I'll leave the second half of the post for now, as that's a wider issue outside of the current restructuring, and in some ways separate from Welsh rugby alone.
RE. The hypothetical Wilde, or Ford situation. He's not regional quality yet, so he should be playing week in week out at SRC level, which needs to improve drastically. This has been a huge issue for years (obvs including the Premiership in this before SRC came into being).
Then if Wilde or Ford are genuinely good enough, they of course can and would usurp Sheedy, Lloyd, O'Brien and Debeer, as none of which have proven themselves to be international class. Competition is never a bad thing, it drives standards, and provides a target for youngsters to achieve.
Now I do agree that in an ideal world we'd be able to achieve this with more than 2 teams, it certainly isn't ideal, but simply saying that more resources needs to be generated doesn't fix anything. That's been the case for 2 decades, yet if anything rugby as a whole is generating less, with clubs and unions struggling financially everywhere. We need a solution that can have an impact now.
If the 2 regions are successful on the field, I'm confident supporters will watch. Those who only care about their club will have to be content with following their actual club (not their psudo region) in the SRC. That's not a bad thing either as that will drive revenue into the domestic game which is desperately needed.
Maybe I'm wrong, but after following the slow decline of Welsh rugby for the last 15 years (the performance of the national side was always papering over the cracks below) something simply has to change, and something drastic imo. Welsh rugby is on its knees, the regions aren't working, and have never really worked. Why are we trying to retain something which has failed miserably?
We can't go back to the old club system either as that would just water things down even further. So what other option is there? Consolidate, re build, then expand when the foundation is strong again appears the only solution to me.
I agree with pretty much all of this, except for the final part...
Rugby is dying globally, other sports are more exciting and are marketed better.
Every time world rugby overly complicated another rule, it alienates more potential fans. Look at the current crop, feeding in the scrum, no contest in the lineouts, the ******* 20 minute red card, its just piling more complexities on top of bad rule changes in an attempt to fix their mistake.
The breakdown has become a first there wins, with counter rucking no longer allowed, the tackle area is a mess, scrums ruin atmosphere and speed of game, the try checks are the same... rugby needs to be simplified, made easier to enjoy for the neutral, easier to ref and easier to follow.
The WRU has compounded these problems with their community rules, their lack of investment in schools and clubs, and compounded the cock up that was regional rugby with decision after decision that only benefits them! I honestly dont see an argument that Rugby is Wales national sport any more.
But back to the 2 region debacle, how would alienating the few club fans left, and leaving 2 'super' clubs (hahahaha) in Cardiff and Swansea play in empty small stadiums help?
I agree radical change is needed, I just dont think pooling our failing recourses, which is what we did with regionalism in the first place, remaking the mistakes of the past, is the answer.
If it were up to me id go radically progressive.
Professional (as much as can be) 12 team Welsh premiership (which may be 60% semi pro, with professional contracted players for now), get everyone around the table, 3 clubs per region. Market the prem on a local basis, rivalries (**** me what are they in Wales?!) Local celebrities, with a progressive and original campaign.
When it comes to european rugby, the regions can get together to form a super squad, in an attempt to compete, keeping all 4 spots and key funding. The season can even start and end with these super squads games, a 3 weekend round Robin to start, and East v West to finish. Hell even the national team needs a revamp, we played a possibles v probables a while ago, that was a good idea, except it was never going to be a competitive game, id rather have seen 2 teams, 1st team forwards/2nd team backs vs 2nd team forwards/1st team backs.
We could start a draft system, newly qualified 20 year olds competed for by their clubs.
There are dozens of ideas that are radical but might just enthuse the nation again, and yes its a big risk, but id rather rugby dies on its feet trying to do something to survive, than survive on its knees slowly losing life. And thats whats happening in Wales, rugby in its current bloated, overly complex, overly safe, generic form that nobody is happy with club structure, is losing life, to repeat the same mistake from 20 years ago is madness!
