No regions to be cheerful

I didn't make the long trek to Narbeth to watch Pontypool. As it turned out the Pooler lost 27-6 which was probably about as I would have expected. We remain rooted to the bottom of the Championship with only Whitalnd beneath us but I hope a few more wins are just around the corner
Instead of watching Pontypool I flicked between the Ospreys playing at Toulouse and the Scarlets hosting Exeter. A glutton for punshment I even watched a bit of the Blues against Montpelier the following day. All three games ended in defeats for the Welsh regions and in truth they never looked like winning any of them. My first observation was just how sparsely attended the two Welsh grounds were while the Toulouse ground was buzzing. Thankfully the Blues were not playing at the Cardiff City Stadium but at the more compact Arms Park and even then there were large empty spaces. What next I wonder? - downsize to Glamorgan Wanderers' ground perhaps. The Heineken Cup is meant to be the pinnacle of professional club rugby and it is a tragedy that home support is not more forthcoming . I am sure it didn't help that all three games were scheduled to be played at lunchtime and all were live on the TV. Remember that there were also empty seats at the Wales v Australia game and even at the Wales v All Blacks game. The marketing men need to take a good look at themselves. As I remember it, when formulating your market strategy you needed to consider a lot of things starting with P:

• Product - losing rugby never helps but the game seems to have lost its ability to entertain, Too many collpased scrums and musclular collisions instead of artistry. Too few genuinely exciting players - hardly any genuinely world class players ply their trade in Wales these days. The regional product is clearly failing in comparison to club soccer in Wales.
• Price - falling attendances are a sure sign that the price is too high particulary when the games are virtually all on the TV. It's surely better to have a full stadium at a lower price than swathes of empty seats. The Irish seem to be able to fill their grounds in a country that is even more affected by austerity.
• Place - regional rugby seems to be restricted to the M4 and has forgotten about the Welsh valleys. Perhaps if a region fails to achieve a set attendance target the franchise should be offered out to tenders. I would also add kick off times to place as they are not exactly user friendly.
• Promotion - I have to say I don't really come across much promotional activity for regional rugby. I hear that now and then tickets are given away in supermarkets. The stuff on the TV and radio for Wales games is irritating to say the least. No one has yet persuaded me to go and watch the Dragons.

I hope that the new board or whatever it is going to be called will not just argue about money but will try and fertilise the dying grass roots of the game in Wales. The feelgood factor from last season is rapidly disappearing. The statistics speak for themselves - Wales have lost seven games in a row and there has only been one Welsh regional victory in the Heineken Cup. If I add to this Pontypool have only managed to win once it's looking like a long hard season!

Wales need to persuade the fat lady to sing earlier

You could almost hear Victor Meldrew saying' 'I don't believe it,' when the Aussies snatched victory against Wales in the last seconds yet again.
I felt a bit like dear old Victor as I sat through the pre-match "entertainment". You used to be uplifted by Welsh coral singing but this eeems to have become increasingly marginalised in favour of loud and discordant fanfares from the p.a. system interspersed with even louder advetrs on the big screen. The loudness of the p.a. system means that wehn they actually allow the choir to sing your hearing cannot take in the harmonies. Nevertheless the National Anthem was belted out with all its usual fervour and still makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. I hope that they will never decide to slip an advert in between the first and second verses although I'm sure that someone has thought about it..
I suppose we had better get back to the match. These are two evenly matched teams who try and play a similar style of rugby. Suffice it to say that two very strong defences were on top with line breaks few and far between. Wales had two chances to score from breaks from their own 22 but didn't take them and Australia with the last move of the game took their chance at the death. It was exciting stuff with the lead changing hands through penalties throughout the game. Wales really wanted this victory and carried on in a similar vein to the second half against the All Blacks . At 12-9 up, with under two minutes left and with a lineout right on the Aussie line you almost felt convinced that Wales could win. Memories of the matches in Australia this summer came flooding back and it somehow seemed inevitable that Australia would find a way to come back. The nervousness of the crowd was palpable and must surely have been felt by the players. The rest as they say is history.
Maybe those wizards who operate that fantastic p.a. system could blast out some music by a fat lady with a minute or so to go. Maybe we could have a choir of fat ladies in the stand ready for these kind of eventualities.
I still don't believe it.

