Merthyr RFC set to become new force in Welsh Rugby

First topic message reminder :

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/merthyr-rfc-set-become-new-9377183

Thoughts?

Cardiff Dave wrote:Apologies as I may have missed it, but what are Merthyr RFC striving to achieve? Romp the Welsh Prem and the Swalec?

There are bigger plans afoot.

LordDowlais wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:Apologies as I may have missed it, but what are Merthyr RFC striving to achieve? Romp the Welsh Prem and the Swalec?

There are bigger plans afoot.

There are always bigger plans afoot but so far both Neath and Ponty have failed to realise their plans............

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:Apologies as I may have missed it, but what are Merthyr RFC striving to achieve? Romp the Welsh Prem and the Swalec?

There are bigger plans afoot.

There are always bigger plans afoot but so far both Neath and Ponty have failed to realise their plans............

They did not have one of the richest men in the country backing them.

LordDowlais wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:Apologies as I may have missed it, but what are Merthyr RFC striving to achieve? Romp the Welsh Prem and the Swalec?

There are bigger plans afoot.

There are always bigger plans afoot but so far both Neath and Ponty have failed to realise their plans............

They did not have one of the richest men in the country backing them.

Well, perhaps they're going to march to the top of the Welsh Prem and then make a case to the WRU that, as they've got millions behind them while the Dragons have not, then the Dragons should be 'disbanded' and Merthyr should get a pro franchise/region. I can see that happening (them pressing their case for with the WRU). However, one of the reasons for regional rugby in the first place was supposed to be to reduce the reliance on sugar daddies and the boom or bust approach to the sport in Wales, so I'm not sure the WRU would go for it. Then again, it's the WRU so if you supply the Blazers with enough prawn sandwiches you never know what they might agree to.

Griff wrote:Merthyr should get a pro franchise/region

Merthyr in itself will not be the region, it would encompass all the valleys and they would play their games in Merthyr, and when I say valleys, I mean the Gwent valleys, Mid Glamorgan, Neath, Bridgend all of them.

Why do you think all of a sudden Cardiff Blues are starting to reinforce their "stand alone" status ?

LordDowlais wrote:

Griff wrote:Merthyr should get a pro franchise/region

Merthyr in itself will not be the region, it would encompass all the valleys and they would play their games in Merthyr, and when I say valleys, I mean the Gwent valleys, Mid Glamorgan, Neath, Bridgend all of them.

Er, aren't some of those already covered?

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

Griff wrote:Merthyr should get a pro franchise/region

Merthyr in itself will not be the region, it would encompass all the valleys and they would play their games in Merthyr, and when I say valleys, I mean the Gwent valleys, Mid Glamorgan, Neath, Bridgend all of them.

Er, aren't some of those already covered?

Which one's ? Perhaps Bridgend are happy in Ospreylia, but none of the others feel any affiliation with their "region".

LordDowlais wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:Apologies as I may have missed it, but what are Merthyr RFC striving to achieve? Romp the Welsh Prem and the Swalec?

There are bigger plans afoot.

There are always bigger plans afoot but so far both Neath and Ponty have failed to realise their plans............

They did not have one of the richest men in the country backing them.

Ah so it is a case of the WRU being weak and bending to the will of a rich man, as opposed to listening to the voices of the masses.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Ah so it is a case of the WRU being weak and bending to the will of a rich man, as opposed to listening to the voices of the masses.

Just like what happened when Llanelli wanted their region. So there is history, it has happened once and can happen again.

LordDowlais wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Ah so it is a case of the WRU being weak and bending to the will of a rich man, as opposed to listening to the voices of the masses.

Just like what happened when Llanelli wanted their region. So there is history, it has happened once and can happen again.

Can but shouldn't, shewerley ?

LordDowlais wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

Griff wrote:Merthyr should get a pro franchise/region

Merthyr in itself will not be the region, it would encompass all the valleys and they would play their games in Merthyr, and when I say valleys, I mean the Gwent valleys, Mid Glamorgan, Neath, Bridgend all of them.

Er, aren't some of those already covered?

Which one's ? Perhaps Bridgend are happy in Ospreylia, but none of the others feel any affiliation with their "region".

Fascinating. I didn't know you'd done a survey. How many people from said valleys did you ask?

LordDowlais wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Ah so it is a case of the WRU being weak and bending to the will of a rich man, as opposed to listening to the voices of the masses.

Just like what happened when Llanelli wanted their region. So there is history, it has happened once and can happen again.

