Reform Regional Rugby - Update

First topic message reminder :

As some of you will have seen, our campaign is now starting to attract attention and take on real momentum. Here is a selection of some of the coverage we have received to date.


Western Mail 10 Jan 2012 http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/welsh-politics/welsh-politics-news/2012/01/10/mp-s-petition-calling-for-reform-to-regional-rugby-system-gains-1-000-signatures-91466-30090246/



Observer, Rhondda Leader and Cynon Valley Leader 12 Jan 2012 http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/south-wales-news/pontypridd-llantrisant/2012/01/12/campaign-launched-to-transform-regional-rugby-91466-30096011/



BBC Wales Interview: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b019cbly/am.pm_11_01_2012?t=16m17s (16 minutes into the video)



Fans may also like to hear that Owen Smith is meeting next with all of the other Valleys MPs to rally support for the reform of regional rugby. You may also wish to write to your own MPs to make the case for change.



Lastly, please urge all of your friends, work colleagues and anyone else you know who agrees with our cause to sign the petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/reform-regional-rugby/



The WRU must understand the depth of the concern that exists among Welsh rugby fans and we can best do that by recording our protest and our opinions. So I look forward to receiving many thousands of additional signatures in the coming weeks and months. The petition will eventually be passed to the WRU to inform their thinking about the future of the game, however, a copy of it will also be presented formally in Parliament



Keep the faith

THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN COMPETITIVE!!!!

I'm off down the pub...

I agree the superclubs are rubbish, but the ONE TRUE REGION have beaten 3 English champions in the HC, beaten England and Australia (our 2nds) beaten French champions in the HC and beaten HC winners from Ireland, and admittedly been underperforming because of inadequate coaching.
Since Regionalism came in Wales have won 2 Grand Slams with the VAST MAJORITY of players playing for the Ospreys, and finished the highest we have in the World Cup since the initial tournament and you say Regionalism isn't working. Your having a laugh surely.

Casartelli
Not one constructive or factual point to date. Are you and Jimmy the same account?

We've never had proper regional sides in Wales from day one and that is still the case. Why some people tend to think we do is confusing to me as the evidence is there for all to see.

AlynDavies wrote:

The truth is the Blues are 10 minutes down the A470,

You're quite right Alyn, but the Blues are and always have been Cardiff RFC which is why the vast majority of Pontypridd RFC fans will not support Cardiff Blues.

We have four but some fans cant or wont accept them as being regions
They want to claim them as their own and anybody outside the town or city has no right to their club.
Those kind of fans would feel much more at home if they supported the sides playing in the Welsh premiership.

wayne wrote:I agree the superclubs are rubbish, but the ONE TRUE REGION have beaten 3 English champions in the HC

Yeah kind of like Ponty did when they beat Leicester and Bath at Sardis Road? Or what about going to Vicarage Road and beating Saracens? London Irish at the Kassam Stadium? Added to all the English scalps Llanelli did. Even our rivals Cardiff beat Bath at home and went up to Harlequins and won. Spare me the "We have only done well in Europe since the regions" rubbish as your making yourself look silly there

Cardiff Dave wrote:

AlynDavies wrote:

The truth is the Blues are 10 minutes down the A470,

You're quite right Alyn, but the Blues are and always have been Cardiff RFC which is why the vast majority of Pontypridd RFC fans will not support Cardiff Blues.

As a cricket fan (which I am not but for the sake of argument) I'll never support the England and Wales team while they are solely referred to as England. It's the same scenario and highly insensitive and disrespectful by those who organised it so. That has to change first and foremost, Newport and Cardiff need to be dropped from the respective labels if there is to be any hope of a quick reconciliation with the regional concept.

Knowsit17 wrote:As a cricket fan (which I am not but for the sake of argument) I'll never support the England and Wales team while they are solely referred to as England. It's the same scenario and highly insensitive and disrespectful by those who organised it so. That has to change first and foremost, Newport and Cardiff need to be dropped from the respective labels if there is to be any hope of a quick reconciliation with the regional concept.

What we should do is move Cardiff Blues to Sardis Road for 10 years and call them 'Pontypridd Black & Whites'

Do the same with The Newport Gwent Dragons. Move them to Eugene Cross Park and call them "Ebbw Vale Gwent Steelmen'

Then we can see all these wonderful "Kairdiff" and "Newperrt" fans flock to our grounds and show us how narrow-minded we have been for the last 8-9 years

Noble-Surfer wrote:Personally, I don't get what's with all this hating the regions...