Pontypool Met Their Match

Pontypool took on Cardiff Metropolitan University on a bitterly cold November night at Pontypool Park. For Pontypool the only thing that shone brightly was the floodlights as they suffered yet another defeat.
Pooler played down the slope in the first half and after their usual lively start surrendered territory to the visitors who spent long periods in the home 22.The Pooler defence held firm, however, and the students failed to capitalise on two kickable penalties. Pontypool did manage a penalty in a rare sortie into Cardiff Met territory to lead 3-0 at half time.
The second half started in a similar vein with the visitors quickly gaining territorial advantage and testing the resolute Pooler defence with their pacy backs. The students hit the post twice with two further penalty attempts and must have started to feel it wasn't going to be thier night.The turning point of the match was when Faletau was sin binned following a fracas. Shortly afterwards the students were awarded a penalty try following repeated Pooler infringements close to their line to lead 3-7. This was followed by an unconverted try in the corner when the home defence was outflanked. Pooler closed the gap with another penalty and with the score 6-12 were still in touch. The home side then enjoyed a long period of possession but too often went across the field without going forward. On the rare occasions that they manged a line break there was nobody in support to take an offload. In truth, Pooler never looked like scoring a try against a well-organised Cardiff Met defence. To make matters worse the students scored another try when their scrum half crossed from short range and with the conversion this gave them an unassailable lead of 6-19. Pooler huffed and puffed for the remainder of the game but never really threatened so that was the final score.
Pontypool may now be in a much stronger position financially but there is a long way to go if they are to strengthen their position in the league.

Wales Sink in Black Sea

I went to Cardiff to watch Wales take on the All Blacks. All the talk before the game was hoping that we could hold them to 30 point victory - no talk of us beating them. Some pessimistic forecasts even suggested losing by 50+ points.  In the end a 10-33 result seems OK on paper then.
It was a strange game because we have grown used to holding the All Blacks for an hour or so and then being overwhelmed in the last quarter. In this game the All Blacks stormed to an unassailable lead of 0-33 in the first hour with Wales nowhere. True were not helped by early injuries - the one to Bradley Davies leaving a particularly bitter taste in the mouth. We all feared the worst but fortunately the All Blacks coasted a bit and let us back into the game. Their minds were probably on the England game next week. This gave Wales the chance to sieze the intiative and score a couple of tries - one from a rather bizarre 15 man lineout.
I have to say the All Blacks despite their unquestionable talent are a ruthless and cynical team who would probably stop at nothing to win. You can admire their skill but it is difficult to like them.
Wales now have to beat Australia next week to stay in the top eight seeds for the World Cup. I wonder which Autralia will turn up? Knowing our luck it will be the A team.
Good news for Pooler with our benefactor Peter Jeffries making a huge contribution to settling our debts. A big thank you must go to him. Let's hope we can now put the issues of the last year or so behind us and move forward.

Glam rock Pontypool

An encounter between two teams locked together towards the bottom of the Championship was never likely to be a high quality affair. Glamorgan Wanderers were the visitors to Pontypool Park - two teams that had known better days but both struggling to find something to lift the gloom.
The match was a very even but scrappy affair. Pooler had the stronger ball carriers with Adam Brake particularly prominent but Wanderers had the pacier backs and looked dangerous on the counter attack. In the end it was the opportunism of the Wanderers backs that won the day.
Pooler scored first as has become normal and built up a 10 point lead with a converted try from a 5 metre scrum and a penalty. Wanderers hit back with their own converted try folllowing loose play from Pooler. The score of 10-7 at half time meant that it was anyone's game with the Pooler Park slope favouring the visitors in the second half.
The second half was as scrappy as the first with both sides making far too many errors. The Wanderers, however, looked the most likely to score as the Pooler players seemed to tire. There was an exchange of penalty goals to make the score 13-10 - could Pooler hang on?. After squandering a number of chances the visitors eventually scored the only try of the half with Griffiths crossing in the corner after brushing aside the Pooler defence. Try as they might Pooler could not respond leaving the final score 13-17 and another narrow home defeat.
After the abject performance by Wales the previous evening, the weekend was going from bad to worse for Pooler fans. The only bit of cheer was the news that Australia had beaten England - clutching at straws or what!

Are Wales becoming the new England?

Watching Wales play rugby over the last week or so, I was struck by the similarity of the level of performance to that of the English team at the Rugby World Cup. There is a lack of the teamwork and passion that were the hallmarks of the successful Welsh sides. Fortunately we have not yet had the off the field indiscipline that followed for England in New Zealand.

Do these observations look familiar?:

·         Professional teams and the Rugby Union at loggerheads.

·         Professional teams underperforming in the Heineken Cup

·         Senior players taking the money to play in France.

·         Players more worried about their wallets than taking care of business on the field.

