Welsh Rugby Union and regions set for crucial meeting

Representatives from Welsh rugby’s four regions will meet the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) on Wednesday in an attempt to resolve their differences.

Ospreys, Blues, Scarlets and Dragons have stated they want to play against English clubs rather than be forced by the WRU to compete in the Heineken Cup.

The regions

could take legal action

for the right to play in cross-border tournaments without WRU permission.

Scarlets head coach Simon Easterby has described the meeting as “huge”.

Continue reading the main story

“This is as big a point in the professional game as there’s been. That meeting’s huge”

Simon Easterby
Scarlets head coach

There is increasing speculation the regions will not sign the participation agreement with the union before the 31 December deadline.

Reports have linked the quartet with a bid to join England’s Premiership as rows over the future of European competitions continue.

The regions were keen to increase revenue by joining the proposed new Rugby Champions Cup, a 20-club tournament proposed by English and French sides.

But those plans came to nothing as the home unions, England aside, committed to the current Heineken Cup.

Last week

the English clubs confirmed they would not be involved in the competition

next year.

Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie is still confident English sides will compete in Europe next season, insisting there is

still “a deal to be done”.

WRU chief executive Roger Lewis has said the union is committed to the supporting the regions.

“We sincerely hope that our professional regional organisations are able to retain their best players in Wales,” Lewis said.

Leicester chief executive Peter Wheeler supports Welsh clubs

Wheeler told BBC Radio Wales: “We have always supported each other. We might be fiercely competitive with each other but I think we recognise the synergy between the English clubs and the Welsh clubs over a long period of time.

“We have supported each other in the past and I hope we do in the future as well.”

The WRU has

offered to help the four regions

keep their leading Welsh players in Wales, and has said it would employ all of their leading Wales internationals whose deals expire in 2014.

The current uncertainty over European competition has led to a host of star names considering their playing futures beyond the end of the 2013-14 campaign.

Wales captain Sam Warburton has

given Cardiff Blues and the WRU a Wednesday deadline

to put together a deal to keep him in the country.

One of players who has already decided to leave Wales at the end of the season is Scarlets centre Jonathan Davies, who has signed for French side Clermont.

His current boss, Easterby, believes it is vital the regions and the WRU come to an agreement.

“It’s going to take both parties to come together and have the same mindset and hopefully the same thinking to taking the game forward,” Easterby said.

“Otherwise we’re going to miss an opportunity.

“I think it’s that big at the moment. It’s a big opportunity to safeguard the game here for the next four or five years.

“This is as big a point in the professional game as there’s been. That meeting’s huge.”

Article source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/sports/383917/connacht-lead-irish-provinces-in-rugby-union-european-cup-wins

Welsh Rugby Union and regions set for crucial meeting