Wales Losing Struggle

From the Guardian today -


The Welsh Rugby Union has enjoyed financial stability in recent years, having flirted with bankruptcy a decade ago when things got so bad their bankers told the governing body if it continued to tarry over appointing a chief executive, they would lose the keys to the Millennium Stadium.

The WRU's debt was then not far short of £60m. It is now one-third of that after another year of record turnover, a feat partly helped by maximising the number of Wales matches staged at the Millennium Stadium, and the Union hopes to become debt free by 2021.

It turned over more than £63m last year, investing some 35% of that in its affiliated organisations, and £2.9m will be spent on refurbishing the Millennium Stadium, but at a time when its four regions are struggling to such an extent that some are questioning whether going down to three would be more financially viable, did it need to reduce its bank debt by £7.4m?

The WRU published its figures on Monday morning. The previous night Cardiff Blues had been defeated at home by Ulster 48-19. All the Welsh regions released some of their high earners at the end of last season, having agreed a wage cap of £3.5m.

While the WRU would argue that the regions are being financially prudent, it could have a knock-on effect. Already, national squad players such as Mike Phillips, Gethin Jenkins, James Hook and Paul James are earning their livings outside Wales.

It means they will not be available for the fourth international Wales arrange every autumn, nor the fixture that has come to be played in recent years at the Millennium Stadium in June. Without those two matches, not only would the WRU's balance sheet lose its rosy hue, but it would struggle to meet its 2021 debt target.

The regional game needs supporting otherwise leading players in the Blues, such as Sam Warburton, Jamie Roberts and Leigh Halfpenny may decide they would be better off, in a rugby sense, in France or England, leaving Wales struggling to raise a side to generate a sell-out for a fourth international.

rather speaks for itself and is very alarming, by the time the WRU have saved the Milllenium there won't be any players left to play in it.

Mike Phillips, Gethin Jenkins, James Hook and Paul James

Well I'm certainly not going to anymore international games if those 4 talisman aren't going to be there !

These piece really misses one key tangent, that the regions current financial predicament is the result of the regions mis management not the WRU's.

The moves made over the last 12 months by both the WRU and the regions seems sensible.

If you look at the distribution of that £63M income only £4M is profit, more than 4 times that has been increased investment by the WRU into the game in wales outside the regions.

The journalist has a reasonable point of interest in his article but he is missing the generation of cause, result and adjustment away from any sense of timeline.

These articles will be more interesting post PWC report and post 8th OCtober ERC meeting.

It's ironic that Humphries from the Ospreys is complaining that welsh Regions are at a disadvantage in the HEC for their game V Toulouse in terms of lack of preparation time because the WRU have organized their normal 'extra' 4th test match.
The contentious test that enables the WRU to make more money. You can't have it all ways can you?

Why is that Ironic?

It is predictable. If i were Humphrey's I would be annoyed too. Though as I am not I way up the benefits of that fourth test towards raising the funds to keep the game going as well as it is.

Whats the link to the article?

James and Hook have never been first choice picks for Wales and on current form some would say neither is Jenkins or Phillips and all are in what can be seen as back end of their carears.

The fact that they are missing one match isn't a concern to me because it will give others a chance. I will start to get more worried if the younger members of the squad start to go abroad.

Agreed Bedford.

The WRU seems to be doing a great job of keeping the under 25 players in Wales, having previously admitted publicly that Wales can't compete with the silly Franglo Arms race on wages, Wales won't try.

A good decision as the WRU have put in a great deal of work to not go bankrupt, some ridiculous wages would not help the cause.

maestegmafia wrote:Why is that Ironic?

It is predictable. If i were Humphrey's I would be annoyed too. Though as I am not I way up the benefits of that fourth test towards raising the funds to keep the game going as well as it is.

The irony is that the WRU choose to have the extra tests outside the IRB window in order to make more money. The WRU subsidies the Regions but at the same time upset them because their players are knackered or the Regions have less time together training.

The same thing happened last year as I recall.

I call that ironic.

This is the article on the BBC website in full.