·         An ex-player as head coach.

·         Loyalty to players who are obviously out of form.

·         The guys at the top seemingly out of touch with what is really going on.

I think you would agree that these points ring true in Wales. We could also add that we have the problem of low attendances at Regional level leading to lack of money.

At the same time England could be the new Wales with new found passion, belief and confidence after shedding a lot of dead wood. Is there a lesson in that?

Always remember to defrost thoroughly

One of the first things you learn about using a deep freeze is that you should defrost the meat thoroughly before you use it. I have just watched the Welsh team play Argentina and they certainly looked stiff and slow. By coincidence they have just spent some time in cryogenic chambers in Poland. It's just a thought!

I must admit that I felt quite annoyed when I heard the pundits telling us that Wales would win at least three of the Autumn internationals. Having had the misfortune of watching a fair bit of regional rugby on the TV, it was clear that most of the team hadn't been playing well on an individual basis. Even most of the French exports had been struggling to hold down a first team place. What made anyone think that they would come togther as a team and recapture some of the magic that we saw last season? Of course we still could win three of the autumn internationals but I wouldn't stake much of personal wealth on that.

There was a lot of hot air about the Price Waterhouse Cooper report on the state of Welsh rugby. I don't know how much the WRU paid for it but it was hardly earth shattering. In true consultant style they had basically rehashed what everyone already knew - the regions have not got enough cash to compete with the money men in France. Answer - persuade some kind fellows to give them more money. This is hardly a sustainable business model. I did notice that there was even a suggestion to go back to club rugby. That would possibly increase the overall numbers watching but it wouldn't lift the Heineken Cup if that is the measure of success.

So the  issues with Welsh rugby could be summarised as: a shortage of money, players leaving to go where they can earn more money and last year's coach absent. Does this sound familiar? It should do as this is where Pontypool were left by the WRU. At least Wales haven't been demoted  - yet.

Congratulations to Mako Vunipola for playing for England. Those years growing up in Pontypool must have done him good.

I almost feel as if I have been to this match before

This week Pontypool 'entertained' Llanharan at a sunny but cool Pontypool Park. I think most people thought that we had a fifty-fifty chance of winning and at least that it wouldn't be a trouncing.
As we have seen many times before this season, Pooler set off like a house on fire and quickly raced to an eight point lead before Llanharan realised that the game had started. Pooler created a couple more opportunities but failed to take them and then visitors stronger pack gained the ascendancy. They were stronger at scrum and in ruck and maul and the pressure told and the home side conceded too many turnovers. The inevitable happened and the Pooler lead was quickly overhauled by two Llanharan tries one of which was converted. Pontypool did manage to reply with a Gullis penalty goal to leave the score at 11-12 at half-time. This is quite a familiar situation for Pooler this season and we fervently hoped that we had learned from the narrow victory over Whitland.
Llanharan came out for the second half meaning business and turned pressure into points brushing aside some feeble Pooler tackling to score another two tries to extend their lead to 11-24. This was not meant to happen we wailed. The second half was also noteworthy for a massive brawl involving all thirty players that lead to a red card for each side plus a yellow card for Pooler. This left the game at thirteen men a side for a while as a Llanharan player was already in the sin-bin. The fracas reminded me of the "99" call that the Lions used in Soth Aftrica in 1974 and you had to feel sorry for the referee who was not supported by neutral touch judges. Anyway after this fisticuffs tempers cooled and we got back to the rugby. There was a further flashpoint following a tip tackle by the Llanharan fullback which resulted in a yellow card that many thought should have been red. It was pretty poor stuff but at least Pooler started to apply some pressure. They did not seem to be able to play with any fluency and when they scored a try they had virtually run into a dead-end but Norton somehow managed to break a couple of tackles and race to the line. The try was converted and with the score now 18-24, Pooler sniffed half a chance. Soon after they scored a try from deep within their own twenty two with Dyckhoff showing a fine turn of pace to finish off a super break. We wished that he had managed to cross nearer the posts to make the conversion easier particularly as regular kicker Gullis had been substituted. Mills narrowly missed the conversion to make the score 23-24 with only injury time remaining. Llanharan, however, looked after the ball well and Pooler never really had a scoring opportunity from then on.
Another narrow loss and another losing bonus point. I suppose the question is are Pooler improving? Certain aspects have certainly improved particularly the lineout and at times they do play some attractive rugby but they lack consistency and at times look frail in defence. It was ironic that a certain Mr Huish scored two tries for Llanharan, how we could do with someone like his namesake now.
There is definitely still a long way to go but with a bit of luck we could have won a few more games. Keep working at it Pooler!
Talking of a long way to go, what a disastrous weekend for our East Wales regions with both suffering major defeats at the hands of the Irish. This follows on from the previous weekend when all four Welsh regions lost in Europe. There looks to be a major gulf in class developing at regional level. I was racking my brains to think of one truly world class foreign player playing in Wales and could not think of one so we need to rely on developing our own talent. Starving the clubs of cash lower down the pyramid is not going to help.

