Merger on the Occident Distress

Alun Smith

Why is the Welsh Rugby Union so-called when it behaves in no way like a union? I’m going to get absolutely slated for this, I appreciate that, but I don’t mind because, after all, I’m just trying to understand.

I’m not an economist, certainly not a mathematician and definitely not a chief executive of anything more complicated than my weekly shop.

I imagine then, that those of you who are, are going to be chuckling away at my naivety throughout this, what I hope, will become an ongoing discussion.

As I understand it union members pay their fees up front and then their union looks after them and they have a say in how things are done, whether that be the daily running of their business, disputes or whatever. They might have a say in how their individual company is run. The WRU doesn’t operate that way does it?

The union members, in this case the clubs and regions are run from the top down not the other way around, as far as I can see. That’s backwards isn’t it? I’m just asking the questions because I’m trying to understand.

Is the WRU essentially a private company? If so, shouldn’t we ‘nationalise’ it? Shouldn’t it belong to the Welsh fans and clubs? The people? Apart from a few bailouts over the years, for things like Covid, the WG doesn’t fund the WRU as far as I know.

If we ‘owned’ it, if it was paid for by us through taxation wouldn’t we have more say in how things are done? You know, like an actual union.

‘All-Wales’

I’m what I like to call an ‘all-Wales’ fan. I don’t have any particular allegiance to any one club or region. I support all four regions as is, and on derby days I just enjoy the game, knowing that one way or another, ‘my’ team will win! I’ve moved around a lot (currently in Llundain) so my loyalty is to Wales, not to one part of her. I understand though, of course I do, that the loss of a region will hurt the fans who are loyal to their neck of the woods.

The WRU or, let’s say it, Welsh Rugby Corporation, wants to cut a region because of a lack of finances. So how do we get around not hurting one group of fans, one region? Wouldn’t it make more sense to cut to two, like the Scots?

Merge Ospreys and Scarlets to soften the blow to both and do the same with Cardiff and the Dragons? That way, the west regions don’t feel picked on and we can have two ‘super teams’. Just a thought.

As I was typing that last paragraph, I got a notification that Scarlets and Ospreys have been told to merge because Cardiff and Dragons are “safe”.

That seems so unfair to me and sharply focuses my point that that is an edict from above. Cardiff are owned by the WRU and let’s be honest we have to have rugby in the capital. Ospreys have literally just invested in a new ground, so they’re not going quietly and I suspect, neither will the Scarlets. The Dragons need to just keep shtum for a minute, I think, and count themselves lucky.

Statements

By the time this is published I suspect we’ll have statements from both the Scarlets and the Ospreys and I suspect they will not be pretty. It’s going to be a mess isn’t it? Where will they play?

Do we keep both stadiums and alternate home games for the new, merged team? No more rugby at one of Llanelli or Swansea? Give over! And what will the new team be called even if they did want to merge? The Swansea Scarlets? Sospan Jack RFC?

None of this is going to be sorted out before the end of next years RWC, because, as we know, the WRU don’t do things quickly. That means that Wales will be going into the autumn section of The Nations Championship, the 6 Nations and the world cup at a disadvantage again.

Thanks a bunch WRU, or should I say …Wales Rugby Corporation.

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