I remember going to watch games at the Arms Park and Stradey with my Dad as a kid, and really enjoyed going. Since the game in Wales went regional, I've been to Cardiff City Stadium, Parc Y Scarlets, the Liberty and Rodney Parade to watch the regions play.

I am a Scarlets fan, but will always support every other Welsh region whenever they're playing anyone else.

As a Welsh fan, I want all of the regions to do as well as possible, because that can only bode well for the Welsh national team.

What I don't understand is why people who support Wales can't support the Welsh regions...?

If we'd had proper regions from the outset we wouldn't have the bad feelings we still have today 8/9 years after the event. With hindsight it would have been better to have been honest in the first place.

Cardiff Dave wrote:If we'd had proper regions from the outset we wouldn't have the bad feelings we still have today 8/9 years after the event. With hindsight it would have been better to have been honest in the first place.

Exactly. Thats why no one likes the current setup. It only applies to Newport, Cardiff and Llanelli fans plus people who decide to support the Ospreys. Their fans just love rubbing it in though which causes further resentment

It's funny this whole thread has been an opening statement saying we should reform - but not giving any details about money, expected income, possible benefactors (to support the new region), if there's going to be a new region, or if there isn't - what would they want instead.

Also when Wayne and Morgannwg have raised objections they've been insulted as Ponty-haters.

IMO the regions aren't working fully yet, the crowds are low (but then there are lower turnouts for some/many Aviva games), the regions are failing currently in Europe BUT they are improving, gates are improving for the Scarlets and Dragons, the Academies are producing more promising (and current ints) players, the Wales team is improving, especially from the 90's, the regions aren't in danger of going bust like the Prem clubs were before regionalisation and the regions are making more headway around their regions reaching out to every community, though obviously this is slow work.

Also since regionalisation hasn't the Scarlets got to 2 semi-finals (before having to dramatically reduce it's squad and rebuild, the Blues won a European trophy and got to the Semi's as well?

and Jimmy Moz has only found Castarelli to support him, which says something...

Smirnoffpriest wrote:Also since regionalisation hasn't the Scarlets got to 2 semi-finals

Which they did under the old club system as well...

Cardiff Dave wrote:We've never had proper regional sides in Wales from day one and that is still the case. Why some people tend to think we do is confusing to me as the evidence is there for all to see.

But you can't even get the name of your own team right - so it's not suprising you can't see the evidence

Jimmy Moz wrote:

Knowsit17 wrote:As a cricket fan (which I am not but for the sake of argument) I'll never support the England and Wales team while they are solely referred to as England. It's the same scenario and highly insensitive and disrespectful by those who organised it so. That has to change first and foremost, Newport and Cardiff need to be dropped from the respective labels if there is to be any hope of a quick reconciliation with the regional concept.

What we should do is move Cardiff Blues to Sardis Road for 10 years and call them 'Pontypridd Black & Whites'

Do the same with The Newport Gwent Dragons. Move them to Eugene Cross Park and call them "Ebbw Vale Gwent Steelmen'

Then we can see all these wonderful "Kairdiff" and "Newperrt" fans flock to our grounds and show us how narrow-minded we have been for the last 8-9 years

Moving some games to other quarters might not be a bad idea as I mentioned earlier. Maybe those with smaller attendances expected (against Connacht, Aironi and the Ospreys for example) which could be the way to show the local communities that their faithful are valued.

Maybe just a fantasy but personally I'd be interested in seeing it tried out.

As an exiled Ebbw boy who supports the Dragons I will stick up for them. Whilst admitting that things are not perfect the Dragons are doing a hell of a lot within Gwent to encourage the next generation of supporter.

I know a lot of Ebbw people who won't set foot inside Dave because of all the bad blood in the past likewise I know a lot of people who do go down to Newport to watch their Region.

There's always room for improvement in every walk of life and things won't happen overnight but whilst not being able to speak for the other Regions I know the Dragons are heading in right direction.

Jimmy Moz wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:Also since regionalisation hasn't the Scarlets got to 2 semi-finals

Which they did under the old club system as well...