A Bad Day at Blackwood

The Pontypool faithful travelled to near neighbours Blackwood with a degree of optimism following last week's victory. Blackwood had not had the best start to the season either so here was a chance to secure an away victory. Yet again we were blessed with a sunny afternoon and we settled back in eager anticipation to watch what we hoped would be a keenly fought local derby..
It took less than a minute for a swift mood change. Blackwood kicked off, Pooler got the ball back to the full back for a relieving kick as per the plan. The kick was charged down and Blackwood were in under the posts - not in the plan. Worse was to follow, Pontypool were awful and could hardly string to passes together. True they were not helped by a rather liberal interpretation of the offside law by the referee with respect to the Blackwood defence and a very harsh yellow card for Sam Mills, but this really was a first half from hell. Blackwood for their part played some decent stuff and if it were not for some profligate finishing should have been more that 13-0 ahead at the end of the half. Pooler did manage to finish the half with some decent pressure in the Blackwood twenty two but, in truth, never looked like scoring. Surely the second half half would be better.
The second half started badly for Pontypool with Blackwood pressing. They got their reward when from a scrum that had wheeled through 185 degrees, their scum half ran in for a try unopposed as Pooler waited for the whistle that never came. 20-0 down and a pithy comment from the Pooler water carrier led to his dismissal by the referee. This was turning into a nightmare!
Then things began to change. A couple of Blackwood injuries and the introduction of the experienced Calwyn Morgan at scrum half certainly contributed to a shift in momentum. More telling was the referee remembering the offside law and penalising Blackwood five or six times before finally administering a yellow card. Suddenly it was all Pooler and their confidence seemed to grow exponentially and forwards and backs began to combine effectively at last. Their efforts were soon rewarded with two unconverted tries and a penalty to bring the score to 20-13. There was a lot of injury time to be played and Blackwood were hanging on desperately as they were reduced to fourteen by another yellow card. A draw was still on the cards but try as Pooler might they could not quite complete the come back.
An away bonus point was the reward for Pontypool but you were left frustrated and wondering why it took them so long to show the urgency and sense of purpose that they showed towards the end. It would be too easy to blame the referee, critical self-examination is required.

A win at last

Nothing has gone right for Pontypool over the last six months and it came as a real tonic when we finally won our first game of the season after a string of defeats. The opposition was Whitland who have been struggling too and battled hard in a basement battle in the Championship at Pontypool Park.
The sun was shining brightly as then teams took the field. Pooler got off to a flier and scored two excellent tries in double quick time. Everything looked set fair for a good win but those of us who have watched Pontypool know it can never be that simple. A promising back move led to disaster when a loose pass was intercepted and resulted in a Whitland try under the posts. What should have been 17-0 turned into 10-7 and yet again Pontypool seemed to become deflated letting Whitland back into the game. Whitland pressed hard as their pack gained the ascendancy and Pooler were lucky to go in at half time at 13-10. With Whitland playing down the slope in the second half, things looked decidedly dodgy for the home side.
The second half started with Whitland on top through their more powerful pack and the lead changed hands. Whitland's scored a converted try and a dropped goal with Pooler only managing a Gullis penalty in response to be down 18-20 with time running out. The home crowd feared the worst but Pooler were not done and pressed hard. They got their reward with a fine individual try by wing Sandells that was converted from wide out to lead 25-20. We still knew that the game was far from over and Whitland pressed hard and, after an exchange of penalty goals, the game went into injury time at 28-23 and the nerves were jangling. Fortunately a good relieving kick from a penalty put us deep into Whitland territory and with the last move of the game Pontypool captain, Macey crashed over for his second try to seal victory for the home side. The conversion failed but Pooler rejoiced in a hard earned victory 33-23 and a bonus point for scoring four tries.
The Pontypool team and fans were elated but you had to feel a bit sorry for a dejected Whitland team as they trooped off the field - a feeling Pooler know only too well! Let us hope that this win lifts the Pooler team and brings some much needed confidence as we move into yet another tough local derby at Blackwood next week.
I watched quite a lot of Euopean rugby on the TV and overall it was disappointing from a Welsh perspective. The Ospreys did at least manage a bonus point win but Toulouse and Leicester are much tougher prospects than Treviso in the matches to come. The Blues should have won after taking a substantial lead but woeful tactical kicking let Sale pinch a win. Scarlets and Dragons were both well beaten away from home even though both managed to score some tries. Sam Warburton was off injured again and you have to worry about his durability in a very demanding position.
Anyway Pooler won - well done boys!

