. If the WRU don’t get this all sorted out soon, there is a very real danger some players will have had enough and will jump ship.
The fact is there are quality players in the Wales squad and they will be attracting interest. We’ve already seen that with Bath sniffing around Gareth for next season.
Rugby players are creatures of habit. They like routine and consistency. For example, I know Alun-Wyn has a young family and is currently doing some work on his house.
Like any person, with any job, he wants clarity on what he’ll be doing for the next few years.
There has to be a chance players will move abroad to either England or France unless a solution is found.
The focus, somehow, now has to turn to Scotland. The only change I’d make from the win over England is to replace the injured Cory Hill with Adam Beard.
On the bench I think Leigh Halfpenny could come in for Owen Watkin following his return from concussion. Let’s not forget Wales are two games away from their first Grand Slam since 2012.
Scotland will be a tough game. In 2017 Wales got stuffed in the second half in Edinburgh and that should provide no greater motivation.
It’s not that Wales need that really and I’m sure the squad won’t be getting ahead of themselves.
The sad thing for me is that we’ve spent the week once again talking about what’s going on in the boardroom rather than the on-field action. Will things ever change?
“A Welsh region in north Wales would struggle to compete with the lure of football”