Jamie Roberts to leave Blues & join Racing Metro

Wales and Lions star Jamie Roberts will leave Cardiff Blues in the summer to join French side Racing Metro.

Roberts, 25, had been expected to join the exodus of Wales internationals and the Blues have confirmed that he will be joining the wealthy Paris club at the end of the season.

He joins the likes of Gethin Jenkins, Mike Phillips, James Hook and Luke Charteris in plying their trade across the channnel.

Blues chief executive Richard Holland said they made a bumper offer - by the club's standards - to Roberts to stay, but admitted they do not have the financial clout of the French Top 14 sides.

"The offer we made to Jamie was an extremely attractive one and would have seen him become certainly the highest paid player in the Blues squad, and arguably in the UK," said Holland.

"As a business, we simply don't have the resource to compete with the offers that Jamie has received.

"Naturally we are disappointed that Jamie has decided to leave the region, but we wish him the best of luck with his career."

Blues chairman Peter Thomas could not hide his disappointment at Roberts' departure and warned that unless the WRU helps pay the wages of Wales stars, more will leave.

"We have invested a lot of time, money and effort developing Jamie as a rugby player from an early age after identifying him as a star of the future," he said.

"We have stuck by him through thick and thin and supported him during last season when he only completed two matches for the Blues because of his knee injury and international duties, playing 15 matches for Wales.

"It is impossible for the Welsh regions to compete with the kind of money that is on offer from other clubs in other countries.

"The time has come that the Welsh benefactors should not be responsible for funding the professional game."



Not a massive surprise but obviously the WRU refused to budge on supplementing his wages.

As you said not a huge surprise the Regions can't compete with the French clubs (not many teams can) and without central contracts I can't see how the WRU could supplement the wages because what will happen the next time someone else moved etc.

It will be interesting to see if he can negotiate a release clause more favourable than the the other welsh lads abroad.

Trev,

The French clubs are more open to deals though so that not so much of an issue to me.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Trev,

The French clubs are more open to deals though so that not so much of an issue to me.

You mean like how none of them are being released for the extra AI, except for Charteris who is only being released for 3 games but his club has a bigger game during the window so switched it...for their benefit. The only time French based players have been released for extra time is during the summer after the season has ended. And this was after Charteris said that his club would definitely release him for ALL Wales duty.

But anyway, it's not really a surprise is it?

Hammer,

Do you know if the same deal was offered to any of the other clubs like Charteris?

It happened in the past with Alfie and Wellies, whilst they may not be willing to let them ll go they are more open to the deals like for Charteris than say the English clubs.

I guess this means Roberts is putting his medical training on hold?

Good luck to him.

I think it was his final year Tiger.

The report makes it sound like it was all about money and nothing else, which I can't believe is true. The Blues are a team currently rebuilding and whilst they were clear that they wanted to build a backline around Roberts, at 25 you have to figure that you are at the peak of your powers and the time to change and give yourself a new challenge is right now.

He's a gent and a smart chap, so good luck to him.

If he successfully finishes hiss medical training I doubt it would all have been about money but that said it does help

It's interested that the article printed above seems to be the one on the Western Mail/Wales Online site. It misses off an interesting bit that's on the BBC Sport site:

"The chairmen of the regions can guide companies but if we want to keep Jamie Roberts and other international players in Wales then the governing body has to intervene.

"The player drain out of Wales, which has a negative impact on the Welsh regions and the national team, will only continue without increased funding from the governing body.

"As an example with our recent game against Leinster, the IRFU pay for 14 of their players and additionally fund the province for the remaining players in excess of four million euros. Compared to the cost of the Cardiff Blues squad that's almost double.

"You'll never win the Heineken Cup with that margin to compete with."

"The governing body has to take far more responsibility."

bedfordwelsh wrote:As you said not a huge surprise the Regions can't compete with the French clubs (not many teams can) and without central contracts I can't see how the WRU could supplement the wages because what will happen the next time someone else moved etc.