Spirit but no substance in the ghost league

I had been on holiday for the last couple of weeks and had missed the previous two Pooler matches - a predictable heavy defeat at Ebbw Vale and an unlucky last minute home defeat by Bridgend Athletic - so I was keen to see whether things had improved at all. I have to say it is difficult to find out anything about the Championship on the TV as it doesn't seem to exist according to all the teletext services. It seems to occupy some ghostly world between the premier League and the first divisions. Fortunately my season ticket informed me that we were away at our old rivals Newbridge (the Blue Pigs as they are affectionately known). Newbridge are one of the stronger sides in the league so would present a formidable challenge for a Pooler side still trying to find its way in the Ghost League.
It was a beautiful sunny afternoon afternoon as we took our places on the familiar old terrace and it was reassuring that nothing has really changed at the Welfare Ground even though significant construction has taken place around it. A good crowd had gathered and hoped for one for one of the classic encounters of yesteryear. The game was very even for the first fifteen minutes or so with both sides threatening to score. It was good to see that the Pooler scrum was solid with two chunky props keeping Newbridge at bay. The turning point in the match came when Pooler opted to run a kickable penalty. The subsequent move broke down and Newbridge seized on the loose ball and scored a try with some excellent combined play. Worse was to follow as Pooler's early assurance seemed to vanish and that together with a rather harsh yellow card led to a period where Newbridge seemed to score tries at will. Pooler did manage a try but the half-time whistle could not seem to come quickly enough and with the score at 35-5, the match was effectively over. We feared that a record defeat was in the offing.
Pooler, however, emerged with a new resolve after the break and dominated the early exchanges. After camping on the Newbridge line, they eventually scored an excellent try. Perhaps all was not lost and a bonus point was at least possible. Unfortunately the harder Pontypool tried, the more mistakes they made so they mad little impression from then on. Newbridge, for their part, could not find any continuity either and the second half degenerated into a whistle fest. Newbridge did manage to score a couple of tries when the Pontypool defence parted like the Red Sea did for Moses. This gave a final score of 45-10 and another afternoon to forget for the Pooler faithful.
Pooler again showed plenty of spirit and Luke Dyckhoff deserves special mention for his efforts as a ball carrier. The set piece seemed to have improved but the other teams seem to be quicker in thought and deed in seizing scoring opportunities. The first win of the season needs to come soon to boost the flagging confidence of the team. The recent defection of club captain Jamie Jeune to Newport will not have helped.
The one good thing about playing in a ghost league is that the taunting and teasing in the pub on a Saturday night is kept at reasonable levels as no one who didn't go to the match knows the score.

Second half blues

Pontypool played against Bargoed in their first Gwent derby match of the season. Pooler had lost their first two matches of the Championship season while Bargoed had won their two which made Bargoed strong favourites to win at Pontypool Park.
This was the classic "game of two halves" with Pontypool starting like a firecracker playing open attacking rugby that seemed to take Bargoed completely by surprise. Pooler quickly raced into a 17-5 lead scoring two excellent tries with centre Macey and new fullback Gullis prominant. As the first half wore on, the strong Bargoed pack began to take a grip and, although the pacey Pooler backs continued to threaten, Bargoed hit back with their second unconverted try just before half time to make the score 17-10.
In the second half Bargoed stepped up their game and Pooler were comprehensively blown away as the visitors scored six tries. The Bargoed pack was in complete control in set pieces and at ruck and maul and won possession at will. The Pooler scrum was in total disarray and were fortunate only to concede one penalty try. The home team only managed two penalty goals and "lost" the second half by a staggering 6-42 to give a final score of 23-52. This was a real thumping and with Ebbw Vale away next week it does not get any easier.
If it is any consolation, it is interesting to note that Pooler have been leading at half time in their two home matches and were leading until injury time in the first half in the match at Tata. In all three matches the opposition pack took control in the second half as the young Pooler pack tired and did not win enough possession for the promising backs to fire. How things have changed since Ray Prosser's days in charge!
I watched the Ospreys against Glasgow and the Dragons against the Blues on the TV and found both games quite depressing. I don't think the latter will have done a lot for the prospects of filling the Millennium Stadium for local derbies. At this rate there will need to be a lot Scarlets in the Welsh team for the Autumn internationals if they are to compete against the Souther Hemisphere countries.