Yes but they would have been bust now under the club system - so I wouldn't have expected a club in liquidation to get to too many more Semi-Finals

Smirnoffpriest wrote:IAlso when Wayne and Morgannwg have raised objections they've been insulted as Ponty-haters.

Mate...saying another region is not financially viable is ok. But the whole objectiveness has stank of "You Ponty folk had your chance. I would never support you lot if you were on my doorstep bla bla" which has created the way this thread has gone

Jimmy Moz wrote:

wayne wrote:I agree the superclubs are rubbish, but the ONE TRUE REGION have beaten 3 English champions in the HC

Yeah kind of like Ponty did when they beat Leicester and Bath at Sardis Road? Or what about going to Vicarage Road and beating Saracens? London Irish at the Kassam Stadium? Added to all the English scalps Llanelli did. Even our rivals Cardiff beat Bath at home and went up to Harlequins and won. Spare me the "We have only done well in Europe since the regions" rubbish as your making yourself look silly there

Check my post again where did I say "We have only done well in Europe since the regions" you are the silly one, WHAT ABOUT THE ATTENDANCE FIGURES TO SUSTAIN REGIONAL RUGBY, when your 1sts can't beat a Bridgend team missing many who were on duty last night for the Ospreys.

wayne wrote:

Jimmy Moz wrote:

wayne wrote:I agree the superclubs are rubbish, but the ONE TRUE REGION have beaten 3 English champions in the HC

Yeah kind of like Ponty did when they beat Leicester and Bath at Sardis Road? Or what about going to Vicarage Road and beating Saracens? London Irish at the Kassam Stadium? Added to all the English scalps Llanelli did. Even our rivals Cardiff beat Bath at home and went up to Harlequins and won. Spare me the "We have only done well in Europe since the regions" rubbish as your making yourself look silly there

Check my post again where did I say "We have only done well in Europe since the regions" you are the silly one, WHAT ABOUT THE ATTENDANCE FIGURES TO SUSTAIN REGIONAL RUGBY, when your 1sts can't beat a Bridgend team missing many who were on duty last night for the Ospreys.

Yeah because we never have anyone in the Cardiff Blues academy do we

Also, I didnt go to the game because I got the flu. My brother did. Dai Flannagan won the game for Bridgend. Yes thats right the player the Opsreys bought off...oh yeah...PONTY

Knowsit17 wrote:

As a cricket fan (which I am not but for the sake of argument) I'll never support the England and Wales team while they are solely referred to as England. It's the same scenario and highly insensitive and disrespectful by those who organised it so. That has to change first and foremost, Newport and Cardiff need to be dropped from the respective labels if there is to be any hope of a quick reconciliation with the regional concept.

I disagree entirely.
The name England for the cricket team works, so why change it? I've followed them too along with others who are Welsh, but we've had no issue with the name England. History and tradition is something that should be cherished and protected, not thrown away on a whim.
The same can be said about Cardiff rugby. It worked for Cardiff and always will. It is a famous name in the world of rugby and the addition of the suffix Blues means absolutely nothing.
British Lions or British and Irish Lions? It is and always will be The British Lions for me.

Jimmy Moz wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:IAlso when Wayne and Morgannwg have raised objections they've been insulted as Ponty-haters.

Mate...saying another region is not financially viable is ok. But the whole objectiveness has stank of "You Ponty folk had your chance. I would never support you lot if you were on my doorstep bla bla" which has created the way this thread has gone

What they said was a region was tried in that region before and didn't work - whats wrong with that? The region didn't work with 2 massive clubs, the proposal now is to try the same thing as back in 2003 but with only 1 massive club and no benefactor. This sounds like it has a much worse chance of success that the 1st attempt - and before you say it no I'm not a Ponty-hater (at least the club), I just want to have some facts that I can make an informed decision on - such as current and expected average attendances, where the finances are going to come from to fund this region, the amount of promising youngsters in the area which the region could you use for success, where the region is likely to be based, how will this be accepted by the fans from the surrounding towns and villages (the valleys is a very parochial place) ect

Dai Flanagan BOUGHT?, AGAIN CHECK YOUR FACTS.

Pity you and your fellow Ponty supporters didn't have the same enthusiasm to support the Warriors in the 90s, even when Samuel offered to build a new stadium in the Pencoed area

wayne wrote:Dai Flanagan BOUGHT?, AGAIN CHECK YOUR FACTS.

