Trouble in Wales?

[Taffelaide]

Delusional.

If it had been Cardiff RFC that was put forward, you'd have been saying "over my dead body".

You clearly have zero understanding of the Valleys (or Welsh rugby for that matter) and your arguments are all based on the franchise system and how great it should be (it clearly isn't).

Going back is not an option, I haven't once said that we can or should. The mistakes have been made, but this reset could look to fix some of the damage done. How they do that is down to those who SHOULD know the realities facing the franchises.

 

[truthteller]

ponty went bust, people didnt even pay to get in there half the time...warriors went bust too
ponty couldnt support a pro region side sadly
so the big city can just about....i wish thered be a massive stadium in ponty or merthyr etc but it just isnt economically viable

 

[Amiga500]

You clearly have zero understanding of the Valleys (or Welsh rugby for that matter) and your arguments are all based on the franchise system and how great it should be (it clearly isn't).

You clearly have zero understanding of how to multiply.

500 people times a fiver a head does not multiply up into the revenue needed to run a professional team.

 

[Taffelaide]

You clearly have zero understanding of how to multiply.

500 people times a fiver a head does not multiply up into the revenue needed to run a professional team.

The Valleys are home to around 30% of the population and it is far less diverse (including in terms of sports) than Cardiff.

Not that that is relevant to my point, it just shows yours is asinine.

 

[Amiga500]

The Valleys are home to around 30% of the population and it is far less diverse (including in terms of sports) than Cardiff.

Not that that is relevant to my point, it just shows yours is asinine.

So what is the average Ponty attendance?

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

No mergers. Business as usual.

https://www.planetrugby.com/news/welsh-regions-to-remain-unchanged-after-merger-ruled-out/

 

[truthteller]

How fast things change in the mad mad world of welsh rugby
2 weeks ago...regions were struggling, an insane merger of the 2 biggest rivals ospreys and scarlets was signed , loads of players were maybe leaving, north wales had a fantasy of a new pro team
2 weeks later..wales are grand slam champions, £5.5 million prize money wales up to second in the world and gats a national hero again.....
The mergers are all off...ospreys survive and have backers for a few years....cardiff sign up a load of stars like hal amos josh adams and re-sign a load others....scarlets re-sign 3 british lions and johnny macnicoll in a few days....ospreys hope to keep all their stars and dragons keep moriarty and others signed up
cardiff get a sell out crowd....ospreys over 8000....and nealry 70,000 sold already for a record easter judgement day crowd

The only bit missing atm is shaun edwards, the man is an honorary welshman now and the wru / or regions should find a role for him imo even if dually contracted to wru and a region/regions hes too darn good to lose

 

[General Melchett]

How fast things change in the mad mad world of welsh rugby
2 weeks ago...regions were struggling, an insane merger of the 2 biggest rivals ospreys and scarlets was signed , loads of players were maybe leaving, north wales had a fantasy of a new pro team
2 weeks later..wales are grand slam champions, £5.5 million prize money wales up to second in the world and gats a national hero again.....
The mergers are all off...ospreys survive and have backers for a few years....cardiff sign up a load of stars like hal amos josh adams and re-sign a load others....scarlets re-sign 3 british lions and johnny macnicoll in a few days....ospreys hope to keep all their stars and dragons keep moriarty and others signed up
cardiff get a sell out crowd....ospreys over 8000....and nealry 70,000 sold already for a record easter judgement day crowd

The only bit missing atm is shaun edwards, the man is an honorary welshman now and the wru / or regions should find a role for him imo even if dually contracted to wru and a region/regions hes too darn good to lose

Seems like Pivac was open to keeping Edwards but found a replacement for him after he announced that he'd be joining Wigan. Edwards then seemingly had a change of heart but it was too late as Pivac had already signed up his replacement. Edwards will be a huge loss and I have a feeling that he'll be going wherever Gatland goes - England, France or the Lions most likely.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

and nealry 70,000 sold already for a record easter judgement day crowd

That's incredible!

 

[truthteller]

They had over 60,000 the last 3 years in a row....throw in over 20 of the grand slam stars on display at the worlds greatest rugby stadium...and you have a show
To think it took them 10 years of regional rugby before arranging this?
They should have it twice a season imo

 

[truthteller]

Seems like Pivac was open to keeping Edwards but found a replacement for him after he announced that he'd be joining Wigan. Edwards then seemingly had a change of heart but it was too late as Pivac had already signed up his replacement. Edwards will be a huge loss and I have a feeling that he'll be going wherever Gatland goes - England, France or the Lions most likely.

If WRU and a region can afford it, they need to look at keeping edwards in some role or dual role....hes far far too good to lose

 

[Amiga500]

If WRU and a region can afford it, they need to look at keeping edwards in some role or dual role....hes far far too good to lose

Head coach Dragons?

 

[bushytop]

Head coach Dragons?

As much as I would love for the WRU to keep Edwards in any capacity (primarily as Welsh defence coach though with Pivac stating that he has already signed a successor that seems particularly unlikely) I just can't see it happening. I'd be happy with him head coaching any of the reactions but there will be many suitors, all with bigger wallets and then there is the possibility of him following Gats into whatever set up in which he finds himself.

Edwards staying in Wales sadly seems a pipe dream right now.

 

[truthteller]

Head coach Dragons?

id just stick to defence coach thats what hes world class at, why dillute his talents on recruitment management and all that stuff. id have him dual contracted to wru and dragons or scarlets....the wru can then utilise him in other areas and perhaps pivac can utilise him too?

 

[Amiga500]

So Allen Clarke is no longer a coach at the Ospreys, but hasn't yet left the Ospreys*.

Pending internal investigation into misconduct.


Lovely.

 

[bushytop]

So Allen Clarke is no longer a coach at the Ospreys, but hasn't yet left the Ospreys*.

Pending internal investigation into misconduct.


Lovely.

Seemed like a decent guy managing an unmanageable situation... am interested to hear more about what apparently went on but as I said, the guy had an incredibly tough job... and a job that produces pressures that can push the best of men to react in ways that they normally would not.

Sadly, the Ospreys is a car crash of an organisation right now... and I can imagine this season being their last. If so, I genuinely hope the conveyor belt of talent from that area continues to force their way into contention.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Feel a bit sorry for him, given an impossible job that was made harder by the World Cup and buckets of injuries with squad that didn't have the depth to deal with it. There are far bigger problems with the Ospreys than him.

 

[Amiga500]

Mike Ruddock into the Ospreys for a month.

Is the month for him to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes before deciding if he wants to take it on?

 

[MikeTheNative]

Mike Ruddock into the Ospreys for a month.

Is the month for him to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes before deciding if he wants to take it on?

The whole thing is still bizarre. Clarke still not left and it's a 'disciplinary matter' which makes it sound as though he has done something wrong (apart form crap results). With injuries and Wales players coming back results should improve for Ospreys but there seems to be big problems at the region, I don't think Ruddock will be able to stop the rot to be honest. Perhaps Ospreys are taking one for the team and committing a slow painful death so the north can get a region.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Not a hope that Ruddock takes that job if he wasn't doing so bad in the AIL I don't think, it's not an attractive offer.