To be honest I think this has less to do with getting more cash and more to do with leaving a sinking ship, much like when Dwayne Peel and a heap of others left the Scarlets when they were in the same position (Phil Davies and a downward spiral) as the Blues.

The Blues are at the moment playing awful rugby, and are not looking to be amongst the top Rabo sides (and possible in a HEC qualification fight), so why would Roberts want to stick around. Then look at his options in Wales, the Scarlets have a heap of centres, the Ospreys have Bishop & Beck (and some good young centres), and the Dragons couldn't afford him. So that means he was going to have to look at an overseas job. I would not be too suprised if he was not alone in leaving this season, I have heard talk elsewhere (possibly just rumour mill stuff) of another international player looking to leave the Arm Park at the end of his current contract.

Good luck to him. Nothing left to prove here - arguably the best British 12 of the pro era (certainly far more consistent and effective than Henson ever was for Wales).

Maybe this is the future of Welsh domestic rugby. Get the best players to their mid twenties and then encourage them to go to France or England. Hopefully they will develop even more, and it frees up a spot for a youngster (not SH journeyman) in a pro team here.

Casartelli wrote:Good luck to him. Nothing left to prove here - arguably the best British 12 of the pro era (certainly far more consistent and effective than Henson ever was for Wales).

Maybe this is the future of Welsh domestic rugby. Get the best players to their mid twenties and then encourage them to go to France or England. Hopefully they will develop even more, and it frees up a spot for a youngster (not SH journeyman) in a pro team here.

I would not be too suprised if the WRU are having a similar thought. If they arrange the 4th AI to fall the week before the international window, against a minnow side (or at leaset lesser side) then it would not even impact on the international side too bad.

bedfordwelsh wrote:If he successfully finishes hiss medical training I doubt it would all have been about money but that said it does help

He fully "graduates" (completes his medical qualifications) this year, so no surprise why the timing is as it is...

Good luck to him, bet no one here would turn down a massive pay rise on this, reported, scale.

The Blues asking the WRU to help fund his salary to keep him was a bit of a cheek if you ask me. You cant single out one player for special treatment, it has to be central contracts for all Welsh International players or none. The Regions put stop to a central contact this time, so on this case the WRU is not at fault.

Jamie is a BIG part of the current Welsh team as far as I see it, but luckily, it is a position where we have strenght in depth. Wait till Adam Jones decides it is time to beef up his pension pot. But the next I see being "poached" will be Halfpenny. Just a matter of time.

Maybe this is like Gray and SRU an offer was made that was good but player just wanted to leave.

However I do think the regions are losing to many of thier players, if they go the region loses a top player, less likly to be challanging at buiness end of season, meaning legue is less competative. it has a knock on effect


Also I'd Question the Number of central contract he thinks Leinster have, and funding,
Leinster better funded by IRFU than WRU do the Blues, yes, but Leinster are owned by IRFU and WRU are not wanting to own regions.

sirBiggles wrote:Good luck to him, bet no one here would turn down a massive pay rise on this, reported, scale.

I can honestly say I would, and I have (sort of), and I know of a handful of people who have too, because I live where I live because I want to, not because I have to.

sirBiggles wrote:The Regions put stop to a central contact this time, so on this case the WRU is not at fault.

The WRU were told in the PWC report to offer centralised contract whilst not cutting the current funding to the regions, however the WRU offered central contract (20 players in all, even thought they use what 30-40 over the year) and said that they would no long provide the current funding. So the WRU are at fault over the centralised contracts, and bloody well knew they were at fault too, but just tried to pull a fast one and hope to shaft the regions over even more.

Casartelli wrote:Good luck to him. Nothing left to prove here - arguably the best British 12 of the pro era (certainly far more consistent and effective than Henson ever was for Wales).

Maybe this is the future of Welsh domestic rugby. Get the best players to their mid twenties and then encourage them to go to France or England. Hopefully they will develop even more, and it frees up a spot for a youngster (not SH journeyman) in a pro team here.

