Wales Six Nations squad 2023

[pagliaccio_euforico]

One thing the bbc mentioned which i thought was good. No one really knows how many professional teams wales can support cause they have never had competent leadership. If you have morons running the show like you do now even cutting down to three teams will lead to failure.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Regional rugby killed a lot of support. My dad used to take me to the Gnoll in the late 80s and through the 90s as a kid and you'd see 10/15 thousand fans packing out the stadium most weeks. Sure Neath had success back then but the old school generation that my dad is in couldn't really give 2 fucks about Ospreys or what not. Times have changed obviously but I still think the support base is there even but as my man said above, we're a **** circus run by a bunch of ****-**** clowns for the last 20 years.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Would a "national service" type rule not work better for Wales? After your first cap, sign a 2 year contract with a region at the earliest opportunity, gives the WRU a chance to assimilate players and gain 10-20 caps whilst on their payroll. Give them the freedom to move then if they can't incentives them to stay.

They're in a hole, time to get creative and not just copy what other, similarly struggling, unions are doing.

 

[dullonien]

One thing the bbc mentioned which i thought was good. No one really knows how many professional teams wales can support cause they have never had competent leadership. If you have morons running the show like you do now even cutting down to three teams will lead to failure.

I agree to a point. Success puts bums on seats, and when the Ospreys were competative they saw healthy turnouts most weeks. Success wasn't always forthcoming though, even when they had a side most teams in Europe would have been envious of, so who knows what the crowd numbers would have been has they conquered europe and had continued success.

Likewise Cardiff have seen periods of relative success (Challenge cup, EDF etc.), and the last time they made the champions cup knockouts they drew large crowds with the games moved over to the then Millenium Stadium. Inconsistency and a big downturn has seen support dwindle, but it does show that there might be punters out there if the product is of a high standard.

Are we likely to return to a point where a region boasts a combination of world class Welsh talent + genuine superstar signings from abroad though? Looking back at that 'galacticos' Ospreys side with Shane, Hook, Henson, AWJ, Ryan Jones, Adam Jones, Phillips/Marshall, Hollah, Collins, Bowe, Byrne - it was prety epic and a travesty they never conquered europe!

Maybe if we consolidated to 3 sides there's a chance all 3 sides could be competative and grow again, orherwise I fear things will continue to slip and slip. Cutting a region is a big decision, it's not something we want to get wrong (again!), but something needs to be done. Somehow we need a buy in from supporters, I think East, West, Valleys and eventually North could offer something that the current regions are lacking - i.e. more buy in from a larger area as the sides aren't just rebadged Cardiff, Swansea, Newport & Llanelli.

 

[Saintjay]

Who blinks first................

 

[Saintjay]

All 200 Wales Pro's meeting at the Vale tomorrow. Further from the press Alex Bywater.......

One of their stipulations is the abolishment of Welsh rugby's controversial 60 cap rule which restricts players from playing domestic rugby outside of Wales and also featuring at international level unless they have that number of Test appearances. Interim WRU chief executive Nigel Walker is understood to be trying to lower that number to around 30 which has not been well received.

Wales' players also want the removal of a variable element of their contracts and a player voice at PRB level and only one of those has been rectified to date. Even that – the player representation aspect – hasn't been fully delivered. Welsh Rugby Players' Association chief executive Gareth Lewis will be able to sit in on PRB meetings, but not be able to vote.

 

[AWJ5GOAT]

Regional rugby killed a lot of support. My dad used to take me to the Gnoll in the late 80s and through the 90s as a kid and you'd see 10/15 thousand fans packing out the stadium most weeks. Sure Neath had success back then but the old school generation that my dad is in couldn't really give 2 fucks about Ospreys or what not. Times have changed obviously but I still think the support base is there even but as my man said above, we're a **** circus run by a bunch of ****-**** clowns for the last 20 years.

Neath, the Welsh All Blacks and oldest club in Wales! Hopefully, in some way the regions (Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff, Dragons) together with the WRU will find a way to become competitive once again.. for the better of the whole of Welsh rugby

 

[AWJ5GOAT]

Are we likely to return to a point where a region boasts a combination of world class Welsh talent + genuine superstar signings from abroad though? Looking back at that 'galacticos' Ospreys side with Shane, Hook, Henson, AWJ, Ryan Jones, Adam Jones, Phillips/Marshall, Hollah, Collins, Bowe, Byrne - it was prety epic and a travesty they never conquered europe!

Proper side that!

 

[Reiser99]

I agree to a point. Success puts bums on seats, and when the Ospreys were competative they saw healthy turnouts most weeks. Success wasn't always forthcoming though, even when they had a side most teams in Europe would have been envious of, so who knows what the crowd numbers would have been has they conquered europe and had continued success.

Likewise Cardiff have seen periods of relative success (Challenge cup, EDF etc.), and the last time they made the champions cup knockouts they drew large crowds with the games moved over to the then Millenium Stadium. Inconsistency and a big downturn has seen support dwindle, but it does show that there might be punters out there if the product is of a high standard.

Kind of reminds me of buses in the UK. People don't use them, so they get less revenue and investment, so less people use them, so they get less revenue and investment.

It's a bad cycle to get in and really the only way to fix it quickly is to invest and accept that you might have to take some losses in the short term. It's also a big gamble, because if it doesn't pay off then you're left off worse.

