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Page 1 of 2 The regions aren't working. Any fool outside the WRU seems to see that. Europe is not just elusive for Welsh sides, but a down right joke of unobtainable proportions. So what are our options?Scrapping the regional structure seems like a harsh alternative, but let's be honest with ourselves - the regional structure was never really regional, but favouritism at its worst. It has left the only real competition in Welsh rugby to flounder depending on who has the most cash to compete, or friends in high places that can deliver Academy players. Many of the upper echelon of Premiership teams (including Pontypridd) fall into this category.
But if there is next to no competition in pro rugby, where is the drive to compete that is so evident in the English Guinness Premiership? All signs point to the current structure being unsustainable, and although I am loathed to admit it, maybe Moffett was on the right track with the 2 region idea. This idea could mean East and West Welsh regions, with dual bases for each to appease current regional teams. This would do two important things; pool resources into two entities (better facilities etc) and provide larger, more sustainable squads to compete in Europe, England and the Celtic Nations. And it is in the Premiership that the real competition would occur. Reduce the league to 12 teams if required, but have a hotly contested relegation zone. Teams in the upper tier (either East or West) will contribute heavily to their respective region, and the much mooted third region will not be required. The test bed for young talent will be the Premiership League. This is vital for the upper tier of semi-pro teams as it will allow teams to move up and down according to talent, and skill. Competition is what is required! We currently have little, and we need a drive for second division sides to want to play up into the top tier. Now the WRU can lay down all the guidelines they like, but what this will allow is sides further down the pecking order to develop more fully. All sides who make the 12 or 14 team Premiership will be able get their hands on more money, and the chance to play a part in directly contributing to and benefiting from a national squad. But the piece de resistance of this plan is centralised contracts. The recent performance of Wales as a national team has shown that they are lacking when the spectre of injuries raises its ugly head. By providing centralised contracts for a 25-30 man squad and spreading these players equally between the two regions gives the nation squad some clout in nurturing star players, without the worry of pro teams pushing them to their limits. So how would this affect a team like Pontypridd? If each region had a similar size squad to the national team, you could well see several key players of the region plying their trade in games at a premiership level, but on the whole merging the Dragons with the Blues and cutting the chaff of foreign players would give a large, sustainable squad. The real filter effect would come in the form of the larger regional academies, which would sub-tier down to the second division at least. Competition within the Premiership would be tighter for the more limited places available in Europe, as well as greater competition for players within the regions to make the national squad. So does this make sense? To me, certainly, but there are much wiser people out there. Let's hope they have voices and the fortitude to overcome the selfish attitudes of the privileged few who possess the power in clubs such as Cardiff and Llanelli. Welsh rugby has to evolve, or die, and unfortunately I can see too many dinosaurs in the boardrooms.
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