Pity you and your fellow Ponty supporters didn't have the same enthusiasm to support the Warriors in the 90s, even when Samuel offered to build a new stadium in the Pencoed area

I didnt realise the Warriors were around in the 90s

Thought they didnt form until 2003

Just shows how much I know...

Cardiff Dave wrote:

I disagree entirely.
The name England for the cricket team works, so why change it? I've followed them too along with others who are Welsh, but we've had no issue with the name England. History and tradition is something that should be cherished and protected, not thrown away on a whim.
The same can be said about Cardiff rugby. It worked for Cardiff and always will. It is a famous name in the world of rugby and the addition of the suffix Blues means absolutely nothing.
British Lions or British and Irish Lions? It is and always will be The British Lions for me.

I thought one of your big problems was that the Cardiff Blues weren't working, nobody wanted to go and see them, there was no passion or atmosphere and the region was being run badly and more people are needed to turn up.

Therefore it seems sensible to appeal to a larger amount of your market rather than just the old fans who used to go and watch Cardiff RFC - especially as they are a new region.

Jimmy Moz wrote:

wayne wrote:Dai Flanagan BOUGHT?, AGAIN CHECK YOUR FACTS.

Pity you and your fellow Ponty supporters didn't have the same enthusiasm to support the Warriors in the 90s, even when Samuel offered to build a new stadium in the Pencoed area

I didnt realise the Warriors were around in the 90s

Thought they didnt form until 2003

Just shows how much I know...

Sorry got that wrong, now admit your wrong about DAI

wayne wrote:

Jimmy Moz wrote:

wayne wrote:Dai Flanagan BOUGHT?, AGAIN CHECK YOUR FACTS.

Pity you and your fellow Ponty supporters didn't have the same enthusiasm to support the Warriors in the 90s, even when Samuel offered to build a new stadium in the Pencoed area

I didnt realise the Warriors were around in the 90s

Thought they didnt form until 2003

Just shows how much I know...

Sorry got that wrong, now admit your wrong about DAI

Yeah ok I probably got it wrong bla bla

Seriously though you have issues against Ponty/Valley supporters which is clearly evident so dont try and hide it. I find the fact you are ecstatic over beating the Ponty team which is semi-pro a bit worrying to be honest. On saying that you were relegated 3 years ago so I guess just being in the Welsh Premiership is wonderful for you

Jimmy Moz wrote:

wayne wrote:Dai Flanagan BOUGHT?, AGAIN CHECK YOUR FACTS.

Pity you and your fellow Ponty supporters didn't have the same enthusiasm to support the Warriors in the 90s, even when Samuel offered to build a new stadium in the Pencoed area

I didnt realise the Warriors were around in the 90s

Thought they didnt form until 2003

Just shows how much I know...

Despite the date being wrong, the rest is true. In a perfect world there should be a Valleys team, though it shouldn't be created solely to keep Ponty fans happy. As i've said before, a Valleys team should be played high in the Valleys. The majority of Ponty fans would like a regional team which would solely play at Sardis road. Which I believe wouldnt work. There would be some Ponty supporters that would travel up to watch the Valley team if they played in Aberdare or Merthyr, but going to past experiences most wouldn't, then would spend the rest of the time complaining that they've been done over...again

Cardiff Dave wrote:

Knowsit17 wrote:

As a cricket fan (which I am not but for the sake of argument) I'll never support the England and Wales team while they are solely referred to as England. It's the same scenario and highly insensitive and disrespectful by those who organised it so. That has to change first and foremost, Newport and Cardiff need to be dropped from the respective labels if there is to be any hope of a quick reconciliation with the regional concept.

I disagree entirely.
The name England for the cricket team works, so why change it? I've followed them too along with others who are Welsh, but we've had no issue with the name England. History and tradition is something that should be cherished and protected, not thrown away on a whim.
The same can be said about Cardiff rugby. It worked for Cardiff and always will. It is a famous name in the world of rugby and the addition of the suffix Blues means absolutely nothing.
British Lions or British and Irish Lions? It is and always will be The British Lions for me.

Then I'm afraid we're of two entirely different POV.

Hypothetically I'm not sure you'd find it this easy to dismiss the singularity if it were the Ponty Blues or similar rather than Cardiff.