Steel too strong for Pooler

If Pooler needed any further reminder about how tough this season is going to be, then this was it. They received a warm welcome at Tata Steel RFC in more ways than one on a sunny September afternoon. This was always going to be a tough assignment against last year's West Wales Division 1 high fliers for the new look Pontypool team.
As it turned out, it was a really one sided battle with Tata dominant from the start. Their tough cohesive pack won plenty of ball for their pacey backs and Pooler were on the back foot throughout. The amazing thing was that until the 40th minute of the first half were in the lead thanks to two penalties resulting from two of their rare sorties into the Tata half. The fact that Pooler kept the score down was due to a resolute scrambling defence coupled with wrong options and dropped passes from the Tata players when the try line was at their mercy. Tata eventually scored a converted try to lead 10-6 at half time.
The huge defensive effort and the baking sun inevitably took their toll on Pooler and they leaked tries throughout the second half as they tired and Tata  reduced their error count. Tata raced to their bonus point try and an unassailable lead. With the game effectively over, both teams made mass substitutions and the game became more even. To their credit Pooler never gave up and scored a brace of good tries in the last quarter but these were very much a consolation prize. The final score of 41-20 did not truly reflect the gulf between the two teams.
The positives for Pooler were the fantastic defensive effort in the first half and the fact that they never stopped trying their hardest. The reality is that sadly they are not good enough to compete with the stronger clubs at this level yet. I am sure that they will improve but there are those tough local derbies looming. Ebbw Vale, in particular, are enjoying an excellent start to the season.
It was not a great weekend for the Welsh Regions either with the exception of the Scarlets who continue to impress. It was good to see the two big young wings North and Cuthbert playing well however - let's hope they stay injury free.
I remain to be convinced by the WRU's regional double-header idea. I am not sure whether the total attendance will exceed the normal attendance for derby matches played on different days. I never really enjoyed the playing of the Cup semi-finals as a doubleheader. I am not sure how many fans actually want to watch two matches in succession one of which does not involve their team. If the idea is to attract people who don't normally watch rugby live then the ticket pricing policy needs to be carefully thought through. I assume one match will be live on BBC2 and the other on S4C to make sure the telly money comes in. I suppose you shouldn't criticise the WRU for copying something that seems to work in England.

Pontypool prove the most generous of hosts

The game of snakes and ladders with the WRU is over and the snakes have won. Unfortunately this has left Pooler without the vast majority of last season's players and coaching staff and a mountain of debt. To make matters worse the WRU have also taken the ladders away for the foreseeable future.
It was with a feeling of some trepidation that we went along to Pontypool Park for the first league game of the season against Beddau. Pooler will be playing in the Championship and it is sad to see that we will in the company of two other great Gwent clubs in Ebbw Vale and Newbridge. Add Glamorgan Wanderers and the former UWIC plus a number of other strong sides and it is clear that this will be a tough division for a group of young players who have not had time to bond as a team.
For all that, the initial pessimism began to clear as it was a beautiful sunny afternoon and there was a buzz of excitement around the ground. We had driven past the Hanbury which will now serve as the rugby club, there was a queue to buy season tickets and there was a whisper that we had a back-line with some potential. We took our usual place on the Bank and could see that a healthy crowd was building up. It was also apparent that Beddau had brought more supporters than Bedwas and Swansea combined had mustered in the past.. We glanced at the programme and did see a few familiar names but for the most part they were unknown quantities. A far cry from the days of the Pontypool teams containing umpteen Welsh internationals
So to the game. Pooler started quite well and it was immediately obvious that we had plenty of pace in the back three. Beddau would kick aimlessly down-field at their peril we thought.  This was borne out when fullback Norton showed excellent pace in a long run that eventually led to an excellent try for Sandals. This combined with a couple of penalties saw Pooler into a 13-3 lead. Both sides tried to run the ball for the remainder of the first half with Pooler looking the most likely to score. Handling errors, however, were all too frequent and these plus a late penalty for Beddau meant that Pooler's lead was restricted to 13-6 at half time.
At the start of the second half, the Pooler backs dropped a few balls and  Beddau immediately changed tactics and kicked the ball long at every opportunity and fed off Pooler's mistakes. This tactic worked well and Pontypool duly committed suicide gifting Beddau with three tries from interceptions following sloppy handling.  The second interception try was actually from a scrum close to the Beddau line and seemed to knock the stuffing out of Pooler. Heads began to drop and with the score at 13-30 it looked bleak for the home side. To their credit Pooler rallied and scored two fine converted tries in the last few minutes to close the gap to 27-30 and earn a losing bonus point.
On reflection this was a game that Pontypool should have won. There were glimpses of real potential amongst the backs and surely things will improve as the players get to know each other better and their match fitness improves. There is a lot of work to do, however, and this promises to be a long hard season with some tough local derbies in prospect.
I note that "M4 rugby" has also kicked off and the Dragons recorded a win against Zebre. I hope this Italian side last longer at the top than did  the Zebras of Treorchy in Wales but somehow I doubt it. In addition, Newport fielding a significant number of Pooler old boys pulled off a win against Aberavon. A clip on the TV showed the ground at Bedwas looking like a construction site in stark contrast to the picturesque Pontypool Park. Not that I am bitter, but every time I look across at the stand at Pontypool with it's costly combination of seating and standing I will silently curse the WRU.