Not quite the same thing.

Ignoring any other arguments, no regions were closed down to make the Scarlets. No 'future' regions proving their worth were stopped in their tracks for the Scarlets to become a region. There were no regions back then. For Merthyr to become a region then either the WRU will kill off another region to shoe horn them into the Pro12 (which would be hard given the RCC situation), or they would have to tell RGC1404 to sod off and that the last five years have been wasted, or they would have to create 6 regions.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:RGC1404 to sod off and that the last five years have been wasted

RGC1404 are at their level, Merthyr went up there and humped them in their own back yard. 

They are no closer to being a region to when they first started out. Yes I think it would be best to get a North Wales region off the ground, but they have no infrastructure to start one, no money, small crowds, how could they sustain themselves ?

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Ignoring any other arguments, no regions were closed down to make the Scarlets.

Yes they were, it was always supposed to be 4 regions, Llanelli is not a region, it is a town. The Warriors were given the death blow, to keep us at 4 regions, Llanelli should have never been a region to start with, but we all know what happened. 

Anyway, why would another region have to be killed off ? Who is going to be killed off to give RGC1404 a chance ?

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Fascinating. I didn't know you'd done a survey. How many people from said valleys did you ask?

Yeah, because Ebbw Vale, Pontypridd and Neath really got behind their regions didn't they ?

No Lord, nobody existed so nobody could be closed down. That's not an opinion, it's a fact. There once were no regions, and then there were 5, with the Scarlets being one of them.

ScarletSpiderman wrote: with the Scarlets being one of them

Scarlets were never a region, they were a stand alone club. Just be honest about it. They might be more now, but at the start they were not. We all know what went on, so lets not go around the houses. 

I hold no bitterness towards them, good for you, and Llanelli that they manged to hold onto their pro status. But lets not be facetious about it, Scarlets were stand alone to start with, and some people still see them that way. 

Was it Scarlets who beat New Zealand all those years ago or was it Llanelli ? I have seen it be attributed to the same two teams.

Griff wrote:

Well, perhaps they're going to march to the top of the Welsh Prem and then make a case to the WRU that, as they've got millions behind them while the Dragons have not, then the Dragons should be 'disbanded' and Merthyr should get a pro franchise/region. I can see that happening (them pressing their case for with the WRU). However, one of the reasons for regional rugby in the first place was supposed to be to reduce the reliance on sugar daddies and the boom or bust approach to the sport in Wales, so I'm not sure the WRU would go for it. Then again, it's the WRU so if you supply the Blazers with enough prawn sandwiches you never know what they might agree to.

What the hell is all this about?

Firstly, there is no mechanism to 'disband' a pro team, so how can you see 'that happening'?

Secondly, the 'boom or bust' approach had nothing to do with the real events in 2003. All that happened was those with no pockets were booted out, for ever, of professional rugby. Those who could sustain it (precisely because they had and still have 'sugar daddies') picked up the Regional Development Pathways (or, as they are called in other sports, Academies).

LordDowlais wrote:

Griff wrote:Merthyr should get a pro franchise/region

Merthyr in itself will not be the region, it would encompass all the valleys and they would play their games in Merthyr, and when I say valleys, I mean the Gwent valleys, Mid Glamorgan, Neath, Bridgend all of them.

Why do you think all of a sudden Cardiff Blues are starting to reinforce their "stand alone" status ?

What on earth is making you write that stuff?

LordDowlais wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

Griff wrote:Merthyr should get a pro franchise/region

Merthyr in itself will not be the region, it would encompass all the valleys and they would play their games in Merthyr, and when I say valleys, I mean the Gwent valleys, Mid Glamorgan, Neath, Bridgend all of them.

Er, aren't some of those already covered?

Which one's ? Perhaps Bridgend are happy in Ospreylia, but none of the others feel any affiliation with their "region".

Erm, the 'region' is only the Pathway and NOT the team running it. Look at the kids coming through the pathway and the clubs happy to be a part of it. There is only one club in Wales not happy with the present set up. One.

LordDowlais wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote: with the Scarlets being one of them

Scarlets were never a region, they were a stand alone club. Just be honest about it. They might be more now, but at the start they were not. We all know what went on, so lets not go around the houses. 

I hold no bitterness towards them, good for you, and Llanelli that they manged to hold onto their pro status. But lets not be facetious about it, Scarlets were stand alone to start with, and some people still see them that way. 

