End To The Debate on Regions

With 3 Grand Slams, another Championship and hopefully a good representation on the forthcoming Lions Tour can we now put an end to the call for the dismantling of the regions and a return to the club format.

In addition to this Wales u20's came very close to a Grand Slam, only narrowly losing to a very powerful England team.

Now is the time to look forward and not back through rose tinted glasses at an era that produced regular hammerings at the hands of most of the top rugby nations.

Now is the time for GrandSlaming Championship winning players from provinces to stop the excuses...put heart and soul into Region and let's see what comes out the other end in terms of European success there. After Welsh performances as an International side in recent years, it's getting a little long-toothed to hear the same excuses churned out about why they can't mimic the invention and power at Regional level.

Time to prove themselves the total European package.

I agree, I'd like the Regions to perform in Europe now Fly, but unfortunately we don't quite have the depth if key players like Adam Jones get injured (whereas Wales are starting to get there).

I think it's unrealistic to expect the Welsh to reproduce international success with the regions until their regions have enough money and support to build stronger squads. Condensed into one team they're good. Spread over four teams, with many stars abroad, they don't have the depth.

And we're still waiting on the Welsh public to turn up to support them in greater numbers to make that happen (and for the WRU to be more generous).

I agree with feckless. Wales have shown time and time again that we are only really good when we have our best players fit and playing, I.e. maybe a core of 22 players that we rely on at national level. A few injuries and we do struggle internationally.

However, those 22 very good players going back to their regions (let's say a split of roughly 7, 7, 6, and 2 to the Blues, Ospryes, Scarlets and Dragons respectively) does not suddenly make them top European class. Where the Irish perhaps excel is that when their top international performers come back, they're surrounded by other top players so the teams are strong. 7 players back to the blues, but surrounded by poor players, does not add up to a strong team.

Essentially what I'm saying is that we have not got enough at the top level to be competitive in Europe. We've just got enough, luckily, to put together 1 very strong international 22 (very strong in European terms, I might add. We're nothing in world rugby, obviously).

Feckless Rogue wrote:I think it's unrealistic to expect the Welsh to reproduce international success with the regions until their regions have enough money and support to build stronger squads. Condensed into one team they're good. Spread over four teams, with many stars abroad, they don't have the depth.

And we're still waiting on the Welsh public to turn up to support them in greater numbers to make that happen (and for the WRU to be more generous).

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