There's a lot of rumour and speculation about Welsh Premier sides playing English first or second division teams in some sort of Cup tournament. Is this a good thing?

Arguments could go either way but it will always come down to funding. Let's hope the WRU don't go into this half cocked.

In the current climate I believe that cross-border competition is the way forward, with the jokes they call regions playing the English Premiership and our premiership playing their first division... The top four clubs (semi-finalists) should all qualify for the European competitions, the 'regions' or English Premiership in the Heineken Cup and the others in the Euro shield (or whatever they call it now?)

Personally though, the 'regional' set up is a complete failure with the exception of the Ospreys. As such they should either be revamped with properly representative regional teams introduced with new neutral names, or there should be a return to a reduced club competition (though thats what we have anyway, though on a bias basis)...

This must be our only option, and I just hope that extra ?200k will not be needed to fund this. Pontypridd needs this comeptition though.

That said, would a travelling team bring in more sponsors?

anything would be better than stuck feeding Cardiff as we are at the moment. probelm is We'd need a lot of cash for the travelling etc if we played those english teams.

Yep....it sucks. The WRU better not expect the extra ?20k is to be used for this.

And welcome to TP.NET Chief!

I am season ticket holder for the Exeter Chiefs, but first got the rugby bug watching Ponty during 1992-1995 seasons, while I was student at the Glamorgan Uni. I try and get to as many Ponty games as I can each season, but with my Chiefs commitments don't go up as much as I want to.

I would welcome an Anglo Welsh competition, the standards are very similar and I think it would be a cracking competition. A chance to pit English strength against Welsh flare is a mouth watering proposition. Alot of first division teams are in the midlands/westcountry so travel should not be too much of problem. The sooner things can get organised the better, it would give me an excuse to come across the seven (hopefully with the Chiefs) and watch some top notch rugby.