Was it Scarlets who beat New Zealand all those years ago or was it Llanelli ? I have seen it be attributed to the same two teams.

Of course they still see them that way because they still are a standalone club running a region, just like at Cardiff. The Os are owned 66% by the guys who owned Swansea RFC in 2003. And Newport is a shambles.

PhilBB. Where have you been ? You post on here, cause a ruckuss then sod off for a few months.

PhilBB wrote:Secondly, the 'boom or bust' approach had nothing to do with the real events in 2003. All that happened was those with no pockets were booted out, for ever, of professional rugby. Those who could sustain it (precisely because they had and still have 'sugar daddies') picked up the Regional Development Pathways (or, as they are called in other sports, Academies).

So with that in mind, do you reckon the richer brother to the one that runs your club will have the ability to turn Merthyr pro and get a team in the Pro12 ?

LordDowlais wrote:PhilBB. Where have you been ? You post on here, cause a ruckuss then sod off for a few months.

Twitter, Gwlad, normal stuff.

Nice to see the Irish model shining true to its financial base, though, eh?

As for Merthyr, it's just Stanley giving something back.

LordDowlais wrote:

So with that in mind, do you reckon the richer brother to the one that runs your club will have the ability to turn Merthyr pro and get a team in the Pro12 ?

Sure, if he really wants to.

But I've heard nor read anything to suggest that he does.

PhilBB wrote:As for Merthyr, it's just Stanley giving something back.

But he has deeper pockets than Peter, do you reckon he would have the clout to push for higher endeavours than the Welsh prem  ?

LordDowlais wrote:

But he has deeper pockets than Peter, do you reckon he would have the clout to push for higher endeavours than the Welsh prem  ?

Peter Thomas has spent something like £6m in 20 years, that's all.

Stanley could do what he wanted, but he'd be daft to try to place a business in Merthyr that would require an £8m+ turnover to be competitive, but wouldn't have a commercial or retail base big enough to support it.

He'd basically have to write £4m-£5m cheques every season. Why on earth would he want to do that?

PhilBB wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

But he has deeper pockets than Peter, do you reckon he would have the clout to push for higher endeavours than the Welsh prem  ?

Peter Thomas has spent something like £6m in 20 years, that's all.

Stanley could do what he wanted, but he'd be daft to try to place a business in Merthyr that would require an £8m+ turnover to be competitive, but wouldn't have a commercial or retail base big enough to support it.

He'd basically have to write £4m-£5m cheques every season. Why on earth would he want to do that?

to get one over on his brother perhaps ? I do not know.

I just find it quite convenient that as soon as Stan announces what he is intending to do with Merthyr, all of a sudden Cardiff announce that they are going to stop supplying players to the clubs in the prem, and cement their stand alone status. Also Merthyr is not a small twon and it is very closely neighboured by other towns that are only ten mins away by bus or car. there is quite the commercial and retail base to support it.

PhilBB wrote:

Griff wrote:

Well, perhaps they're going to march to the top of the Welsh Prem and then make a case to the WRU that, as they've got millions behind them while the Dragons have not, then the Dragons should be 'disbanded' and Merthyr should get a pro franchise/region. I can see that happening (them pressing their case for with the WRU). However, one of the reasons for regional rugby in the first place was supposed to be to reduce the reliance on sugar daddies and the boom or bust approach to the sport in Wales, so I'm not sure the WRU would go for it. Then again, it's the WRU so if you supply the Blazers with enough prawn sandwiches you never know what they might agree to.

What the hell is all this about?

Firstly, there is no mechanism to 'disband' a pro team, so how can you see 'that happening'?

Secondly, the 'boom or bust' approach had nothing to do with the real events in 2003. All that happened was those with no pockets were booted out, for ever, of professional rugby. Those who could sustain it (precisely because they had and still have 'sugar daddies') picked up the Regional Development Pathways (or, as they are called in other sports, Academies).

I was being facetious to start with, and perhaps a bit sarcastic. Lord Dowlais had a hissy fit at the Dragons performance v Sale and took to the internet to vent his anger at our lack of ambition. He stated that spending money would not improve on field performance, while his Merthyr outfit do just that. I was reading into it that LD would like his side to bump off one of the others for a Pro12 spot.

On the second point, while it might have been the reason they chose the 5 regions in 2003, the result has been to drive away the 'sugar daddies', at least in the case of the Dragons (Russell left at the start, Brown not long after). Now that a new sugar daddy is in town it isn't a huge leap to think that the WRU might look north (to Merthyr) rather than struggle on with the Dragons and their lack of cash (Dragons are my region by the way, so not something I would want).