I would hate to see this, I think any fans of the regions would as well. It turns the regions into development teams, and would a league be intresting with 4 development teams in it, just there to get experience?

Would fans watch the regions, who have no hope of winning things?

For the Pro 12 to work Wales need to be keeping thier best players, and building teams around them, teams that can make playoffs and knock out stages. To get to those stages you need you best players and experienced players, no under 25 development team will win anything.

Great for Roberts. Good luck to him, one of the world's outstanding inside centres. Seems like a good bloke and you wouldn't bregrudge him cashing in when his stock is high.

Terrible news for the Blues and not great for Welsh rugby generally to loose another top player to France imo.

If he's available for Wales then short term there shouldn't be a negative impact for the National side but long term this exodus is bound to take its toll.

Not that big a loss really all things considered.

That said they better keep Cuthbert, Halfpenny and Bradley Davies.

He played 2 matches for us last year, that means he got paid over £100k per match!

It would be nice to see a bit of loyalty from a Blues raised player but what do you expect from a player who hasn't performed for his regions since he became the Lions golden boy in 2009.

The money can certainly be better spend elsewhere on players who perform like Cuthbert and Halfpenny. Perhaps we can bring in someone who plays better for a quarter of the price, like Adam Warren at the Scarlets perhaps or a quality NWQ

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

sirBiggles wrote:The Regions put stop to a central contact this time, so on this case the WRU is not at fault.

The WRU were told in the PWC report to offer centralised contract whilst not cutting the current funding to the regions, however the WRU offered central contract (20 players in all, even thought they use what 30-40 over the year) and said that they would no long provide the current funding. So the WRU are at fault over the centralised contracts, and bloody well knew they were at fault too, but just tried to pull a fast one and hope to shaft the regions over even more.

I'm not going to defend the WRU, as to go back to the crux of the problem, they made a complete hillocks of the regional set up from day 1. However, in this case, if the WRU set up central contracts and pay a great number of the international players, it reduces drastically the cost to the regions. So it is quite reasonable to also reduce the funding they give the regions proportionally, otherwise you simply move the money problem from the regions and put it on the WRU, which will not be good long term. If the regions want to keep the same funding level, they should give something back to the WRU in return, a share in the ownership. The regions cant have the penny and the bun.

The WRU and Regions are both acting like children on this, and neither are showing any form of professional acumen.

Could you imagine one of the "Dragons" from Dragons Den (for instance) investing in the Regions, with no stake and no return, but being asked to give a vast some of money every year.... Its just so naive.

sirBiggles wrote:Jamie is a BIG part of the current Welsh team as far as I see it, but luckily, it is a position where we have strenght in depth. Wait till Adam Jones decides it is time to beef up his pension pot. But the next I see being "poached" will be Halfpenny. Just a matter of time.

Think Lydiate or Cuthbert will be next.

Fair play to the Doc. Hardly a shock and there will probably be more players following suit over the next two seasons.

sirBiggles - The regions are acting like kid's, but they started it! Being serious the WRU are making more than enough money to support the regions (earnt £63m, gave us £6m), but that is a different arguement.

Risca Rev wrote:

sirBiggles wrote:Jamie is a BIG part of the current Welsh team as far as I see it, but luckily, it is a position where we have strenght in depth. Wait till Adam Jones decides it is time to beef up his pension pot. But the next I see being "poached" will be Halfpenny. Just a matter of time.

Think Lydiate or Cuthbert will be next.

Fair play to the Doc. Hardly a shock and there will probably be more players following suit over the next two seasons.

Agree, Lydiate will be a target. When I said Halfpenny I was considering the position for the Blues.

I thought Cuthbert agreed a 2 year deal at the beginning of this season, when he played hardball saying he was going to leave and then found he wasn't wanted (yet) by other clubs. Well not for the bucks he was looking for. He will be snapped up, just was a little naive thinking he could demand a big payout off the back on 1 year in pro rugby, albeit a good one.