Welsh regions will be at a disadvantage for crucial Heineken Cup ties, according to Ospreys forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys.
Ospreys will face Toulouse in early December, seven days after their Welsh internationals return from the national side's four-Test autumn series.
French clubs will have an extra week to prepare for their Heineken Cup ties.
"It would be great if we had the same opportunity as Toulouse will have to prepare their team," said Humphreys.
"We'll probably have two sessions together after the boys have been away for five weeks.
"It's certainly not ideal for preparation."
The third round of Heineken Cup games follows Wales' fourth and final Test of the autumn series.
Ospreys' Heineken Cup fixtures
12 October - Treviso (home)
22 October - Leicester (away)
8 December - Toulouse (away)
15 December - Toulouse (home)
12 January - Leicester (home)
19 January - Treviso (away)
Australia will be the visitors to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on 1 December for a game that falls outside the International Rugby Board window for Test matches.
As many as 12 Ospreys players could be could be involved with the Wales squad.
France, meanwhile, will play three Tests, ending with Samoa's visit on 24 November.
French clubs will then play a round of Top 14 matches on 29 November before turning their attention to the Heineken Cup ties.
Toulouse host Ospreys on 8 December, while Cardiff Blues will welcome French club Montepellier the following day.
When asked if the situation will mean the Welsh regions will start at a disadvantage, Humphreys replied: "It certainly looks like that."
He added that a better structured season would be desirable.
"It would be nice, but I deal with the cards dealt to me," said the former Wales captain.
"I'm not an administrator, I don't deal in the politics of it. There are far more intelligent people who can deal with that than me."
Before the trip to France, Ospreys will begin their Heineken Cup campaign with games at home to Treviso on 12 October and away to Leicester on 21 October.[b]

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Why is that Ironic?

It is predictable. If i were Humphrey's I would be annoyed too. Though as I am not I way up the benefits of that fourth test towards raising the funds to keep the game going as well as it is.

The irony is that the WRU choose to have the extra tests outside the IRB window in order to make more money. The WRU subsidies the Regions but at the same time upset them because their players are knackered or the Regions have less time together training.

The same thing happened last year as I recall.

I call that ironic.

This is the article on the BBC website in full.

Welsh regions will be at a disadvantage for crucial Heineken Cup ties, according to Ospreys forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys.
Ospreys will face Toulouse in early December, seven days after their Welsh internationals return from the national side's four-Test autumn series.
French clubs will have an extra week to prepare for their Heineken Cup ties.
"It would be great if we had the same opportunity as Toulouse will have to prepare their team," said Humphreys.
"We'll probably have two sessions together after the boys have been away for five weeks.
"It's certainly not ideal for preparation."
The third round of Heineken Cup games follows Wales' fourth and final Test of the autumn series.
Ospreys' Heineken Cup fixtures
12 October - Treviso (home)
22 October - Leicester (away)
8 December - Toulouse (away)
15 December - Toulouse (home)
12 January - Leicester (home)
19 January - Treviso (away)
Australia will be the visitors to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on 1 December for a game that falls outside the International Rugby Board window for Test matches.
As many as 12 Ospreys players could be could be involved with the Wales squad.
France, meanwhile, will play three Tests, ending with Samoa's visit on 24 November.
French clubs will then play a round of Top 14 matches on 29 November before turning their attention to the Heineken Cup ties.
Toulouse host Ospreys on 8 December, while Cardiff Blues will welcome French club Montepellier the following day.
When asked if the situation will mean the Welsh regions will start at a disadvantage, Humphreys replied: "It certainly looks like that."
He added that a better structured season would be desirable.
"It would be nice, but I deal with the cards dealt to me," said the former Wales captain.
"I'm not an administrator, I don't deal in the politics of it. There are far more intelligent people who can deal with that than me."
Before the trip to France, Ospreys will begin their Heineken Cup campaign with games at home to Treviso on 12 October and away to Leicester on 21 October.[b]

Hmmm, IMO it's more catch 22 than ironic. But send it off to Alanis Morrisette, she'd probably agree with you.

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:
Hmmm, IMO it's more catch 22 than ironic. But send it off to Alanis Morrisette, she'd probably agree with you.

More Heller than Morissette...!






i·ro·ny    [ahy-ruh-nee]

The use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning: the irony of her reply, “How nice!” when I said I had to work all weekend.