RADICAL PLAN TO MERGE OSPREYS AND SCARLETS?
IDEA IS ONE OF SEVERAL BEING CONSIDERED BY RUGBY BOSSES:
WELSH rugby’s landscape could be dramatically changed under potential plans that would see the creation of two superregions.
The idea is one of the radical options being explored in an attempt to make Wales more competitive at the top level of European club rugby.
Under the proposal, the Ospreys and the Scarlets, boasting six league titles since the advent of the regional game, would join forces.
And the Cardiff Blues and Dragons would also team up.
The aim would be to turbo-charge funding, and, according to those who support the thinking, give Wales a better chance of winning the Heineken Champions Cup and of being consistently competitive in the Guinness PRO14.
There are said to be a number of alternatives up for discussion, so those who would oppose the idea needn’t alarmed yet.
But the very fact possible mergers are on the table underlines the fact that those at the top of the game in Wales are prepared to think the previously unthinkable in an effort to improve an ailing scene that will almost certainly this season see no Welsh representation in the European rugby knock-out stages.
There is also a possibility of no Welsh side even making the cut to take part in next season’s Heineken Champions Cup.
Some will detect echoes from yesteryear, recalling that Swansea RFC and Llanelli RFC almost became a single powerbloc back in 2003 when David Moffett oversaw the advent of regional rugby in Wales.
But the Scarlets were resistant, the late Stuart Gallacher declaring he wasn’t averse to the idea as long as the resultant team would be called the Scarlets, wear red jerseys and play out of Stradey Park. Cardiff Blues also fought a successful battle get too for standalone status, with the assumption being that it wouldn’t be something they would easily give away today.
Many obstacles would stand in the way of a quick move to merge sides, among them existing arrangements with TV, sponsors and the Guinness PRO14, allied to the backlash that would be likely from some supporters.
The scheme is one of the more audacious notions being proposed for the game in Wales.
It would undoubtedly prove a step too far for some, and many would argue it would potentially shrink the player base.
Others would point to Scottish rugby’s lack of success at Test level since they cut to just two professional teams – contrasting with the relatively strong performance of Wales over the same period.
But there is a recognition that something needs to be done to improve the professional scene this side of the Severn Bridge.
Further options for raising more money include the long-term idea of borrowing on the Principality Stadium, while the PRO14 are said to be exploring the possibility of securing outside investment through talks with private equity companies.
In the meantime, funding is to be based on regional business plans, assessed by the Professional Rugby Board, made up of representatives from the WRU and the regions.