LordDowlais wrote:

to get one over on his brother perhaps ? I do not know.

I just find it quite convenient that as soon as Stan announces what he is intending to do with Merthyr, all of a sudden Cardiff announce that they are going to stop supplying players to the clubs in the prem, and cement their stand alone status. Also Merthyr is not a small twon and it is very closely neighboured by other towns that are only ten mins away by bus or car. there is quite the commercial and retail base to support it.

Why would he want to get one over on his brother? What on earth made you write that?

Stanley has been involved in Merthyr for years. He bought the clubhouse 6 years ago. The only urgent need for a push was because of the ring fencing of the Welsh Premiership. They have to gain promotion this year.

The issue of stopping financing Pontypridd's league titles is unrelated to Stan. The major reason for the change in policy is that Wilson doesn't want 55+ players at training everyday - all he is doing is what Alex Evans did when he first came to the club. Paying players like Walsh, Thomas, Dicomidis, Smith, and Gareth Davies is utterly pointless and a complete waste of money.

You're only kidding yourself if you think there's a commercial and retail base near Merthyr to fund a minimum £8m business. Nothing major is based in that part of the words, the population is relatively £ poor and there's no stadium capable of hosting the games.

You've just put 2+2 together to arrive at 44.

LordDowlais wrote:Merthyr is not a small twon

Agreed.

Griff wrote:

I was being facetious to start with, and perhaps a bit sarcastic.  Lord Dowlais had a hissy fit at the Dragons performance v Sale and took to the internet to vent his anger at our lack of ambition.  He stated that spending money would not improve on field performance, while his Merthyr outfit do just that.  I was reading into it that LD would like his side to bump off one of the others for a Pro12 spot.

On the second point, while it might have been the reason they chose the 5 regions in 2003, the result has been to drive away the 'sugar daddies', at least in the case of the Dragons (Russell left at the start, Brown not long after).  Now that a new sugar daddy is in town it isn't a huge leap to think that the WRU might look north (to Merthyr) rather than struggle on with the Dragons and their lack of cash (Dragons are my region by the way, so not something I would want).

Tony Brown made a loan to the NGD of £425,000 in the financial year ending in 2014. He hasn't been driven away at all. He just suffered terribly bad health.

The WRU have no mechanism to close down the NGD. None. It is not possible for them to do so. You have invented something that is impossible to deliver.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Merthyr is not a small twon

Agreed.

60,000 people is a small town.

PhilBB wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Merthyr is not a small twon

Agreed.

60,000 people is a small town.

Cardiff only have 325,000

The total population of the valleys is over 1m.

Mid Glamorgan alone has a population of 425,000

South Glamorgan, with the mighty Cardiff has a population of 445,000. 

So that tells me outside of Cardiff there is naff all, until you go a bit further north to the valleys.

PhilBB wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Merthyr is not a small twon

Agreed.

60,000 people is a small town.

But it's not a small twon.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

PhilBB wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Merthyr is not a small twon

Agreed.

60,000 people is a small town.

But it's not a small twon.

town.

sarky git.

LordDowlais wrote:

Cardiff only have 325,000

The total population of the valleys is over 1m.

Mid Glamorgan alone has a population of 425,000

South Glamorgan, with the mighty Cardiff has a population of 445,000. 

So that tells me outside of Cardiff there is naff all, until you go a bit further north to the valleys.

What 'Valleys' has a population of over 1m?

You wrote 'Merthyr is not a small town'. It is. It's a fifth of the size of Cardiff.

PhilBB wrote:You wrote 'Merthyr is not a small town'. It is. It's a fifth of the size of Cardiff.

Cardiff is a city, Merthyr is a town. 

In comparison, if Merthyr is small for a town, then Cardiff is Small for a city.

We are only a sparsely populated country, we need to look at the wider area's. Outside of Cardiff there is nothing, Merthyr on the other hand has a decent population for a town, and has others very close, Aberdare, Pontypridd, Tredegar, Rhumney even towns like Ebbw Vale are only about 15 mins across the A465 mun.

LordDowlais wrote:

PhilBB wrote:You wrote 'Merthyr is not a small town'. It is. It's a fifth of the size of Cardiff.

Cardiff is a city, Merthyr is a town. 

In comparison, if Merthyr is small for a town, then Cardiff is Small for a city.

