Warren Gatland has outlined his vision for Welsh rugby and insisted the regions have a key role to play.
The Wales coach celebrated signing a contract extension which will see him stay until the 2019 World Cup with an in-depth interview with WalesOnline. During it, he:
CALLED for the end to the constant disputes between the WRU and the four regions, and a lasting peace;
AGREED an Anglo-Welsh league sounded good on paper but warned it could spell the end of a competitive Six Nations;
AGREED the so-called Gatland’s law could be implemented if safeguards were put in place;
URGED the regions to provide the stimulus and excitement which would encourage Wales’ stars to stay at home.
The WRU and Regional Rugby Wales, the umbrella organisation which represents the Blues, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets, have been at loggerheads over the future of professional rugby in Wales.
The governing body has given a strong indication it might centrally contract leading players and set up new franchises to play in the Pro12 and European competition if the regions don’t sign a new participation agreement by the end of this month.
But Gatland said: “We would love the regions to sign the participation agreement. Then those players, whose contracts are up, will hopefully sign with the regions.
“There’s a huge amount of uncertainy at the moment, where the players are going to play, what competitions they are going to be involved in and what’s happening with Europe. I would like to think that is resolved as soon as possible.
“Probably my biggest disappointment since being in Wales, and it’s not between the coaches and players, is there’s been continual fighting between the regions and the Union.
“I appreciate you’re not always going to get everyone agreeing but I would like to think, at some stage in my tenure, we get some sort of harmony between the Union and the regions.
“That would potentially benefit the game because, whichever side you are on, it’s damaging.â€
Gallery: Warren Gatland’s career in pictures
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The regions are considering allegedly lucrative overtures from England’s Aviva Premiership clubs to rebel against the WRU and join them in some form of expanded competition.
But they would need the approval of the WRU, RFU and the International Rugby Board – with the WRU almost certain not to grant it, resulting in the possibility of a costly legal battle.
Asked for his views on a full-blown Anglo-Welsh league, Gatland, who coached London Wasps to European success as well as English Premiership glory, responded: “That’s the big debate.
“I think we have got to keep that in perspective. If you ask me, selfishly, what would be good for Welsh rugby, I would say: ‘Of course an Anglo-Welsh competition, the history that old and traditional rivaleries bring’.
“It’s an attractive proposition but what impact would that have on the Scottish, Irish, potentially Italian rugby and the Six Nations going forward?
“It’s not for me to make that decision – it’s for other people to debate. It’s just trying to understand the issues.â€
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There’s a fear at the highest level among Six Nations unions that Wales ditching the Irish, Scottish and Italians would have a grave effect on the tournament.
Some doom-mongers have even predicted it would end up as a two-horse race between England and France, with Ireland, Scotland and Italy having to scrap their professional teams and Welsh teams in a rebel Anglo-Welsh tournament being loaded with foreigners.
Wales have won three Six Nations titles, two with Grand Slams, and reached the semi-finals of the World Cup since the arrival of Gatland five years ago.
But there has been an exodus of the big names to France and England – Mike Phillips, Jamie Roberts, Dan Lydiate, James Hook, Luke Charteris, George North and Paul James among them with Jonathan Davies, Richard Hibbard and Ian Evans due to join them next season – and a popular out-cry for the so-called Gatland’s law to at last be rigidly enforced.
When it was introduced four years ago by the WRU the idea was players employed outside of Wales being excluded from the national set-up, apart from in exceptional circumstances. But it has never happened.
“Primarily, I agree with that concept,†confided Gatland.
“I have said it to the (regional) owners, I have said it at Professional Regional Game Board meetings but under the proviso, if we’re going to have a policy like that there needs to be a time-frame, whether it’s 2015 or 2017.
“The big thing for me, if we’re going to bring something like that in, there needs to be protection for the player.
“What happens to players who are not wanted by the regions and go to France or England but who are good enough for the national team? Do you just discard them?
“There needs to be a separate group of people who decide on what a fair market value is for players so they aren’t taken advantage of by the regions potentially offering them, say £100,000 less because they know that player is desperate to play for Wales and doesn’t want to leave the country because he knows he won’t be selected.
“In terms of that as a policy, do I think it’s workable going forward?
“As long as the players are potentially protected but you don’t introduce something like that to the detriment of the national team.â€
Gatland maintained it was a misnomer top players were leaving Wales because of the size of their pay packets.
Gallery: The Welsh Exiles XV
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“We realise the French have probably a little bit more money than in England although, when we talk to people, there’s not a a massive amount of difference with what players have been offered in Wales,†he stressed.
“The challenge for us in Wales is to stimulate the players by giving them good competition, good coaching, good structures and the good support they want by working with the regions.
Gatland insisted the rush to take the Euro and join French clubs might peter out pretty quickly.
“I don’t think France is going to be a long-term problem,†he said.
“I think you will find a lot of those players will go to France for a year or two but will look to come back.
“The money is one thing but what’s coming back from the players is that everything else is a long way behind in what is provided here in Wales.
“The one thing we do have is brilliant facilities here in Wales but we have to make sure we get the other components right so the players feel like they are going forward.â€
Gatland doesn’t believe having Welsh stars being based in France will damage preparations for the 2015 World Cup, pointing out his squad will have four or five months together before the England-hosted tournament.
“The good thing about France is a lot of players are able to gain full release which makes our preparations easier,†he said.
“We have only got a small playing base in terms of numbers, we punch massively above our weight on the world stage.
“The World Cup is something to be excited about, the talented and exciting players coming through.
“We have got an opportunity to win three Six Nations in a row and create a bit of history. The last time it was done was in the late 1800s by England, when it was the Four Nations.
“That’s the challenge, the focus for us – it’s great motivation. The players we’ve got aren’t afraid to accept the challenges. We used to thrive on being the underdogs but these players have ripped that up.â€
Gatland hailed the crop of youngsters coming through, who have already broken down psychological barriers by beating New Zealand and South Africa at under-20 level, finishing third and second in the last two Junior World Championships.
“That’s been a big benefit for me as a coach in picking them. There’s no history with them in terms of losing to New Zealand or South Africa,†he said.
“My mantra, since I have been here, is the most important thing in an environment is getting things right behind the scenes.
“It’s been my first priority because one or two (great) players aren’t going to make a difference.â€
Wales coach Warren Gatland outlines vision for Welsh rugby and desire for end ...
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