Regional rugby fix

OK this may not fix the problem of regional rugby itself as I believe the regions are being run like clubs and this has to stop.

What I am thinking is what is the fundamental reason for the lack of interest in regional rugby and the poor crowds?

EASY.

How many Man Utd fans would go and see Man Utd v Wigan if it was on at 7pm on a Friday night and Fergie decided to field the reserves team?

Probably not that many.

I believe that the way regional rugby works is bad, but I believe that the FIXTURE LIST and SCHEDULE is even worse!!!

We must do 1 of 2 things:

a) NO INTERNATIONAL RUGBY DURING REGIONAL SEASON (Six Nations, then a regional season, then Autumn Internationals)
b) NO REGIONAL RUGBY WHEN THERE IS AN INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT

We simply can't mix the two. It would make FAR more sense this way. Why play pointless regional fixtures during a time where the entire nation is in a Wales frenzy? When a region is playing, all their best players should be available unless injured. The fixture list should also be far more intelligent. Why have a local derby on Boxing day or New Years day??? This is how I would do it:

LAST DAY OF SIX NATIONS - Wales win grand slam

**TWO WEEK BREAK**

Super Saturday Regional Double Header:

Blues v Dragons
Ospreys v Scarlets

Both at the Millennium Stadium: First game at 2pm, Second game at 4pm

That would generate huge interest just after a successful Wales tournament.

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In the long run, Wales need to follow the New Zealand model. Both similar countries in their love for rugby, infrastructure and population. Wales should never win 3 grand slams in 7 years, but it is all to do with the passion for the sport and the way children are brought up to it during grass roots levels. It doesn't matter if England has a population of 50 million or more money or more registered players. It is still an upper class sport , you only have to look at the player names or whether they went to Millfield school or not.

Wales can get even better. Considering the shambles that the club game is in, it is a miracle that the national team is doing well. We can't change the rules for the current stars playing in France, but we must bring the up and coming talent up on a new system.

If you want to play for Wales you play IN Wales. Gatland didn't have the player base or resources to implement this law before, but he can now.

Example:

Imagine we find another player like Adam Jones or Gethin Jenkins. Next time round France would come knocking a lot sooner into their career. We are lucky that Gethin is only going now when he is 31 years old. In the future I would be much happier with a world class prop playing 6 or 7 years GUARANTEED in Wales and for Wales and when they decided to goto France aged 29/30 then their Welsh career is over.

Players like George North and Sam Warburton will make SO much money from sponsorship and advertising in the UK in the future that the extra wages in France may not be that much extra after all. These are the kinds of things that will top up players pay and keep them in Wales. With these young stars doing so well they are becoming a marketing dream.

A lot of companies nowadays want to stay away from complete buffoons like Gavin Henson or Andy Powell, but lads like Halfpenny, North, Warburton and Lydiate are the opposite. Really nice lads, polite, down to earth, aware of their talents but always self critical and striving to do better. This is the miracle that Gatland has helped create with the Welsh team. Lots of companies will be sponsoring these boys in the future if not already.

FIFTH REGION:

Eventually, if Wales can keep all their stars playing in Wales, then we will definitely need an extra region. I am enjoying the likes of Ashley Beck thriving because Henson and Hook etc are playing away from the region, but we need to find a balance.

BEST PLAN:

We cannot go back on the current structure but we can tweak it. The Blues and Scarlets desperately need to change their name and stop running themselves like clubs.

The Scarlets need to do more in mid and west Wales
The Blues need to operate more in Ponty, Merthy and the Valleys
The Ospreys have already incorporated Bridgend into their mantle so I wouldn't change anything there.
The extra region must and has to be in North Wales

PROPOSAL:

1. FIVE REGIONS

Ospreys
Dragons
Gogland
New name for Blues
New name for Scarlets

2. Central contracts (Play in Wales, play for Wales)

3. Less fixtures (much like the Super XV), but this would need to be adopted by the entire Celtic/Italian league.

4. More emphasis on Welsh premiership, much like the air New Zealand cup. I honestly thing it will go this way eventually.

5. Play after or before six nations. I don't think playing rugby in Dec-Feb is a good idea in the UK. Start with the six nations and then have 3 months of regional rugby finishing somewhere in June.

September - November would be where we get to see our Wales stars turning up for clubs like Neath, Swansea, Ponty, Llanelli, Aberavon etc...

Completely agree. There is a few things that devalue this league, one being the awful name, and the second being the number of games that are played with second string sides.

Stephen Ferris has only played four times this year in the "Rabo Direct Pro 12" for Ulster. Crap. I went to the Ulster Vs Munster game and not one Irish International to be seen, and more or less the same with the Blues V Scarlets game a few weeks back.

The league is a bit of a micky mouse league because it is never played with full teams in empty stadiums. What sponsor would want to get involved in that? A major sponsor, I have no idea who Rabo Direct are and what they do?

Completely agree that Wales should follow the NZ model. I live/d in both countries and I know that the NZ system would work in Wales. Wouldn't work in the rest of the UK but it would in Wales.

3rdGrandslamCame wrote:OK this may not fix the problem of regional rugby itself as I believe the regions are being run like clubs and this has to stop.

What I am thinking is what is the fundamental reason for the lack of interest in regional rugby and the poor crowds?

EASY.

How many Man Utd fans would go and see Man Utd v Wigan if it was on at 7pm on a Friday night and Fergie decided to field the reserves team?

Probably not that many.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/15850177.stm

50,000+ people turned up to watch what was effectively a Manchester United reserves take on Crystal Palace on a Wednesday night.

Your plan doesn't include a Heineken Cup though, which is the one competition that draws the Welsh fans in to watch the regions.

Who would the Welsh regions play against in this model?

3rdGrandslamCame wrote:
It doesn't matter if England has a population of 50 million or more money or more registered players. It is still an upper class sport , you only have to look at the player names or whether they went to Millfield school or not.

News to me.