Councillors urge WRU to ‘Save our Scarlets’
Martin Shipton
Campaigning councillors say the loss of the Scarlets, their stadium, and over 400 full and part-time jobs would be a ‘travesty’.
The region’s multi-million pound contribution to the local economy and ‘deep cultural significance’, as well as its world class 15,000 capacity stadium must mean the Scarlets survive the Welsh Rugby Union’s controversial restructuring blueprint, demands a motion going before this week’s full town council meeting.
All Llanelli town council members are being urged to back the cross-party motion which formally supports the Scarlets, recognising their importance to the community’s social fabric and economic vitality.
The motion states that the council should write to the WRU, and relevant national bodies, to support the Scarlets, and demand they are saved from the axe.
‘Ideal solution’
The WRU says its ‘ideal’ solution to the crisis in Welsh rugby is a two region solution – a potential ‘cull’ from four professional rugby regions – the Ospreys, Cardiff, Newport Gwent Dragons, and the Scarlets.
But now a call to Save Our Scarlets proposed by Llanelli town council deputy leader Andre McPherson (Labour), and seconded by opposition group leader Sean Rees (Independent) will be debated on Wednesday September 3.
Cllr McPherson said: “The Scarlets are a cornerstone of Llanelli’s economy. Llanelli Town Council stands with Scarlets and its supporters and urges a fair, sustainable professional rugby framework in Wales that protects and celebrates our team.
“Our stadium is the best in Wales, with the best facilities and infrastructure that enhance the match day experience for fans.
“It is vital that supporters and the wider community are included in this consultation to ensure their voices are heard in decisions affecting the future of Welsh professional rugby.
“In Wales, rugby is at the core of communities. Centralising decisions without due diligence would be remiss and could be seen as disregarding the loyalty of Scarlets fans and the people of Llanelli.”
‘Pivotal’
Cllr Rees said: “We stand at a pivotal moment for Welsh rugby. If the WRU wants a successful, sustainable future then it must invest in and protect regions like ours at the Scarlets.
“There is a clear identity at the Scarlets through our proud heritage, well established infrastructure and deep-rooted fan base, all of which offers strong foundations for future growth, performance and national team success.
“Any future model for Welsh rugby must recognise and respect this legacy. It’s also about defending a vital part of our economy. The club generates millions of pounds each year for businesses across west Wales, supports hundreds of jobs, and brings in visitors who spend money in our shops, hotels and restaurants.
“All of this would be put at stake. As councillors from across the Llanelli town area, we stand firmly united in our commitment to protect the Scarlets.
“We call on the WRU and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the Scarlets remain an integral part of Welsh rugby’s future. They owe it to the fans, the players and the history of the game.”
Labour town councillor Shaun Greaney said: “The Scarlets are a world famous team – the team of greats like Ray Gravell, Phil Bennett and Jonathan Davies. They put Llanelli on the map and to strip the town of a vital part of its identity would be cultural and economic vandalism in an area already ravaged by economic decline and poverty.
“To rob us of the Scarlets is an unthinkable deed that would spell the destruction of rugby in a huge area.”
Already in excess of 4,300 fans have signed an online petition urging the WRU to save the Scarlets.
Cllr Greaney added: “The more people who sign the petition, the more reasons for the WRU to think again. The club has helped 20,000 schoolchildren, including some with disabilities, to learn skills and develop sporting opportunities, and has also operated camps in socially deprived areas.
“It is a crucial, shining beacon of our sense of community and identity in Llanelli. We cannot stand by and watch it be killed off.”
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
What does 400 full and part-time employees do all day?
About 50% of what is required to be a successful franchise, as with probably another 400 just across the river with the Ospreys.
Good question. Seems like the Scarlets are bloated with excess baggage while failing on the park and attracting diminishing crowds. If the club/region is that important a part of local community life why don’t more of that community turn up for their fixtures ?
Same question could be asked of the other 3 regions too. Welsh rugby is tainted by that awful dependency culture that has attacked all aspects of Welsh life.
That number must include all the stadium stewards and vendors. Employed for a few hours every other week. Hardly massive contribution to employment.
Whilst I believe that the 4 current regions should remain, I think this motion is lacking on several fronts. To say that Parc y Scarlets has the best stadium facilities and infrastructure in Wales is hyperbole. I know many a Scarlets fan who regularly complain about PyS, and some who don’t bother going because of parking, and other issues. The line about Ray Gravell and Phil Bennett playing for the Scarlets is clearly false. Those great players represented Llanelli RFC, which was a completely different entity to the Scarlets, who are a Regional side. Also, the claim about 400 employees… Read more »
Scrap them.
And the other three!!!
Change is needed, but what do we evolve to?
We need discussions over the coming last year of the current franchise agreement, but obviously need an alternative to the failures currently running the WRU wanting to create their own 2 teams, that everyone will dislike as much as they are.
I agree. Scrapping two will just lead to resentment. And I can’t imagine that will lead to people transferring their allegiance to gloating survivors.
As much as I admire Martin as a brilliant journo’, some of the information he’s been given appears ‘one eyed Llanelli’ and needs a fact check. The stadium in Trostre *between Llanelli and Swansea) is not the Scarlets ‘their stadium’, but the property of Carmarthenshire County Council, the most central of the West Wales local authorities that is based in Carmarthen, It will remain as it’s the only real option if we revert to the original provincial plan of one combined West Wales team. They may state that having one of our 4 pro franchises is ‘cornerstone of Llanelli’s economy,… Read more »
Another example of why the Scarlets would be a terrible choice to be one of two future regions. Rugbt will need the new regions to be welcoming to new supporters from outside Llanelli, especially to supporters of their neighbours and rivals Ospreys. The determination to keep Scarlets as a brand feels parochial and exclusive. (I’m sure we all remember the arrogance of Llanelli and Cardiff in 2003 who refused to merge with neihbours). In my opinion the WRU would be better to scrap all four team names and start afresh. There is a logic to one of the teams playing… Read more »
I’d rather give it to Llanelli Reds.
Put Llanelli RFC into a two division Anglo-Welsh league. 8 Welsh Clubs, 20 English. Promotion/relegation from/to a Welsh prem via play-off & commercial lisence.
Using clubs as regions has failed. Representative, centrally run regions fine in principle but I wouldn’t trust the WRU to run a bath.
Nothing wrong with the local town council speaking up for the professional region that is the Scarlets but it needs to be made clear that the Llanelli rfc team that defeated the all blacks, won numerous Welsh cups and included greats like phil Bennett, delme Thomas and jj williams has got nothing to do with the region that is the Scarlets….the Scarlets pro region are a entirely different entity. And its highly disingenuous – if not downright misleading – of those town councillors to say otherwise.
This is completely wrong. They are one and the same.
So why for 20 years did we have two separate entities known as Llanelli RFC and the Scarlets?
There should have been Llanelli RFC and one separate West Wales provincial region covering all of West Wales, that could justify pro rugby.
A and B sides.
You should understand that Llanelli RFC put a team called The Scarlets into the then Celtic league. It remains the same business whatever you want to call it.
Llanelli RFC; a WRU constituted club.
Scarlets; a professional regional franchise company.
The failure was having to be both but wanting to be one. This tactic has ended up with Llanelli RFC folding a a rugby playing club while the Scarlets are now deemed unsustainable as a stand alone pro team.