The other solution is to scale back and rebuild slowly with stronger foundations. However, dunno if that's even possible in the current climate.

Half way solutions tbh won't solve anything in the long term. Rugby is in a bad state, especially in England and Wales and I honestly worry if they'll be a fully professional game in 20 years with the way things are going.

 

[Welsh Exile]

The thing I don't get is, how do you get anything formalised today. Sure there could be some verbal agreement between all the parties but considering there is no trust between anyone why would the players want to take a time on their word, you're going to want it down in writing which seems a big ask to get all the legal documents drawn up today.

Maybe that the WRUs thinking, make some false promises, get some verbal agreement, enough to make sure the players play, and then kick the can down the road.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Kind of reminds me of buses in the UK. People don't use them, so they get less revenue and investment, so less people use them, so they get less revenue and investment.

It's a bad cycle to get in and really the only way to fix it quickly is to invest and accept that you might have to take some losses in the short term. It's also a big gamble, because if it doesn't pay off then you're left off worse.

The other solution is to scale back and rebuild slowly with stronger foundations. However, dunno if that's even possible in the current climate.

Half way solutions tbh won't solve anything in the long term. Rugby is in a bad state, especially in England and Wales and I honestly worry if they'll be a fully professional game in 20 years with the way things are going.

Well the definition of an idiot is to keep doing the same thing and expecting different outcomes. Something major has to change on both sides of Offa. Anything without solid foundations gets found out eventually - it's just a matter of timing and extent.

Whatever the future looks like, a lot of people need a major dose of reality about rugby's position in the pantheon and basic finances - outgoings not exceeding inflows, that kind of thing.

Personally I always thought semi pro would work best. But we're past that.

 

[Saintjay]

Reports that cap limit down to 25.

LRZ only needs 3 more.

Tommy Reffell might be f@cked.

No idea how long the exeter lads have on contract.

 

[AlRums]

Wales to face England in Cardiff as strike avoided

Wales' Six Nations match against England will go ahead on Saturday after the Welsh players decide against strike action.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Welsh Exile]

Reports that cap limit down to 25.

LRZ only needs 3 more.

Tommy Reffell might be f@cked.

No idea how long the exeter lads have on contract.

Rowlands on 21 caps. Had he not been injured he'd be fine.

 

[Scotty]

Rowlands on 21 caps. Had he not been injured he'd be fine.

How has Tompkins stayed at Sarries so long? Can he get a contract extension on the same terms at tigers and stay?

 

[Welsh Exile]

How has Tompkins stayed at Sarries so long? Can he get a contract extension on the same terms at tigers and stay?

It was actually worse with Rowlands he is on 23 caps.

Re Tompkins I thinks it's just a case of he won his first cap while at Sarries and that contract still hasn't run out. He's on exactly 25 caps so he's fine anyway.

 

[BenniMarco]

It was actually worse with Rowlands he is on 23 caps.

Re Tompkins I thinks it's just a case of he won his first cap while at Sarries and that contract still hasn't run out. He's on exactly 25 caps so he's fine anyway.

Imagine they'll get special dispensation for him surely.

Feels harsh that he is basically being available for selection for Wales due to injury. This is where the caps rule really falls down, as then people like LRZ never will have to play in Wales yet never have this problem.

Reffell seems like could be an issue, but from reading an article last year on WOL (who knows the credibility?) I wonder if he'll manage to be ok if he can at least make it to the end of next season.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Imagine they'll get special dispensation for him surely.

Feels harsh that he is basically being available for selection for Wales due to injury. This is where the caps rule really falls down, as then people like LRZ never will have to play in Wales yet never have this problem.

Reffell seems like could be an issue, but from reading an article last year on WOL (who knows the credibility?) I wonder if he'll manage to be ok if he can at least make it to the end of next season.

Yeah it seems Reffell is on a longish deal at Leicester but not sure when it runs out. I hope they do make allowances for Rowlands but they never did with Rhys Webb when the 60 cap rule was first introduced so I won't hold my breath. Gatland was already talking up Ball and Hill before the rule change.

 

[BenniMarco]

Yeah it seems Reffell is on a longish deal at Leicester but not sure when it runs out. I hope they do make allowances for Rowlands but they never did with Rhys Webb when the 60 cap rule was first introduced so I won't hold my breath. Gatland was already talking up Ball and Hill before the rule change.

Not been following Ball and Hill, would they be likely to come back in? I guess we will see how Jenkins and Davies do over the next weeks but you'd imagine at least one comes in as we really need at least one more experienced second row. Jenkins looked very good against Scotland though so am hopeful he keeps with the step up.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Not been following Ball and Hill, would they be likely to come back in? I guess we will see how Jenkins and Davies do over the next weeks but you'd imagine at least one comes in as we really need at least one more experienced second row. Jenkins looked very good against Scotland though so am hopeful he keeps with the step up.

Gatland name dropped them in a press conference a week or so ago I believe. Yeah I think Jenkins will be a top player for us but he's only a boy still so while I still think he'll be a useful addition in the WC squad we can't expect him to be pulling up trees at the moment. Very happy with him at the moment though, he doesn't look out of place at this level which is great for someone so young.