Welsh Rugby Union say Wales's regions 'reject' central contracts

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Roger Lewis has revealed Wales's four rugby regions have rejected a Welsh Rugby Union offer to centrally contract their Welsh international players

The WRU planned to use the £6.2million they give to the regions for releasing their Welsh stars for international duty to fund the new central contracts.

The proposal hopes to keep Wales's top players playing club rugby in Wales.

"That offer was not accepted by the regions." WRU Group Chief Executive Roger Lewis writes in an open letter.

"That is their contractual right and I respect it.

"The recent debate, if you can call it that, about player salaries and sound bite solutions has been untimely, misinformed and damaging.

"An important fact to the salary issue is that the WRU, on August 14 this year, formally offered to the four regions to centrally contract the entire international squad of players within Wales.

"It would have meant that the WRU would have managed players' salaries and careers, and directly we would negotiate with any player seeking to leave Wales.

"The £6.2m player release money would be retained by the WRU to fund this and the surplus, and yes there is a surplus, would be spent on nurturing new talent."



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20001262



The bit in bold is the likely reason that the WRU's offer was rejected. That's my view, anyway. What do you think?

...all that said they help keep guys like Bowe, Ferris and Bestie at Ulster so they have their upsides too

I don't know about the downside of national coaches selecting players becuase they are on a central contract, ok it does appear to have happened a bit in Ireland, But a strong enough coach will pick th ebest players, central contract or not.

After all the coach is in the results buiness, and he's not going to hamper himself, picking out of form players, if it could lead to his job being on the line, or damaging his reputation.

A coach like Gatland, would be strong enough to drop a player if not performing even if on a central contract.