Looking at the wider Regional player base, I think there will be a load of players moving on at the end of this season, just wait till after the 6 Nations, you watch the big cheques flying around...

Fair enough on Cuthbert. I haven't really been following that with as much interest as Lydiate and Faletau (who will undoubtedly also leave at the end of the next season).

sirBiggles wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

sirBiggles wrote:The Regions put stop to a central contact this time, so on this case the WRU is not at fault.

The WRU were told in the PWC report to offer centralised contract whilst not cutting the current funding to the regions, however the WRU offered central contract (20 players in all, even thought they use what 30-40 over the year) and said that they would no long provide the current funding. So the WRU are at fault over the centralised contracts, and bloody well knew they were at fault too, but just tried to pull a fast one and hope to shaft the regions over even more.

I'm not going to defend the WRU, as to go back to the crux of the problem, they made a complete hillocks of the regional set up from day 1. However, in this case, if the WRU set up central contracts and pay a great number of the international players, it reduces drastically the cost to the regions. So it is quite reasonable to also reduce the funding they give the regions proportionally, otherwise you simply move the money problem from the regions and put it on the WRU, which will not be good long term. If the regions want to keep the same funding level, they should give something back to the WRU in return, a share in the ownership. The regions cant have the penny and the bun.

The WRU and Regions are both acting like children on this, and neither are showing any form of professional acumen.

Could you imagine one of the "Dragons" from Dragons Den (for instance) investing in the Regions, with no stake and no return, but being asked to give a vast some of money every year.... Its just so naive.

I know what you're saying, but as I posted elsewhere it's not the same for all regions. The Dragons currently get their £1.5m from the WRU, which is very generous. However, under the proposed central contracts we would lose that funding completely while they centrally contract our players (2 at best - Lydiate and Faletau). They probably cost us currently only about £300,000 (can't be on more than £150,000 each surely?), so to centrally contract them we actually lose net £1.2m by having those two off our books. No way would the Dragons have gone for that. And, they'd probably be shipped out to HC regions. So, we lose our funding and our best assets.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:sirBiggles - The regions are acting like kid's, but they started it! Being serious the WRU are making more than enough money to support the regions (earnt £63m, gave us £6m), but that is a different arguement.

Dont fall for that one... They have revenues of £63m, what was their bottom line profit. I doubt it was enough to "give" the Regions £6m and find additonal funds for central contacts.

It is all to do with how they report these figures.

They may have revenues of £63m, but if it cost them £60m to do this, they only have £3m in the bank. But I suspect with they debts etc, they actually made very little (if anything).

Just to add that it would be a benefit financially for the Ospreys and Scarlets. They probably have 10 players each who would be centrally contracted. Their wage bill would be much more than the £1.5m the WRU gives, so the Ospreys should be rubbing their hands together at the thought of central contracts!

Peter Thomas said

"Given news of Jamie's departure we will begin the search to find a suitable marquee player who will be eligible to play for us throughout the entire season."

That is worrying.

The Blues are losing an academy player and looking to bring in a Marquee player rather than looking at their academy for a replacement.

Cory Allen and Owen Williams show as much if not more potential than Roberts did at the same age.

Griff wrote:

sirBiggles wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

sirBiggles wrote:The Regions put stop to a central contact this time, so on this case the WRU is not at fault.

The WRU were told in the PWC report to offer centralised contract whilst not cutting the current funding to the regions, however the WRU offered central contract (20 players in all, even thought they use what 30-40 over the year) and said that they would no long provide the current funding. So the WRU are at fault over the centralised contracts, and bloody well knew they were at fault too, but just tried to pull a fast one and hope to shaft the regions over even more.

