UNION WARNED ABOUT AGONISING DEATH’ OF
THE Welsh Rugby Union has been warned of an impending ‘slow, agonising death of clubs’ after its latest decision regarding youth rugby. Last month it emerged that the game’s governing body in Wales was altering the age bracket for youth rugby and that only players younger than 18 on August 31 will be allowed to play.
Players who turn 18 before that date face the prospect of having to step up to senior rugby.
Previously, it has always been the case that youth rugby involves players from the ages of 16 to 19. This period forms the bridge between junior rugby and senior rugby as players develops physically.
However. the change only comes into effect for next season only.
The Cynon Valley Leader has since been contacted by a youth rugby coach at Kenfig Hill RFC, who has voiced concerns around the alarming number of players who will walk away from the game as a result of this move.
Philip Davies said that the decision impacts 16 players at his club, many of whom have been involved since the age of eight, and only two of them will step up to senior rugby, with the rest leaving the game.
He also explained that without the players who are now being cut off, he does not have enough numbers to run a youth side.
“This age group have not played contact rugby for 18 months and we are expecting them to now step seamlessly into senior rugby,” Davies wrote in a letter to us.
“Having spoken to the 16 players, many of whom we have managed to bring through from under 8s, there are only two willing to make that step and that is purely down to the fact that they are physically able and play in positions that are not as high impact and less contact.
“This means that after years of nurturing a team that can continue the great tradition of club player, boy to man, to supporter, to clubman, to secretary, to chairman – this will sadly end and we will have lost them to rugby forever.
“As we are losing 16 players to this ill-conceived idea of a cut-off date change it will also mean that we will no longer be able to run a youth team as we will not have sufficient numbers to safely play rugby.
“This, in itself, is terribly sad as Kenfig Hill has run a youth side for 50 years that has nurtured many talented players that have gone on to represent Wales and the Lions.”
He added: “The loss of youth rugby will mean a slow, agonising death of clubs throughout Wales.
“Without those young men fuelling the senior ranks the fire will burn out and what will we have left then?
“Whilst the senior international team is having great success, without the grassroots rugby feeding the system this will be short lived.”
Davies also aired fears of what may happen to the teenagers who leave the game.
His letter continued: “I played rugby myself since the age of 16 and loved every minute of it and because of my involvement in rugby it has helped shape my life and instilled in me some crucial values such as teamwork, camaraderie, manners and respect.
“It also gave me confidence and ability to converse with all elements of society, my peers and older members of the club.
“Without the rugby element in my life I feel I could have gone down a completely different path. This may sound evangelical to you, but this is the effect that being able to play rugby for 20 years had on me.”
He added: “Around the ages of 18 and 19, young men have a lot of time on their hands and with no structure in their lives, I fear where this will lead.
“We all have a responsibility to support our young men and ensure that the correct path is always taken regardless of how hard that route may be.
“This new age cut-off and the fact that we will lose so many boys will leave this section of society feeling disillusioned and disenfranchised.
“They have already had their education ripped to pieces [by the pandemic] and there is a lack of opportunities for long-term jobs and availability of apprenticeships, which could leave them on the scrap heap.
“It’s not about winning or losing, it’s about team ethos, making lifelong friends, staying fit and creating some amazing memories and moulding these youngsters into men who will benefit society.
“This will be wasted if the WRU continue to implement this ludicrous and short-sighted approach.”
The move has been heavily criticised, but the WRU insist that it has been done to guard against the entire youth programme being shutdown if the Welsh Government need to toughen Covid restrictions in the future.
The Welsh Government guidelines relate to under-18s sport and anyone involved in sport older than that is deemed an adult.
“They [Welsh Government] have guidelines for U18s sport and guidelines for senior sport,” WRU Head of Performance Geraint John told WalesOnline last month.
“Anybody who reaches the age of 18 falls into the adult category.
“The simplest thing was for us to fall into line with Welsh Government policy on this. You just don’t know what is round the corner with Covid.
“We are conscious that if we went into any form of restrictions this winter, the likelihood is those would be placed on adults not U18s.
“So, the last thing we wanted was youngsters being forced not to play again.
“If you have players who are over 18 (on Aug 31) in youth teams, those sides then fall under adult guidelines and adult restrictions.
“We wouldn’t want those teams to have to stop playing because of that.
“We don’t want a stop-start situation.
“These changes will allow youth rugby to continue even if restrictions are placed on adult sport. That’s the key thing.”
The Union also say that clubs were made aware of the impending move on webinars prior to the announcement and have been in contact with clubs since the change was made public.
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