You're right in saying some history ought to be cherished but protected? Nothing stays the same forever and sometimes dismissing something which is dear to us is the best gesture to bring us closer together. I personally find the notion of clinging desperately to history, especially when it's to the offence of others, highly narrow-minded. Of course history should be remembered but that isn't to say things ought to stay the same indefinitely. Or else why not just insist on tribalism and separation of cultures and races like in old times while we're at it? Why not lynch a few black people every now and then seeing as technically it "worked for white people and always will" by that logic?

I personally find it impossible to believe that embracing one club mentality while expecting the others to flush themselves down the toilet is the way forward in this case.

If regionalisation is to work sooner than later then it ought to be the Blues without any mention of Cardiff, the Dragons without any mention of Newport etc.

Just to remind some Ponty got to the final of the second tier of Europe and lost to Sale, only the Blues many years later won the Amlin! If regional rugby continues as it is at least one club will go bust inj the next 5 years, the Scarlets look favorite and the Blues not far behind if Thomas calls in his debts.

BridgendBoyo wrote:

Jimmy Moz wrote:

wayne wrote:Dai Flanagan BOUGHT?, AGAIN CHECK YOUR FACTS.

Pity you and your fellow Ponty supporters didn't have the same enthusiasm to support the Warriors in the 90s, even when Samuel offered to build a new stadium in the Pencoed area

I didnt realise the Warriors were around in the 90s

Thought they didnt form until 2003

Just shows how much I know...

Despite the date being wrong, the rest is true. In a perfect world there should be a Valleys team, though it shouldn't be created solely to keep Ponty fans happy. As i've said before, a Valleys team should be played high in the Valleys. The majority of Ponty fans would like a regional team which would solely play at Sardis road. Which I believe wouldnt work. There would be some Ponty supporters that would travel up to watch the Valley team if they played in Aberdare or Merthyr, but going to past experiences most wouldn't, then would spend the rest of the time complaining that they've been done over...again

That was 10 years ago. People of Ponty/Valleys would be just happy to have a team now. Dont make out we were the only ones with ego problems in the beginning either (Sturt Gallagher "we are bigger than Swansea, Ponty and Neath put together")

The team would work now but you clearly dont wanna give it a chance so no point in trying to convince you otherwise

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

I thought one of your big problems was that the Cardiff Blues weren't working, nobody wanted to go and see them, there was no passion or atmosphere and the region was being run badly and more people are needed to turn up.

Therefore it seems sensible to appeal to a larger amount of your market rather than just the old fans who used to go and watch Cardiff RFC - especially as they are a new region.

The "Blues" additive saw some walk away and the CCS debacle has quite frankly proved to be massively disasterous. However, Cardiff will still be around whatever and under new management at CAP, we'll be where we should be hopefully which will no doubt benefit Welsh rugby.
The best thing for the team would be to appeal to where the biggest population is ie on their doorstep meaning the huge population of Cardiff. If others want to join the party from miles around then they are more than welcome. That's exactly how it used be actually.

Jimmy Moz wrote:

wayne wrote:Dai Flanagan BOUGHT?, AGAIN CHECK YOUR FACTS.

Pity you and your fellow Ponty supporters didn't have the same enthusiasm to support the Warriors in the 90s, even when Samuel offered to build a new stadium in the Pencoed area

I didnt realise the Warriors were around in the 90s

Thought they didnt form until 2003

Just shows how much I know...

Im sure he meant Glasgow Warriors Jimmy. Not quite sure how moving from Glasgow to Pencoed would benefit them mind. Surely Scottish rugby wasnt that desperate

[quote="Jimmy Moz"]

BridgendBoyo wrote:

Jimmy Moz wrote:

wayne wrote:Dai Flanagan BOUGHT?, AGAIN CHECK YOUR FACTS.

Pity you and your fellow Ponty supporters didn't have the same enthusiasm to support the Warriors in the 90s, even when Samuel offered to build a new stadium in the Pencoed area

I didnt realise the Warriors were around in the 90s

Thought they didnt form until 2003

Just shows how much I know...

