British & Irish league
IN 1998, Welsh rugby blew a golden opportunity to form an Anglo-Welsh league because it wanted more than the five places offered by the RFU.
Many fans have pondered how different things might look had negotiations taken a different course all those years ago.
The Guinness Pro14 does not capture the imagination of the masses in Wales. Because of the geographical spread, few, if any, away fans travel to matches.
Any atmosphere or sense of occasion is largely manufactured, with stadiums rarely anywhere near capacity. A lack of success for the regions, the absence of international players for so many league matches and the convoluted conference system all fuel the number of empty seats.
Forming an Anglo-Welsh league, or even a British & Irish league, would be a shot in the arm for the professional game in Wales.
The prospect of rekindling old rivalries and travelling to away matches without forking out for an overnight stay in a hotel would be mouthwatering. Cardiff Blues had four sellouts in the past year or so, through three Welsh derbies and a Champions Cup clash with Saracens. The appetite is there.
There are no guarantees that the regions would thrive in such a league but it would certainly generate interest.
Creating the competition is far from an easy task and it’s not clear whether the English would even be interested.
However, plenty of fans in Wales will be hoping that they are.
A LOT of people are getting excited about the prospect of a British & Irish league and it may well happen in the next couple of years. But it shouldn’t.
They talk of 24 teams in two divisions but what about everybody else? Bet your bottom dollar relegation from that lot will be a no-no and the competition is immediately compromised.
Just look at what happened when the Premiership restarted and there was no chance of falling through the trap door because Saracens were already down thanks to the salary cap scandal.
Circumstances were different because of Covid-enforced midweek fixtures, but many games were boring and rubbish. No relegation means lower standards and Richard Cockerill, who has coached in France, Scotland and England, recognises this.
He said that in two of the three main European leagues there were consequences for underperforming and that relegation is the only way to sort the men from boys.
It’s easy to see why the Welsh are keen. They could do with the money but they need to up their game.
Look at the Pro14 or Pro12 or whatever it is this week. Johnny Sexton only goes to Wales to play in a national shirt rather than a Leinster one. If the English clubs had the same approach with big names, who would bother turning up?
Then there’s the Champions Cup, which has had more than enough revamps. Nice try but it’s a no from me.