Down but not out

So the judge finally ruled against Pontypool despite the best efforts of everyone involved with the club. It is clear to everyone including the judge that the WRU bent and ignored their own rules as it suited them but not enough for the court to do anything about it. Let us hope that this is not a portent of even more of a dictatorship going forward.
I suppose around this time last year we were resigned to life in the championship when the ten club premiership was announced. We felt bad when we heard that the premier clubs had voted ten to four that the nominated clubs should be relegated. Unfortunately we did not have the muscle of Carmarthen Quins (Scarlets) and Bridgend (Ospreys) and they managed to steal a march on us. Good luck to them, if we could have, we would have!
So on to life in the championship next season with a playing staff completely decimated and short of funds. I understand that there is no prospect of promotion for three or more years so we have time to build a team as long as we can stave off the threat of relegation. It will be good to lock horns with our traditional rivals at Ebbw Vale and Newbridge again - it does seem incredible that we are now all in the third tier of Welsh Rugby with Bedwas above us. What has become of Gwent rugby? The Dragons franchise has a lot to answer for.
Am I bitter about what has happened? Of course I am, but there was an air of inevitability in this David v Goliath battle when Goliath can make up the rules as he goes on.
Come on Pooler, let's show them that we are still a force to be reckoned with on the field.

It's up to the judge now

Well Pooler had their day (or three) in court but it came at a cost. As always the only people who will get rich are the lawyers and a lot of money will be drained out of Welsh Rugby no matter who wins.
The case seems simple to the man who stands on the bank - we were resigned to life in the new Championship when the WRU did their initial cull to ten clubs. Everyone knew that this was a cut of Tory proportions and as Ed Balls would say "a cut too deep too soon". The WRU tried to back out of their initial mistake when everyone was engrossed in the World Cup by sneaking two clubs back into the Premiership using some criteria that they just made up on the spot and that seemed to more about money than anything else. Pontypool asked why they were not one of these two clubs and could not be given a satisfactory answer so decided to contest the decision.
In an amazing U turn, the WRU seemed to be saying in court that the decision should only be based on playing performance on the field (in 2010-11) and that the ground and other facilities based criteria previously paramount did not seem to matter any more. If this was the case would it not have been far simpler to say in October that the bottom two from the 2011-12 season should be relegated than go through the complicated and convoluted process that they came up with. I guess they were afraid that the wrong clubs might have finished at the bottom. Pooler are rightly questioning what has gone on and have stuck to their guns despite the WRU trying to price them out of the court judgement.
Last season three of the bottom four places in the Premiership were filled by clubs from the Newport Gwent Dragons region which tells me that Gwent rugby needs all the support it can get as it is still a vital breeding ground for Welsh international players - disenfranchising virtually all of Gwent at Premier level including Pontypool, Ebbw Vale and Newbridge is not going to help. Yes their performance on the field is not as good as clubs from the other regions but that it is almost entirely due to a lack of funds. Look what has happened at Cross Keys with a bit of money.
What is the best the Pooler can hope for from this court case? Reinstatement I guess and a bloody nose for the WRU. Even then we face the start of a new season without a team and relegation will be difficult to stave off. The worst is unthinkable - an impoverished Pooler and with it Eastern Valley rugby sink into oblivion.

Memories....

