Welsh Regions voice concerns over Australia clash!

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Regions-voice-concerns-Australia-clash/story-13206816-detail/story.html

WALES will play Australia at the Millennium Stadium on December 3, sparking fears of a fixture clash with the country's four regions.

On the same weekend, the RaboDirect Pro12 will see the Ospreys host Munster, the Scarlets visit Ulster, the Blues travel to Leinster and the Dragons at home to Glasgow.

The timing of the match could also concern the regions as it comes just a week before a potentially pivotal round of Heineken Cup fixtures.

The game will take place little over a month after the World Cup final, with both sides competing for the James Bevan Trophy.

Australia won 25-16 when they played Wales at the Millennium Stadium last November.

And there is a chance Wales and Australia could meet at the quarter-final stage in New Zealand in October, with the winners of Australia's Pool C due to take on the runners-up of Pool D, which features Wales and South Africa.

"There is always huge

THE regions have told the Welsh Rugby Union in no uncertain terms they are unhappy about the Christmas box Test between Wales and Australia.

Confirmed this week, the Millennium Stadium match is being played on December 3, with players required to join Warren Gatland's squad 13 days beforehand under the participation agreement.

It means not only will those in the squad miss two weekends of RaboDirect Pro12 action, but they will also have far from ideal preparation for the third round of Heineken Cup matches the following weekend.

The Ospreys have a huge encounter against Saracens at Wembley on December 10, while the Scarlets have an equally significant date with Munster in Llanelli.

The Blues have a less taxing home date with perennial European strugglers Edinburgh, but the match is played on the Friday night — just six days after the Australia Test.

Under the participation deal the Ospreys, Scarlets, Blues and Dragons have no option but to make the best of the Test fixture schedule. The money generated by international fixtures helps pay for the funding of the professional game in Wales.

But they have made representations to the union over the Wallaby encounter, emphasising their deep concern. In World Cup year they hope the union will show a measure of flexibility, perhaps by relaxing the 13-day requirement and allowing players to link with Wales after the November 24 to 26 round of league matches, when the Ospreys visit Connacht, the Scarlets host the Dragons and the Blues entertain Aironi.

But so far the union have yet to budge.