Despite the date being wrong, the rest is true. In a perfect world there should be a Valleys team, though it shouldn't be created solely to keep Ponty fans happy. As i've said before, a Valleys team should be played high in the Valleys. The majority of Ponty fans would like a regional team which would solely play at Sardis road. Which I believe wouldnt work. There would be some Ponty supporters that would travel up to watch the Valley team if they played in Aberdare or Merthyr, but going to past experiences most wouldn't, then would spend the rest of the time complaining that they've been done over...again

That was 10 years ago. People of Ponty/Valleys would be just happy to have a team now. Dont make out we were the only ones with ego problems in the beginning either (Sturt Gallagher "we are bigger than Swansea, Ponty and Neath put together")

The team would work now but you clearly dont wanna give it a chance so no point in trying to convince you otherwise[/quote

My debate has been solely centred round a Ponty's involvement in regional rugby. Which is why I didnt feel the need to write about the other regions because they had nothing to do with the running of the Celtic Warriors, I agree entirely with your remark with regards to Stuart Gallagher.

Team wouldnt work because theres no money to run it in the first place. Im from the Rhondda, born in LLywnypia, lived in Ton Pentre, all my family are from the Rhondda. I can tell you now, if a region was created for the purpose of pleasing Ponty fans, and soley being played in Ponty, they wouldnt support them.

Jimmy Moz wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:IAlso when Wayne and Morgannwg have raised objections they've been insulted as Ponty-haters.

Mate...saying another region is not financially viable is ok. But the whole objectiveness has stank of "You Ponty folk had your chance. I would never support you lot if you were on my doorstep bla bla" which has created the way this thread has gone

Well actually all you do is trash talk the other Regions, ever since you signed up. All we have done is point out the FACTS. You have completely ignored everyone who has raied objections to your supposed arguement. Either answer them or just admit you are wrong and bitter.

Knowsit17 wrote:
I personally find it impossible to believe that embracing one club mentality while expecting the others to flush themselves down the toilet is the way forward in this case.

If regionalisation is to work sooner than later then it ought to be the Blues without any mention of Cardiff, the Dragons without any mention of Newport etc.

Best leave the rest of your post alone, but I agree and i've said it all along that it is ridiculous to expect fans of other clubs to support another club, in this case Cardiff/Ponty, just because someone ie the WRU says they should. When regionalism kicked off, Cardiff remained Cardiff and Llanelli remained Llanelli and Ponty remained Ponty and it's still the same now.

Why do Manawatu club fans not get bitter about supporting the Crusaders in the Super 15? Afterall, they play all their games in Canterbury and wear the same colours as Canterbury, yet we don't see any sort of bitterness. That was just one example by the way...

Morgannwg wrote:All we have done is point out the FACTS

What you mean like...

Morgannwg wrote:Hilarious. Did you not hear of the 5000 that turned up to watch Ponty play Cardiff RFC on new years day? Surely that warrants what Jimbob wants (in his mind anyway!).

Morgannwg wrote:As somebody said, you don't deserve a 'region'

Morgannwg wrote:Oh dear.

Morgannwg wrote:Yawn.

Morgannwg wrote:I suppose you can spit on our 4 regions when they are down though if it makes you feel better

Yes very constructive FACTS and objections

Morgannwg wrote:Why do Manawatu club fans not get bitter about supporting the Crusaders in the Super 15?

No idea and it wouldn't interest me either.

Morgannwg wrote:

Well actually all you do is trash talk the other Regions, ever since you signed up. All we have done is point out the FACTS. You have completely ignored everyone who has raied objections to your supposed arguement. Either answer them or just admit you are wrong and bitter.

Empathy? Facts? We should do both.

morgan The reason why Manawatu fans dont get bitter about supporting the Crusaders is beacause they dont, they support (for the most part) the Hurricanes...
I wont bother about the colours but green aint red.

laurie, I think I meant Tasman . Same principle applies though, to all of your teams.

Jimmy, do we even need to bother? You're completely ignoring everything else we say but just pointing out certain things you think you can make an arguement of. I suggest you scroll up again and try answering the few questions you have been asked, that way you may not look like such a moronic and bitter Ponty fan.

Jimmy Moz wrote:

AlynDavies wrote:Sorry Jimmy but I think you people are totally unrealistic, Wales cannot financially compete with French clubs as it is, where do you expect the Union to find the funding for a Valley region?

The truth is the Blues are 10 minutes down the A470, watch them if you like, if you don't watch the Welsh Premiership, but we don't have the depth or money for a 5th region in South Wales.

