Will the Welsh World Cup performance boost regional rugby?

We all know the Welsh regions have struggled with disappointing attendances. Many old club fans won't support them. The fact that they're relatively new and artificial constructs means the passion that the Irish fans have for their provinces simply doesn't exist to the same extent in Wales. The Irish provinces feed off their support but the regions often have half empty stadiums to feed off. There's no doubt an increase in support would help them.

I was impressed with Wales in the World Cup. And it struck me that if any Welsh kids want to see these great young players week in week out they'll want to go to regional matches, not club ones. In the eyes of young fans the regions aren't new or fake. They were always there. I was just wondering if there is much of a buzz about rugby in Wales at the moment, with Welsh kids excited by it and throwing rugby balls around outside? And if the regions might benefit from increased interest?

I've been looking for a silver lining to Ireland's defeat. This might be it. I'd love to see Welsh regional rugby take off. It'd be good for Ireland as well as Wales. After all Ireland's explosion in the interest in rugby began about ten years ago with an exciting new crop of players (BOD, ROG etc). Many Irish fans don't even know that there was once only three men and a dog watching a Munster v Leinster interpro.

rwc is a showcase event. part of its job is to show off the game to a wider audience. hopefully wales' success (such as it was) will encourage more people to pop along and watch the top flight players at the bread and butter end of pro rugby.

there truly is an interest in rugby in wales, and the teens i see about the neigbourhood wearing regioanl shirts and chucking a rugbyball about is surely testiment to this.

Interesting question - I'm not sure it will though as I've spoken to a few people who have been watching Wales in the WC, and they've said that they've got no interest in club/region rugby and are just looking forward to the 6 Nations, or going back to watching football - (note these fans also are always saying you have to get Hook in the team, and as soon as Henson is fit he'll be the Blues best player).
Also although we had tremendous support for the Welsh team (especially the 63,000 that watched the semi) I a portion of these were groups of girls and guy out on a jolly with no real interest in rugby, and another portion will be old club rugby fans who have been disaffected by the change to regions and won't transfer their support of the national team to the regions.

I do hope that the returning internationals can bring the enthusiasm they were playing with back to the regions and create a real competition and intensity in the regions, which will in turn help the regions get to the upper levels of the league and increase attendances that way (particularly with some HC scalps and if Ospreys can get to the Q/F or S/F)

Feckless Rogue wrote:that there was once only three men and a dog watching a Munster v Leinster interpro.

to be fair the Dog still turns up to all the games, actually we seams to like any the poorly supported events

No, the only thing that generates internal / non international interest is derbies against fellow Welsh teams.
There seemed to be a much better atmosphere at the Newport V Pontypool game this season, then there has been at any Welsh game so far.

In fact the only occasion I have seen away supporters at regional games was English supporters at the Lv games.
I think the Lv games have actually had slightly higher attendances also.