Welsh rugby crisis: Scarlets coach Simon Easterby highlights mass job losses ...

Scarlets boss Simon Easterby has highlighted the forgotten people affected by the latest Welsh rugby row.

Regional Rugby Wales (RRW) and the Welsh Rugby Union are still at loggerheads over the future of the domestic game with the looming December 31 deadline over the signing of a new Participation Agreement.

On the field, there will be a quintet of Welsh Christmas and New Year derbies with the Blues and the Ospreys kicking off proceedings at the Arms Park this Friday evening.

RRW hosted a press conference at the Celtic Manor today with players and coaches of the four professional sides aiming to focus on the five festive fixtures.

But with the RRW also using the occasion to produce banners such as ‘Protect Our Game’, it was not long before things turned to political matters.

The chief executives and chairmen of the four regions were not present to answer questions in Newport.

So it was left to the likes of Easterby to sum up the mood in regional rugby after the two sides failed to reach agreement at last week’s meeting at the Liberty Stadium.

The Scarlets supremo insisted the next couple of weeks are pivotal to the future of Welsh rugby on and off the field.

“I didn’t think things would be resolved in that meeting but the next couple of weeks from that point onwards will be pivotal in terms of planning our future,” said Easterby.

“There are a lot of people involved and employed in this game like players,  coaches, support staff and people who work at the grounds.

“There is more to it than just the political side and maybe that has been forgotten.

“So there is a lot riding on the next couple of weeks.

“The supporters have put their hands in the pockets time and time again.

“I just think we are at the point where if there was going to be some sort of meeting with the Unions and the regions, then it was important we try and utilise this time to resolve matters.

“But nothing has so far come of that so far as we are aware.”

Read more: Regional Rugby Wales chief resigns from ERC and Pro 12 boards

Roger Lewis and regional representatives

 

Wales coach Warren Gatland earlier this week stated some of his Test players had under-performed in the autumn series defeat against Australia because they had been affected by uncertainty over their futures.

Easterby responded by saying the regional sides could not use this as an excuse as the Scarlets face local rivals the Ospreys on Boxing Day in Llanelli before travelling to the Liberty Stadium eight days later.

“As coaches we just have to crack on and keep raising the standards of us and the players,” added Easterby.

“The coaching at the regions as far as I was aware is of a high standard and we have to believe in what we are doing,

“We can’t get to a stage at the end of the derbies and come up with an excuse about our performances.

“So it’s important we put on a show over the next couple of weeks.

“You don’t have to get players up for derbies and it’s an exciting couple of weeks for all of us.

“The back-to-back nature will add a bit of spice to things. Sometimes there is four or five months between games and there will be things to settled quicker this time around.”

Gatland also revealed Ospreys captain Alun Wyn Jones had gone as far as staging a personal protest about the current uncertainty by refusing to sing the first part of the Welsh national anthem against the Wallabies.

Jones was rested for the Heineken Cup victory over Castres last weekend but Ospreys coach Gruff Rees insisted the Lions lock would be 100 per cent focused against the Blues this week.

“There will be no detrimental effect on him or others in the realms of what we do in terms of on a day to day basis,” said Rees.

“He’s a leader for us and he’s got strong opinions and I’m sure he will be available for Friday night.

“As players and coaches we just have to focus on the rugby and putting together performances.

“We just need to be excited by the interest generated about the Welsh derbies.”

Blues boss Phil Davies echoed these sentiments about the players and coaches being firmly focused on the Welsh festive fixtures.

Phil Davies

 

“We have spoken about controlling what we can control and that is preparing for games in training and playing to the best of our ability on the field,” said Davies.

“We have spoken about the jersey they represent. We represent the capital city and the people in the Welsh valleys.

“Their commitment to represent the Blues in the regions in these Welsh derbies will be absolute and there will be no quarter given.

“So there will no problem getting the players because of the jersey they represent.

“The derbies represent old rivalries and it’s not difficult to get the players up for these occasions.

“So it’s a chance for us to give people a real taste of what regional rugby is far.”

Dragons assistant coach Darren Edwards explained how their home Boxing Day match against the Blues was already a sellout.

“I can’t even get my family in!” said Edwards.

“That is what it means to people as part of their Christmas programme.

“Our fans will also appreciate East Wales derbies because they are two games close together.

“It was quite apparent when the fixtures were announced that we were playing back-to-back matches against the Blues, that this is what people are talking about.

“They become days out and I am sure they will be a few beers drunk.

“The commercial department are happy and we have to put on more resources to cope with the demand.

“That has not happened since I have been here, so the interest in the concept is apparent.”

Welsh derby matches over Christmas and New Year

Friday, December 20

Blues v Ospreys (7.15pm)

Thursday, December 26

Scarlets v Ospreys (2.05pm)

Dragons v Blues (5pm)

Wednesday, January 1

Blues v Dragons (2.05pm)

Friday, January 3

Ospreys v Scarlets (7.15pm).

Article source: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/rugby-league/355557/Sydney-Roosters-appoint-England-rugby-coach-Steve-McNamara

Welsh rugby crisis: Scarlets coach Simon Easterby highlights mass job losses ...