Anglo-Welsh League on the cards.

Big whispers of a merger of the four regions with the English PRL,thoughts? anyone else heard this?

Not heard it and suspect it's unlikely.

Sarries boss wants it, relegation into the Welsh prem if a region was to drop and Europe places up for grabs

One thing is clear the Welsh regions are with the English and French clubs in the current split in European Rugby. They after all voted for Peter Wheeler for the ERC chairmanship.

Don't think voting for Peter Wheeler implies the Welsh as a group want to join the English and French sides in this dispute.  If they did, they would have said something already. 

On the other hand, a good mate is chairman of his club in Wales.  Last week he told me about the rumour, and said it was there off and on the last few years.  He told me he more or less ignored it in the past but felt it had nothing to do with the current situation.  More about joining a higher profile league to make more money.  But he also believes it has no real credibility.

No surprises if the Welsh regions were to cut and run from the Pro 12.

If the Welsh did bolt, what do you think would happen to the Scots, Italians, and especially the Irish teams?

I have heard rather large whispers that the Welsh Regions want to cut a deal with English/French. However as Steve Lewis and the WRU are vehemently opposed is it likely?

Quieter suggestions that LNR have been courting the Italians.

Don't see how this could work. Increase the Premiership to 16 teams or simply kick 4 clubs down to the Championship? There is a consensus that AP teams play too many games already. As for relegating 4 English teams, remember the legal challenges that London Welsh put forward? I can’t imagine the 4 English clubs taking it lying down.

How would you decide which English teams dropped out? League position? Considering the likely bottom four this season (and probably next for that matter), you could probably say goodbye to top flight rugby North of the East Midlands.

This isn’t meant to sound condescending, but why do we need the Welsh regions? Domestically our league is a good product (hate that term) very competitive and teams can go from Europe to relegation battles very quickly. We’d be screwing the Scottish, Irish and Italians out of their league for very little gain (as far as I see it).

Come to think of it, don’t PRL teams have to vote on things like this? Why would these particular turkeys vote for Christmas?

Without LV and Euro weeks, plenty of weekends for extra fixtures. There was also talk of introducing a system whereby you have two pools of 10 (would mean 4 extra teams needed) who then have playoffs.

However despite noises from Nigel Wray, much of what I have heard is that the regions want to side with Anglo/French ideas for a European tournament.

We're supposedly filling the Euro weekends up with this propsed Franglais cup competition. The LV weekends are mainly played during the international windows.

The problem with the two pools of ten is that the teams would lose two home games a season which would be a hit on the clubs venues. Plus would the Welsh teams be THAT much of a bigger draw? Maybe down in the West Country but I can't really see what the Dragons would bring to the league.

I think the time for the welsh to join has passed unless they go to a 16 team league dropping down to 14 after 2 years. (1 up 2 down for 2 years)

I think the pro8 would be fine if there was a euro competition

It would make the euro debate much more interesting if it did happen

Also not sure if the english clubs would allow the WRU to give money to the welsh clubs and how would the eps work or the extra money for playing a certain number of english men.

What's in it for the Enlish clubs? More competition, more likelihood of relegation, not much bigger tv audience, new sides with poor to average attendance figures. I don't see the attraction myself.

DeludedOptimistorjustDave wrote:Sarries boss wants it, relegation into the Welsh prem if a region was to drop and Europe places up for grabs

That just wouldn't work. How could, for aguement sake, the Ospreys be relegated to the Welsh prem to play against Swansea, Neath and Bridgend? That would mean for 6 fixtures a season the Ospreys would be playing against one of their own feeder teams, and could weaken that team in order to win. Makes no sense.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

DeludedOptimistorjustDave wrote:Sarries boss wants it, relegation into the Welsh prem if a region was to drop and Europe places up for grabs

That just wouldn't work.  How could, for aguement sake, the Ospreys be relegated to the Welsh prem to play against Swansea, Neath and Bridgend?  That would mean for 6 fixtures a season the Ospreys would be playing against one of their own feeder teams, and could weaken that team in order to win.  Makes no sense.

I imagine it would mean clubs and regions stand alone.

DeludedOptimistorjustDave wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

DeludedOptimistorjustDave wrote:Sarries boss wants it, relegation into the Welsh prem if a region was to drop and Europe places up for grabs

That just wouldn't work.  How could, for aguement sake, the Ospreys be relegated to the Welsh prem to play against Swansea, Neath and Bridgend?  That would mean for 6 fixtures a season the Ospreys would be playing against one of their own feeder teams, and could weaken that team in order to win.  Makes no sense.

I imagine it would mean clubs and regions stand alone.

Can't really be done though, Cardiff & Cardiff Blues being based at the Arms Park, and Llanelli & The Scarlets being based at PYS. It would only work IF they disbanded all the regions, and went back to the old welsh prem etc. In which case it should be Ponty, Llandovery, Llanelli & Bedwas, going into the Jeff, and I really can't see anyone from the English side of the bridge buying into that.