We are only a sparsely populated country, we need to look at the wider area's. Outside of Cardiff there is nothing, Merthyr on the other hand has a decent population for a town, and has others very close, Aberdare, Pontypridd, Tredegar, Rhumney even towns like Ebbw Vale are only about 15 mins across the A465 mun.

And none of those places outside of Cardiff boast a commercial, or £ strong retail base, worthy of supporting a professional sports team.

PhilBB wrote:

Griff wrote:

I was being facetious to start with, and perhaps a bit sarcastic.  Lord Dowlais had a hissy fit at the Dragons performance v Sale and took to the internet to vent his anger at our lack of ambition.  He stated that spending money would not improve on field performance, while his Merthyr outfit do just that.  I was reading into it that LD would like his side to bump off one of the others for a Pro12 spot.

On the second point, while it might have been the reason they chose the 5 regions in 2003, the result has been to drive away the 'sugar daddies', at least in the case of the Dragons (Russell left at the start, Brown not long after).  Now that a new sugar daddy is in town it isn't a huge leap to think that the WRU might look north (to Merthyr) rather than struggle on with the Dragons and their lack of cash (Dragons are my region by the way, so not something I would want).

Tony Brown made a loan to the NGD of £425,000 in the financial year ending in 2014. He hasn't been driven away at all. He just suffered terribly bad health.

The WRU have no mechanism to close down the NGD. None. It is not possible for them to do so. You have invented something that is impossible to deliver.

He left the board years ago and is only now back in an advisory capacity. He is not one of the directors anymore. It would be pure guess work to say that he would have put money into the dragons in the years he was away from them, but I'd wager that he would have. So I stand by the comment. Yes, he had his health issues, but he was also quite vocal at the time that he was walking about because of regional rugby, WRU involvement, etc.

Yes, I know they cannot close us down anymore than they can close down Marks and Spencer, or any other business. Poor wording on my part. 'Disbanded' is often the term thrown about on here when a club starts doing poorly so I was using that. But it won't stop a side (e.g. Merthyr) with aspirations of pro rugby approaching the WRU about taking the Dragons place, and that was my original point. It won't stop them trying. If the WRU can create places, as suggested with calls for a 5th region and/or inclusion of London Welsh, then surely they can take away too? And that would mean by not putting them forward as Welsh representatives in the Pro 12 and withholding their funding I guess. If that's what they wanted to do. But I don't see that happening. But I do see successful semi-pro sides trying to encourage it (a la Ponty and perhaps Merthyr in due course).

LordDowlais wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote: with the Scarlets being one of them

Scarlets were never a region, they were a stand alone club. Just be honest about it. They might be more now, but at the start they were not. We all know what went on, so lets not go around the houses. 

I hold no bitterness towards them, good for you, and Llanelli that they manged to hold onto their pro status. But lets not be facetious about it, Scarlets were stand alone to start with, and some people still see them that way. 

Was it Scarlets who beat New Zealand all those years ago or was it Llanelli ? I have seen it be attributed to the same two teams.

However you wish to put it, a very different situation to the one Merthyr are in.

Griff wrote:
He left the board years ago and is only now back in an advisory capacity. He is not one of the directors anymore. It would be pure guess work to say that he would have put money into the dragons in the years he was away from them, but I'd wager that he would have. So I stand by the comment. Yes, he had his health issues, but he was also quite vocal at the time that he was walking about because of regional rugby, WRU involvement, etc.

Yes, I know they cannot close us down anymore than they can close down Marks and Spencer, or any other business. Poor wording on my part. 'Disbanded' is often the term thrown about on here when a club starts doing poorly so I was using that. But it won't stop a side (e.g. Merthyr) with aspirations of pro rugby approaching the WRU about taking the Dragons place, and that was my original point. It won't stop them trying. If the WRU can create places, as suggested with calls for a 5th region and/or inclusion of London Welsh, then surely they can take away too? And that would mean by not putting them forward as Welsh representatives in the Pro 12 and withholding their funding I guess. If that's what they wanted to do. But I don't see that happening. But I do see successful semi-pro sides trying to encourage it (a la Ponty and perhaps Merthyr in due course).

He left as a hands on Director because of his ill health. He still wrote cheques.

He is D1 listed as a Director on the last Annual Return, so he is one of the Directors.

It wouldn't be pure guesswork to note the money he has put in as all of that money is recorded in the Annual Accounts lodged at Companies House.

So how can you stand by a comment when you've just been disproven on its main points? Legal documents disprove you.

