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<blockquote data-quote="munstermuffin" data-source="post: 280953"><p><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Blindside6 @ Oct 1 2009, 02:40 PM) <a href="http://index.php?act=findpost&pid=414429" target="_blank"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div></p><p></p><p>well Cardiff did get to the first final of the HEC and Llanelli got to the semis in 2000 so that arguement is pretty redundant.</p><p>[/b]</p></blockquote><p></p><p>Munstermuffin makes a valid point imo. Unless the teams were chocked full of foreign players, Wales isn't a large enough country to produce the amount of top quality players needed to sustain 12-14 teams at the top level of the game. Although some of the clubs might have still been competetive i.e. the ones with the money, the majority would struggle and the bottom few would get humiliated by some of the larger teams. Regional rugby was innevitable, and it's already bearing fruit with the success of the Welsh national team and the quality of players coming through the much improved academies regionalism has brought to the table. </p><p></p><p>Unfortunately it was done all wrong. The legacy of the axing of the Celtic Warriors will continue for many years, although some blaim must be put on the supporters who failed to turn up in enough numbers to keep the club going. After all, they were recieveing the same amount of money from the WRU as the other regions, yet they went bankrupt. I know the same has happened with the Scarlets, yet the WRU bailed them out, but the situation is different. At the time of the Warriors demise, there were 5 regions, and the WRU decided that Wales could in fact make do with 4. This turned out to be true, with it being obvious that at present there isn't enough quality players to make 5 competitive teams. However, with the Scarlets, the WRU couldn't allow 4 to become 3, it would have had a severe impact on the international game in Wales and would have jepordised future growth. </p><p></p><p>I'm not saying I'm happy with the way things were dealt with, but after making a mess of things to begin with the WRU have probably made the right decisions since. This may anger supprters from Ponty and Bridgend etc. but I find it hard to offer too much sympathy. This brings us back to the supporting Cardiff Blues issue, and how the Blues aren't exacly inticing these discarded supporters into their new spacious stadium.</p><p>[/b][/quote]</p><p></p><p>You're right that Wales doesn't have the player base to support the 9 teams that went professional. What the WRU did was accelerate the process that I think would have happened naturally anyway after a few seasons. By short cutting the evolutionary route a number of fans have become more alienated than if their team had gone down naturally. </p><p></p><p>The Blues are actually doing lots to get people into the stadium. Take a look at their website to see details of community events all over the region. Don't forget that when Llanelli & Cardiff became stand alone regions part of the deal, to keep the names, was that initially they didn't receive as much funding as the other 3 regions.</p><p>[/b][/quote]</p><p></p><p>Also how do regions feel about this 'A' Competition where region are recognized like it does give ye chance then to compete on a fairer level?</p><p></p><p>Also lads can ye tell me in Wales do Regions Players have connections with own clubs still like here eg. Paul O'Connell = Young Munster, Munster, Ireland even Howlett and Mafi even De Villiers assigned clubs :lol: Imagine JDV on the UL Bohs team sheet in AIL :lol: :lol:</p><p>[/QUOTE]</p>
[QUOTE="munstermuffin, post: 280953"] <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Blindside6 @ Oct 1 2009, 02:40 PM) [url='index.php?act=findpost&pid=414429']<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/url]</div> well Cardiff did get to the first final of the HEC and Llanelli got to the semis in 2000 so that arguement is pretty redundant. [/b][/quote] Munstermuffin makes a valid point imo. Unless the teams were chocked full of foreign players, Wales isn't a large enough country to produce the amount of top quality players needed to sustain 12-14 teams at the top level of the game. Although some of the clubs might have still been competetive i.e. the ones with the money, the majority would struggle and the bottom few would get humiliated by some of the larger teams. Regional rugby was innevitable, and it's already bearing fruit with the success of the Welsh national team and the quality of players coming through the much improved academies regionalism has brought to the table. Unfortunately it was done all wrong. The legacy of the axing of the Celtic Warriors will continue for many years, although some blaim must be put on the supporters who failed to turn up in enough numbers to keep the club going. After all, they were recieveing the same amount of money from the WRU as the other regions, yet they went bankrupt. I know the same has happened with the Scarlets, yet the WRU bailed them out, but the situation is different. At the time of the Warriors demise, there were 5 regions, and the WRU decided that Wales could in fact make do with 4. This turned out to be true, with it being obvious that at present there isn't enough quality players to make 5 competitive teams. However, with the Scarlets, the WRU couldn't allow 4 to become 3, it would have had a severe impact on the international game in Wales and would have jepordised future growth. I'm not saying I'm happy with the way things were dealt with, but after making a mess of things to begin with the WRU have probably made the right decisions since. This may anger supprters from Ponty and Bridgend etc. but I find it hard to offer too much sympathy. This brings us back to the supporting Cardiff Blues issue, and how the Blues aren't exacly inticing these discarded supporters into their new spacious stadium. [/b][/quote] You're right that Wales doesn't have the player base to support the 9 teams that went professional. What the WRU did was accelerate the process that I think would have happened naturally anyway after a few seasons. By short cutting the evolutionary route a number of fans have become more alienated than if their team had gone down naturally. The Blues are actually doing lots to get people into the stadium. Take a look at their website to see details of community events all over the region. Don't forget that when Llanelli & Cardiff became stand alone regions part of the deal, to keep the names, was that initially they didn't receive as much funding as the other 3 regions. [/b][/quote] Also how do regions feel about this 'A' Competition where region are recognized like it does give ye chance then to compete on a fairer level? Also lads can ye tell me in Wales do Regions Players have connections with own clubs still like here eg. Paul O'Connell = Young Munster, Munster, Ireland even Howlett and Mafi even De Villiers assigned clubs :lol: Imagine JDV on the UL Bohs team sheet in AIL :lol: :lol: [/QUOTE]
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