I suppose it
wouldn’t be normal if all was peace and harmony in Welsh Rugby during the
summer. Just when we need the rugby nation to come together before the Rugby
World Cup we are at each other’s throats again.
This time it
is about the structure of the Premiership and who should represent Wales in the
British and Irish Cup competition. The idea that the Region’s should field a
development team to play in said cup has not met with universal approval. The
knock-on effect of this move would be that the Premiership clubs would not have
enough rugby to be viable. The answer of course is to increase the size of the
Premiership. Well that doesn’t seem too bad does it? Pontypridd do not agree
and they feel that as champions and by far the strongest side in the
Premiership that they should get to compete in the B&I Cup. This debate
rages on.
If the dust
does settle on this argument then there is the vexed question of how big the
Premiership should be. Most people would say that it should consist of sixteen
clubs – now this seems vaguely familiar to those of us with grey hair. This
doesn’t seem too bad does it?
So when would
the changes be implemented? 2016-17, 2017-18? No next season yes just a couple
of months or so from now!
We in
Pontypool suddenly prick up our ears. We of course were the big casualty when
the WRU in their wisdom decided that the Premiership was too big with fourteen clubs.
Could we get the call?
There are
only three clubs in the Championship who have the WRU A Licence which is
regarded as mandatory to participate in the Premiership – Swansea, RGC 1404 and
Pontypool. Even though Pooler finished fifth, we must be in with a shout surely.
Merthyr who finished third are making a huge clamour on the back of Stan Thomas’
cash and contend that they will be in a position to satisfy the A Licence
criteria by the end of next month. Bargoed the runaway champions are not close
to satisfying the criteria but are looking at alternative venues. (If Bargoed
were to get the A Licence it would make you wonder how Newport avoided
relegation – but that’s another argument).
So it’s
watch this space for now. The WRU have delayed their decision but the clock is
ticking and the clubs really do not need a hiatus of this magnitude with the
new season just around the corner. It’s not just the Premiership of course –
the impact would cascade down through the entire league structure.
Wouldn’t it
be sensible to have a Premiership that looked like this:
Dragons Region
Newport
Ebbw Vale
Cross Keys
Pontypool
Blues Region (Pies)
Cardiff
Merthyr
Bedwas
Pontypridd (pies
off the menu)
Ospreys Region
Aberavon
Swansea
Bridgend
Neath
Scarlets Region
Llanelli
RGC 1404
Llandovery
Carmarthen
Quins
But then I
would say that wouldn’t I! You might say this is pie in the sky.