I'm not going to defend the WRU, as to go back to the crux of the problem, they made a complete hillocks of the regional set up from day 1. However, in this case, if the WRU set up central contracts and pay a great number of the international players, it reduces drastically the cost to the regions. So it is quite reasonable to also reduce the funding they give the regions proportionally, otherwise you simply move the money problem from the regions and put it on the WRU, which will not be good long term. If the regions want to keep the same funding level, they should give something back to the WRU in return, a share in the ownership. The regions cant have the penny and the bun.

The WRU and Regions are both acting like children on this, and neither are showing any form of professional acumen.

Could you imagine one of the "Dragons" from Dragons Den (for instance) investing in the Regions, with no stake and no return, but being asked to give a vast some of money every year.... Its just so naive.

I know what you're saying, but as I posted elsewhere it's not the same for all regions. The Dragons currently get their £1.5m from the WRU, which is very generous. However, under the proposed central contracts we would lose that funding completely while they centrally contract our players (2 at best - Lydiate and Faletau). They probably cost us currently only about £300,000 (can't be on more than £150,000 each surely?), so to centrally contract them we actually lose net £1.2m by having those two off our books. No way would the Dragons have gone for that. And, they'd probably be shipped out to HC regions. So, we lose our funding and our best assets.

Fair point Griff.

Mear mortals like us fans, dont get to see the break down. If the WRU where to remove the £1.2m from Dragons for 2 players, I would see that as unacceptable. But, I wasnt aware that was the case.

maestegmafia wrote:Peter Thomas said

"Given news of Jamie's departure we will begin the search to find a suitable marquee player who will be eligible to play for us throughout the entire season."

That is worrying.

The Blues are losing an academy player and looking to bring in a Marquee player rather than looking at their academy for a replacement.

Cory Allen and Owen Williams show as much if not more potential than Roberts did at the same age.

Would the 'Marquee players' desperate to join the Blues please form an orderly queue....

Peter Thomas is an idiot. I don't care how much he sold his shares in his dad's pie company for.

maestegmafia wrote:Peter Thomas said

"Given news of Jamie's departure we will begin the search to find a suitable marquee player who will be eligible to play for us throughout the entire season."

That is worrying.

The Blues are losing an academy player and looking to bring in a Marquee player rather than looking at their academy for a replacement.

Cory Allen and Owen Williams show as much if not more potential than Roberts did at the same age.

Back to my point on another thread... The regions are a business and have no interest in developing Welsh talent, it is just a byproduct to them.

The creation of the regions to develop the national game has been well and truly forgotten.

Casartelli wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Peter Thomas said

"Given news of Jamie's departure we will begin the search to find a suitable marquee player who will be eligible to play for us throughout the entire season."

That is worrying.

The Blues are losing an academy player and looking to bring in a Marquee player rather than looking at their academy for a replacement.

Cory Allen and Owen Williams show as much if not more potential than Roberts did at the same age.

Would the 'Marquee players' desperate to join the Blues please form an orderly queue....

Peter Thomas is an idiot. I don't care how much he sold his shares in his dad's pie company for.

Well we don't have Laulaula anymore, so i'm sure we could use a quality centre. Hewitt and Evans are experienced but poor and Allen and Williams are exciting but inexperience - we could certainly use Laulaula back.

Although really we need a marquee player in the pack, perhaps some quality to replace Filise at THP, or look to steal one of the Scarlets hookers.

"the best British 12 of the pro era"

Really?

sirBiggles wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Peter Thomas said

"Given news of Jamie's departure we will begin the search to find a suitable marquee player who will be eligible to play for us throughout the entire season."

That is worrying.

The Blues are losing an academy player and looking to bring in a Marquee player rather than looking at their academy for a replacement.

Cory Allen and Owen Williams show as much if not more potential than Roberts did at the same age.

Back to my point on another thread... The regions are a business and have no interest in developing Welsh talent, it is just a byproduct to them.

The creation of the regions to develop the national game has been well and truly forgotten.

