Welsh Rugby Union must try harder with Cardiff Blues, Ospreys, Scarlets and ...

“We prepared points about what had worked and what wasn’t working. But

we were told it was not for discussion. Sorry, but in our view, that is

unreasonable.”

Too right it is. The WRU’s stubborn stance was that they fully expected the

regions to bow dutifully and sign, even though at present there is no

European competition in place for next season – even the 20-team tournament

without the English clubs announced in Dublin in November has disintegrated

after the French pulled out – and there is uncertainty about the RaboDirect

Pro12 with the two Italian sides possibly withdrawing.

Their response to the regions’ refusal to sign the agreement, and instead

suggest a resolution by Jan 31, was antagonistic, hinting at the creation of

new regions in their hardly-disguised bid for total control of the regions

and all the players.

That idea of new regions, apparently much aired in private of late, is quite

ridiculous. And by the time of the WRU’s board meeting on Thursday, it would

appear that some sanity had landed.

Maybe some had taken notice of another of Davies’ observations on Wednesday.

“Hand-on-heart, do they (WRU directors) actually agree with what’s going

on?” he asked.

The truth is that some blame can be attached to both sides in this unseemly

dispute, just as it can to all parties in the European imbroglio.

The regions have hardly been paragons of sporting business and rugby know-how.

On Saturday they released a similarly aggressive statement, reiterating

their desire to join the RCC, but accusing the WRU of a “vitriolic and

disingenuous attack” upon them.

Whether this whole shambles is resolved or not, nobody will emerge with their

reputation enhanced.

But haste is now becoming more essential. The Jan 31 deadline put forward by

the Welsh regions was actually first suggested by the Rugby Football Union,

and then agreed upon by the English clubs and the Welsh regions.

After that date the Six Nations will occupy minds, and it would be late March

before thoughts returned to this thorny and hugely complex subject, with

conflicting TV deals between Sky and BT always looming as the final problem.

A European competition of some sort, probably the RCC, must be agreed upon by

that date later this month, otherwise the English clubs and Welsh regions

will press ahead with their Plan B, which is an Anglo-Welsh League, possibly

along with South African teams in an additional tournament.

Even then, the matter would almost certainly end up in court.

In Wales there is much excitement about an Anglo-Welsh alliance, a rare

occasion on which rugby’s glances across the Severn Bridge bear anything but

antipathy.

Patience has thinned with the RaboDirect Pro12, with its expensive travelling

for often-drab fixtures in front of paltry crowds.

But in reality the road to an Anglo/Welsh League is littered with obstacles,

not least existing agreements to compete in the RaboDirect, as pointed out

in a WRU letter containing supposed justifications of their position to its

member clubs on Friday.

A pan-European tournament is what the English clubs really desire. And

privately Premier Rugby Limited remain confident that their RCC, under a Six

Nations rather than ERC governance, will still come to fruition.

Their bond with the Welsh regions, welded by BT Sport’s money, may be very

strong now, but they still have hopes that the French clubs will return to

their ship, even if the French Rugby Federation still wants governance by

Fira, the body that controls Europe’s smaller unions.

The English clubs will meet with the RFU this week. Let us hope that the Welsh

regions and the WRU end up doing the same. Then, before Jan 31, all other

parties meet too.

The time for egos and control freaks has passed. It is time for conciliation

and sense.

Article source: http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_report/0,,11069_57961_1,00.html

Welsh Rugby Union must try harder with Cardiff Blues, Ospreys, Scarlets and ...