No, the WRU has no mechanism to remove a team. The RSA is signed for another 5 years and there is an option to roll on, so no funding (not that there is any funding to start with) or competition places can be 'withdrawn'.

PhilBB wrote:

Griff wrote:
He left the board years ago and is only now back in an advisory capacity. He is not one of the directors anymore. It would be pure guess work to say that he would have put money into the dragons in the years he was away from them, but I'd wager that he would have. So I stand by the comment. Yes, he had his health issues, but he was also quite vocal at the time that he was walking about because of regional rugby, WRU involvement, etc.

Yes, I know they cannot close us down anymore than they can close down Marks and Spencer, or any other business. Poor wording on my part. 'Disbanded' is often the term thrown about on here when a club starts doing poorly so I was using that. But it won't stop a side (e.g. Merthyr) with aspirations of pro rugby approaching the WRU about taking the Dragons place, and that was my original point. It won't stop them trying. If the WRU can create places, as suggested with calls for a 5th region and/or inclusion of London Welsh, then surely they can take away too? And that would mean by not putting them forward as Welsh representatives in the Pro 12 and withholding their funding I guess. If that's what they wanted to do. But I don't see that happening. But I do see successful semi-pro sides trying to encourage it (a la Ponty and perhaps Merthyr in due course).

He left as a hands on Director because of his ill health. He still wrote cheques.

He is D1 listed as a Director on the last Annual Return, so he is one of the Directors.

It wouldn't be pure guesswork to note the money he has put in as all of that money is recorded in the Annual Accounts lodged at Companies House.

So how can you stand by a comment when you've just been disproven on its main points? Legal documents disprove you.

No, the WRU has no mechanism to remove a team. The RSA is signed for another 5 years and there is an option to roll on, so no funding (not that there is any funding to start with) or competition places can be 'withdrawn'.

I was going by this (below), which suggests he resigned in 2005. If you've disproven me, then fair enough, but your 'disproval' was after my post, not before.

https://companycheck.co.uk/director/900616424/MR-ANTHONY-CHARLES-BROWN/companies


I agree they cannot remove a team now, and there are agreements and contracts in place such as the RSA, but no Welsh region is guaranteed a place in perpetuity.

Griff wrote:
I agree they cannot remove a team now, and there are agreements and contracts in place such as the RSA, but no Welsh region is guaranteed a place in perpetuity.  

They pretty much are as there is no mechanism to remove them. Let's not forget that Lewis tried to force this when he tried to set up his Rogions, and he failed miserably.

There is no alternative to the four.

PhilBB wrote:There is no alternative to the four.

Not yet there isn't. 

Also, what do RGC1404 have to do to get regional status or pathway status, or whatever it is you call it ?

LordDowlais wrote:

PhilBB wrote:There is no alternative to the four.

Not yet there isn't. 

Also, what do RGC1404 have to do to get regional status or pathway status, or whatever it is you call it ?

RGC is already a pathway.

To become fully pro they will need an owner and somehow an agreement with the Council to upgrade Eirias considerably.

140 years of rugby hasn't yet seen a North Wales team come to the forefront. Funny that.

You see, for me phil, the regions/pathways are far too comfy. They continue to underachieve and answer to nobody, they never need to up their game as there is nobody to threaten them, we need the threat of the chance that others can take their place if they are constantly finishing at the bottom of the league and not achieving anything.

What is so funny ?

PhilBB wrote:

Griff wrote:
I agree they cannot remove a team now, and there are agreements and contracts in place such as the RSA, but no Welsh region is guaranteed a place in perpetuity.  

They pretty much are as there is no mechanism to remove them. Let's not forget that Lewis tried to force this when he tried to set up his Rogions, and he failed miserably.

There is no alternative to the four.

I admit my knowledge on the legal side is not great here, and I'm happy to learn. But it strikes me that if the WRU had the power to force the old 10 sides from the Welsh Prem into regional rugby, downgrading businesses from professional sports clubs to semi-pro, and therefore in one fell swoop severely impacting the businesses and their earnings, then I don't see why they can't do it again. Back then I'm guessing the WRU had even less control over than they do now? The old clubs were much more autonomous, business wise.

"Pontypridd Youth's season stuttered once more on Saturday 30th January with the postponement of a home league tie against Merthyr. The weather conditions for once were not a factor with the Sardis Road pitch playable, but rather their opponents' failure to raise a team."

http://www.ponty.net/frustrations-run-high-for-non-playing-ponty-youth