Not much point in developing Welsh talent when they will be immediately taken away by Wales for most of the year, then build up their reputations enough to take a trip across the pond. Better to have a New Zealander who won't be selected for the ABs and will be available all year round and unlikely to be poached.

Ben Blair, Xavier Rush and Paul Tito have done a LOT more for the Blues and for developing players in their positions than Roberts or Gethin have.

sirBiggles wrote:Mear mortals like us fans, dont get to see the break down. If the WRU where to remove the £1.2m from Dragons for 2 players, I would see that as unacceptable. But, I wasnt aware that was the case.

That was why, i believe, the PWC report suggested not removing the funding from the regions, but putting the centralised contracts on top (although maybe reducing the funding will be the compromise). I know that the WRU are not made of money themselves, but they need to work with the regions, as if the regions fail then ultimately the WRU will fail.

Doesn't come as a surprise seeing as the Blues are where they are, and getting worse as long as PD stays put. Cuthbert will be next I think, probably to the same club. Roberts hardly plays for the Blues because the international team flogs him half to death. Cuthbert is big player to lose and he is getting better each week, hopefully he just joins the Ospreys instead. Blues have plenty of backs in their academy/premiership teams, let's just hope they see sense and use them.

sirBiggles wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Peter Thomas said

"Given news of Jamie's departure we will begin the search to find a suitable marquee player who will be eligible to play for us throughout the entire season."

That is worrying.

The Blues are losing an academy player and looking to bring in a Marquee player rather than looking at their academy for a replacement.

Cory Allen and Owen Williams show as much if not more potential than Roberts did at the same age.

Back to my point on another thread... The regions are a business and have no interest in developing Welsh talent, it is just a byproduct to them.

The creation of the regions to develop the national game has been well and truly forgotten.

That's not fair, the regions are churning out a heap of young players who are of a good standard. Look at the average age of our GS winning squad, a fair percentage of those boys have come through regional systems etc. Cardiff RFC, and now the Blues, have traditionally been one of the big money players in domestic Welsh rugby and have always been looking to make big name signings. However, they still do bring through young players. In the welsh squad at the moment there are Scott Andrews, Bradley Davies, Sam Warburton, Jamie Roberts, Leigh Halfpenny, Harry Robinson, and Alex Cuthbert who all were given their chances, as unknowns, at the Blues. In a few years you will be able to add Pratchell, Navidi, possible Tom Young to that list too.

I think the Pie man is trying to be a politician with his comments, pretty much saying to the WRU "If you don't help us retain our welsh players then we are going to have to look at other options, such as NWQ players. You don't want that and we don't really want that, so lets get around the table and sort this out."

Morgannwg wrote:Doesn't come as a surprise seeing as the Blues are where they are, and getting worse as long as PD stays put. Cuthbert will be next I think, probably to the same club. Roberts hardly plays for the Blues because the international team flogs him half to death. Cuthbert is big player to lose and he is getting better each week, hopefully he just joins the Ospreys instead. Blues have plenty of backs in their academy/premiership teams, let's just hope they see sense and use them.

I think Cuthbert was very clever at the end of last season, he got some offers, and then signed for a one year extension, which meant if his form improved, which it seems to have done, and he gets some more caps and a Lions tour, he can command a far higher contract when this season ends. Also witht he centralised contracts being disgused he is in a good position to be bargening on a few fronts too.

I say good luck to him. Why should he stay in Wales playing for a side that loses more games than it wins, especially when he knows that the WRU's threat about players playing outside Wales not getting selected for the national side is an idle threat?

It wouldn't surprise me if Dan Lydiate and Toby Faletau leave the Dragons the next chance they get and I'll wish them all the best.

Roberts doesn't play much for the Blues and when he does he doesn't look like the same Jamie Roberts who plays for Wales. Maybe its a coaching thing but my point is from a Blues point of view he might not be a big loss depending who they replace him with.

I think its a bigger loss for Wales and if results start going against them then the WRU will be forced to act.

I think the exodus is a bit overstated.