Ponty couldnt afford a professional team in 2003, thats why their sold their half share to Bridgend, and if you cant afford something in 2003, you certainly can't afford it in 2012, with wages jumping so much higher now.

3,500 fans paying £10 each, 17 home games a year is £595,500. If just rentals push the boat out you may get another £10k but other than that, I can't see where this money is going to come from!

Well your more than welcome to petition against the petition

Reaction to the boring subject with childish reply.

Jimmy Moz wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Yawn.

Nice to see someone else is tired of the current failing Superclub structure

Jimmy, I don't think this structure can work. How do you think it will work?

Jimmy Moz wrote:So basically your a Ponty hater then...

I agree with Mr X, it is not econimcally viable to have a Region/Superclub in Ponty.

Jimmy Moz wrote:
Wipe your nose its got some brown stuff on it...

But Jimmy the Regionalisation idea was tried in Pontypridd, and it failed. Why would it work now?

Jimmy Moz wrote:
Kinda like saying I should be banned from a pub because the last time I was in there in 2003 I was sick in the toilet. You people clearly have an agenda. Wayne is just a Ponty hater which is fine

Morgannwg, is smart.

Jimmy Moz wrote:
Morgannwg is not the sharpest tool in the box as you can tell

Jimmy, Ponty fans refused to watch the Warriors at the Brewery Field back in 2003.

Jimmy Moz wrote:
Aaawww. Little Bridgend fan all upset because he dont like Ponty

You lot never turned up after even after Samuals bought you a really good team in the old club system. Even Samuels said that

(Poster turns up and agrees with Jim's radical idea, but suspected to be another ID of Jim).

Jimmy Moz wrote:
Be careful mate there are now 2 of us with common sense and ambition on this thread and I'm not sure their heads can take it...

The current Regional fans are discussing new ideas on how the teams can improve and embrace 'Regionalisation' a bit better.

Jimmy Moz wrote:
Not forgetting the classic "Iv heard we may be signing a "world class" New Zealander later this season that will strengthen us

So Jimmy, if you could change the Regions structure what would you do?

Jimmy Moz wrote:
What we should do is move Cardiff Blues to Sardis Road for 10 years and call them 'Pontypridd Black & Whites'

Do the same with The Newport Gwent Dragons. Move them to Eugene Cross Park and call them "Ebbw Vale Gwent Steelmen'

Jimmy you claim to be a die hard Ponty fan, did you go and watch them play Bridgend?

Jimmy Moz wrote:
I didnt go to the game because I got the flu.

Well Jimmy seeing as I (Mr X) and a few other posters have pointed out many reasons for the current structure to stay as it is, and that the Valley of Pontypridd could not sustain a Superclub and you have nothing to say to counter these arguements, where does that leave us?

Jimmy Moz wrote:
Just shows how much I know...

Quite James, quite.


See what I did there Jim? i'm so funny. Sorry if I offended anyone with this post.

So this post has basically become a 'lets create a valley region solely for Ponty' which is quite frankly pathetic.
Remember that the WRU wanted to create proper regions but the clubs prevented them from doing so. As i said earlier they are creating a north Wales region.
What ideas do you actually have apart from "reform".

Its been said before Ponty fans want a Ponty Region/Super club. Some will never be happy unless that happened.

Regions were concieved for right reason but ill-concieved as to their make up and formation.

I haven't heard ANYONE chant Newport at a Dragons game for years so get your facts straight

Agree wholeheartedly with Munkian there and whilst it only small steps it does make a difference when people like myself and some of friends from Ebbw go there.

Morgannwg wrote:Casartelli
Not one constructive or factual point to date. Are you and Jimmy the same account?

Rather childish comment, but if I may retort;

The facts are that the superclubs have not improved over the last 8 years. Llanelli and Newport have declined. For teams that are supposed to represent 'regions' of Wales the attendances are awful. Wales is too small a country to rely totally on the towns of Llanelli, Swansea, Cardiff and Newport to support the national game - everyone should be included.

By the way, I also knew enough rugby 'factual points' to be aware that Manawatu and the Crusaders are on different islands of New Zealand.

Wales IS a small country , precisely why we can't have ANOTHER region

We can have another region but it must be in that large bit of the country that does not have one.