Howley ‘saddened’ by latest regional turmoil
ROB Howley has revealed the turmoil of Wales’ stars and admitted the situation “isn’t ideal” ahead of the next step in the quest for a Six Nations Grand Slam.
Wales are top of the table following victories over France, Italy and England but have been side-tracked by off-the-field wranglings.
They have held emergency talks with the Welsh Rugby Union over the controversial plans for the future of professional rugby in Wales.
Union chiefs want to merge the Cardiff Blues and Ospreys to form a south Wales region with the WRUowned RGC 1404 being upgraded from a semi-professional north Wales region competing in the Welsh Premiership to a professional entity playing in the Guinness PRO14 and European competition.
But the thorny proposals have been put on hold for a year after the new Professional Rugby Board was unable to reach agreement.
It leaves the Ospreys, Scarlets, Blues and Dragons in business next term but unsure of their futures beyond the summer of 2020.
Former Wales captain and attack coach Howley admitted the upheaval caused by the plan hadn’t come at a good time and backed the players’ demand to meet WRU big-wigs.
“It’s not ideal but we respected the players’ view they needed to find out information and garner as much as they can,” said the scrum-half great.
“In terms of the trust and respect we have for our players, we believe it was an opportunity for the players to ask questions and listen, to find out information which might help their friends back in the regions understand what’s going to happen in the next six to 12 months.
“I am quite saddened. I only heard it through the grapevine on Friday night and Saturday morning.
“It’s uncertain times, which is disappointing. There’s a lot of frustra- tion, not only for the best players in Wales but for their mates in the regions.
“There’s an uncertainty about Project Reset and they would like to know where they are going to be playing next year or in two years time.
“At this moment in time, that’s a frustration and I agree with that frustration.”
Howley maintained he didn’t know the outcome of talks between the players and the WRU but praised the Wales squad for putting the controversy to one side to beat England.
“We haven’t spoken about it. We have got a senior players group and their energy and focus has been unwavering. It certainly showed with the performance they came out with last Saturday,” he said.
“It’s a players’ game and they give everything for their country. But, at this moment in time, you feel for the players who aren’t here, who are in their regions, and have uncertainty whether they have got work next year or not.”
Asked if he would like see the regions restructured, Howley replied: “It’s not for me to say, I’m not going to go there.”
But he added: “I’m supportive of the players. As coaches you try and prepare the players as best you want them to be be for games. They have got mortgages, families to look after, and it’s not a very favourable place to be.”
Howley doesn’t believe the squad will be distracted for the match with Scotland away at Murrayfield a week on Saturday.
“The players we have seen this week are pretty focused on the job in hand and what we need to do as a group.
“Warren Gatland’s environment is pretty special. We have got a number of values, a work ethic of less is more, the trust and integrity we have got.
“The players are solely focused on doing their best, which is a challenge for them. We understand that. You respect their honesty because there is a frustration there because their mates might not have a contract or how many regions there will be. “Who knows?.
“So there’s uncertainty and when there’s uncertainty there’s a lot of frustration. At this moment, that’s where the players feel they are.”