The reality is if Cuthbert (who has been linked with a 750K a year contract at Racing), and assuming Roberts is making big bucks as well both leave adding Hook into the equation essentially 3 players being on a 2 million playing wage. For that kind of money Wales could sign 40 players at 50K a year to train & play proffessionally.

If France want to pay and over inflate salaries, let them. Wales wont lose out that much as they can still be selected for International games which wont hinder revenue regardless.

In truth all the regions need to focus their resources on their packs. The Blues are a great example. Real quality in the backs but without good set piece ball and no go forward totally useless.

Welshmushroom wrote:
If France want to pay and over inflate salaries, let them. Wales wont lose out that much as they can still be selected for International games which wont hinder revenue regardless.

I don't agree with this, Wales may not lose out at the beginging but will over the long run, if the regions keep losing international class players they will never be in the running against bigger teams or ib the running to win cups, a player learns more from stepping into a successfull team that has th emindset to go out and win every game, not from a team that is losing. The regions may develop replacements, but will they have the mindset to go out and win for Wales? will they have big game experience? with they know how to close out games? Experience on the big stage and later stages of knock outs?

Without this the regions may turn out quality players but they won't have the experience that is needed against big teams, keeping the internationals for these players to learn from, getting into playoffs, and later rounds of knock outs, is an escenial learning curve.

Which Fly half would you trust more to kick a last minute pen to beat NZ.
One that has done it before in Pro 12 play offs or h-cup q-final, or one thats only ever done it against Connacht in the Pro 12 league game?

Kingshu - the thing is that this 'exodus' can only really happen when the players are of a genuinely high standard. There may be a handful of welsh players who are of the standard to be poached by the T14 sides, but realistically would you see a Top14 side trying to make a big cash offer for Tavis Knoyle, Ryan Bevington, or Scott Andrews? I don't think they would, so as such the exodus would naturally stop.

Just to clarify something, the WRU give the regions £6.2M a year for the extra player release time. Is this all the money they give the regions? I'm almost certain I read that they gave the regions £15M annually on top of this (including TV money for PRO12 and ERC, sponsorship money, general funding, etc). Now either they're getting £21M per year, which is a huge amount of money per year. Or they're getting £6.2M a year which is a pittance considering the WRU get around £4M a year just for the ERC. I know the academies are WRU funded aren't they?

I'm just reading the 2012 annual report for the WRU to try and figure it out.

HammerofThunor wrote:Just to clarify something, the WRU give the regions £6.2M a year for the extra player release time. Is this all the money they give the regions? I'm almost certain I read that they gave the regions £15M annually on top of this (including TV money for PRO12 and ERC, sponsorship money, general funding, etc). Now either they're getting £21M per year, which is a huge amount of money per year. Or they're getting £6.2M a year which is a pittance considering the WRU get around £4M a year just for the ERC. I know the academies are WRU funded aren't they?

I'm just reading the 2012 annual report for the WRU to try and figure it out.

20 mil = £5 million per region

£3.5 player
The rest on the academy, coaches, facilities, advertising etc

Thunor - I believe the £6.2m is for the release of players for training camps and additional international fixtures. THe money from the HEC & Rabo etc go to the WRU and they take their cut, divide it by four and hand it out to the regions (i think that includes any prize money too). As for the accademies, I know a few years back the Ospreys 'bought' control of their accademy from the WRU, but I think the funding for the accademies comes from the HEC/Rabo money as opposed to more money on top. So it works out as around £5.2m per region per season.

Well the 2012 report says that the WRU give the regions £15.1M in the financial year 2012. It reads as though this includes the £6.2M for extra time. Someone more savvy may understand it better.

So that is £3M they give to each region. this would be reduced to a little more than £2M if the WRU employed all the international players (baring in mind this MAY include more players around so they are more evenly distributed so the Dragons wouldn't necessarily lose out.

EDIT: Hadn't read the previous posts before posting.