WRU must mirror the success of Connacht
As Oliver Hardy used to say to his comic partner Stan Laurel, "That's another fine mess you've gotten me into". I could think of no more apt phrase to describe the past week in Welsh rugby, following the revelation that a report commissioned by the Professional Rugby Board is suggesting axing one of the regions.
Nine clubs went to five regions in 2003; then five became four a year later and now, almost 20 years on, there is a possibility we could be saying goodbye to either the Dragons or the Ospreys. Livelihoods would be lost, loyal fans would be disenfranchised and Wayne Pivac’s selection options, if he is still the coach after the 2023 World Cup, would become more limited.
The question I would ask the decision makers is what real difference will dropping a team make? And how long will it be before three becomes two?
There was a time when Connacht were under similar threat in Ireland. They marched on Dublin, took their fight to the Irish rugby union and their national parliament and just look at them now. They didn’t get unceremoniously dumped, they stood their ground, gained investment and went on to win the PRO12. They have provided a number of international players and are a highly competitive team in every competition in which they play.
Often, I hear people say we should follow the Irish example with our professional teams. Well, that’s exactly what we should do in this case – mirror what happened in Connacht and improve the standard across the board in the four regional teams.
That is going to take investment, not just of money, but also of expertise. It is also going to require a step back from the ‘only Wales matters’ point of view that has become the sole mantra of the WRU hierarchy.
Wales’ success on the international front has often come at a cost to the regions, who are currently less competitive than ever before.
The four teams played 14 games in Europe this season and didn’t win any of them. Cardiff got into the round of 16 in the Challenge Cup only because they were awarded five points under the Covid regulations when their game in Toulouse was called off. None of the other teams reached a knock-out stage and none of them will feature in the URC play-offs.
That is a far cry from the days when I was playing – and that isn’t so long ago! The Ospreys went to Dublin and won two Pro12 Grand Finals against Leinster and the Scarlets did the same when they slaughtered Munster. Cardiff, in their old guise of the Blues, have also won two Challenge Cup titles
“I for one am sick and tired of the bickering, fingerpointing and in-house fighting”
on foreign soil.
There are currently around 200220 professional players in Wales and that number would drop to 160ish if a region was sacrificed on the altar of money – or rather a lack of it.
The core problem in my eyes is not a lack of cash, but a complete breakdown in the system that has been applied to the game in Wales from top to bottom. The game needs greater investment at the base of the pyramid, the players need a better pathway to guide them to the top and we have to address the problem of player retention.
I spoke at a dinner at Newbury RFC recently and as well as having incredible facilities, they also have 26 teams playing at their club. Their playing base is the equivalent of two or three clubs in my area, where I’m struggling to get enough players at U13 level to play every weekend. I am not alone in fighting that battle.
The WRU needs to realise it is not only there to safeguard the future of the Wales national team, it is there to ensure the game survives and thrives at all levels. As the guardians of our national game, the Union too often feels remote. We hear the tub thumping when they declare a record profit and turn-over, yet they often tend to ignore the cries for help from their members.
What we’ve heard over the last week has been like a scratched record. The same old, same old arguments. Now it is time for Steve Phillips, as the chief executive of the WRU, and the new chairman of the PRB, Malcolm Wall, to crack a few heads together, break down barriers and finally get some answers to the questions of how we make the professional game in Wales successful on all fronts – not just at international level.
More successful and more competitive regions will lead to a stronger international side. There is a lack of strength in depth and a need to find more talent for Wayne Pivac. We’ve gone from feast to famine in recent years. How does a Grand Slam team in 2019 go to a fifth place finish the following season, and then the same scenario is repeated in 2021 (Triple Crown and Six Nations title) to fifth again this year?
There are so many disconnects in the player pathway at present and my fear is the work being done at the four academies isn’t good enough. Once again, so much of the work done at that level is all about money.
Let’s face it, nobody has enough money in Wales. I agree with Nigel Walker, that we have to spend what little we have wisely and ensure we get good value from what we do spend, but the money the regions are given should be solely geared to them becoming the best versions of themselves. The stronger they become, the stronger Wales will become.
I for one am sick and tired of the bickering, finger-pointing and infighting. Come on lads, you are better than this and the fans and players in Wales certainly deserve better than you are giving them. How much further can this rusty old can be kicked down the road before someone grasps it and finds a solution to a problem that has been with us for a decade or more.
The time for decisive action has come. It is a time for proper leadership.