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Welsh regions turn down central contract offer from WRU
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20001262
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbyn...of-central-contracts-from-wru-91466-32060289/
The WRU proposed that it would use the 6.2 million pounds it currently gives to the four regions to guarantee the release of Welsh players for international duty, and pay this directly to the players themselves. The plan was to centrally contract the entire Welsh squad, and not just a select few (although obviously the likes of Phillips, Hook etc. playing outside of Wales wouldn't have been). This would probably have cost more than £6.2 million.
Ultimately I suppose, this gives the regions no extra funding. However are they seriously expecting the WRU to pay twice for the same players?
I expect this deal to go through eventually, but it'll have to coincide with an increase in direct funding from the WRU.
I feel that the regions are being very short sighted here. This is a good offer from the WRU imo, as it offloads their biggest earners to the WRU. Or are they scared about how the WRU will manage them, forcing extended periods of rest in a similar way to how the IRFU manage Ireland's international players? This has not held the Irish provinces back though, so it shouldn't be seen as a bad thing.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20001262
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbyn...of-central-contracts-from-wru-91466-32060289/
The WRU proposed that it would use the 6.2 million pounds it currently gives to the four regions to guarantee the release of Welsh players for international duty, and pay this directly to the players themselves. The plan was to centrally contract the entire Welsh squad, and not just a select few (although obviously the likes of Phillips, Hook etc. playing outside of Wales wouldn't have been). This would probably have cost more than £6.2 million.
Ultimately I suppose, this gives the regions no extra funding. However are they seriously expecting the WRU to pay twice for the same players?
I expect this deal to go through eventually, but it'll have to coincide with an increase in direct funding from the WRU.
I feel that the regions are being very short sighted here. This is a good offer from the WRU imo, as it offloads their biggest earners to the WRU. Or are they scared about how the WRU will manage them, forcing extended periods of rest in a similar way to how the IRFU manage Ireland's international players? This has not held the Irish provinces back though, so it shouldn't be seen as a bad thing.
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