A new exhibition of Pontypool RFC memorabilia has just been put on display in the Torfaen Museum and I went along for the opening. When you walk past the pictures of great players and great teams of the past it makes you feel truly nostalgic. It is only about twenty five years ago that the Pooler were the most feared side in Britain with a formidable record of league titles to their name. Playing in the Pontypool pack was virtually a ticket into the Welsh team and many went on from there to represent the British Lions. Everyone in Wales has heard of the Pontypool front row but what about a back row of Squire, Butler and Cobner and a second row of Perkins and Moseley. What went wrong you wonder? Why is a club with our proud history now being pushed by the WRU down the road to obscurity? 

I guess the answer lies in the word history. History does not mean very much at all to the current incumbents of the corridors of power and nor does it seem that the future matters much either. What really matters is the present and how much money can be extracted from sponsors and benefactors so that the players and coaches get rewards that match those available in other countries. This is leading to an upward spiral in the cost of the game that probably cannot be sustained in a world where soccer has primacy. Unfortunately few people and companies in Wales are passionate about rugby and have enough spare cash to allow Welsh regions let alone clubs to compete in this world.

In his speech at the opening of the Pooler exhibition, Eddie Butler agreed that it was a sad occasion but exhorted us to fight for the very existence of our club. I think we understand how to fight on the pitch as we have shown over the last few seasons but the battle these days, however, is not on the field but off it. This is a different ballgame with politics and marketing to the fore and one that we are not particularly well equipped to play.

It was interesting to read that Pontypool were Welsh champions in 1920-21 and over the summer of 1921 lost twelve players to the Northern Union. This seems to be a close parallel to what is happening with the successful Welsh team. Money was a magnet then and it is certainly a magnet now.

So the final of the Heineken Cup will be between two Irish clubs: Leinster and Ulster which is a blow for the wealthy English and French clubs who have splashed out big money on players from all over the world. The Irish provinces seem to have managed to generate amazing team spirit and passionate support that carries them through difficult games. These were the hallmarks of Welsh club rugby at its best but it does not seem possible to recreate it at regional level even though clearly evident at international level. I wish I knew what the answer was to this conundrum.

I have just reread this and it does seem a bit gloomy but that's what a bit of nostalgia does!

Well that's that then .....

I missed the last two games of the season as I was sunning myself on holiday in Malta. The most important thing was that Pooler got a bonus point win against arch rivals Newport (winning 27-17) and although they were outclassed by league leaders Llanelli (18-45) in the final game of the season finished level on points with the Black and Ambers. By all accounts the Newport game was scrappy and full of mistakes but we will take the win with glee. So at the end of the season we are officially in 12th position on the basis of tries scored as we won the same number of games as Newport.  The point we got from a draw is not used as a differentiator for some reason.
As I have written in previous posts, the fact that we are not one of the bottom two clubs doesn't really matter as we were doomed to relegation from the start of the season. It is sad to see that three of the four bottom clubs are from the Dragons; region and include such great clubs as Pontypool and Newport. Cross Keys have been the only club from the region that have done anything to be proud of in a dismal season for the region.

Out of curiosity I looked at the mission statement for the Welsh Premiership:
"Developing the game in Wales and creating a stable and progressive environment for players of the future"
It made me wonder how the WRU will have thought they have done at the end of the season.
Development - the clubs are starved of money to try and keep the failing regional structure afloat. The Scarlets region apart, I have not seen much evidence of the game moving on at club level. There still seem to be too many regional fringe players not playing enough rugby.
Stability - it seems that every season so far it has been unclear what is going to happen at the end of the season. The criteria for achieving the A licence essential for participation in the Premiership have changed and have clearly not been rigorously enforced. At the start of the season the premiership was to be cut to ten clubs for next season but this was changed on a whim to twelve. Stable is certainly not a word that I would not use to describe the Welsh rugby leagues or indeed Welsh rugby in general.
Progressive environment - I would hardly describe a shrinking league with falling attendances progressive.

So I guess I would not be paying out banker style bonuses to the bosses for this important aspect of their role. No doubt they will do very nicely out of Wales' brilliant grand slam.

While I was in Malta I took the opportunity to was Malta play Sweden at rugby. The atmosphere generated at a small ground with just a stand on one side of the ground was stunning. The place was absolutely buzzing with an enthusiastic crowd of around 2000 generating an incredible amount of noise. Yes the sun was shining which helps but you still wondered why we cannot get anywhere near this at club or even regional level in Wales. The standard of rugby was reasonable, I would estimate at the top end of the Welsh Premiership and I thoroughly enjoyed the match experience. For the record Malta defeated a previously Swedish side 22-14 which gives them an outside chance of promotion. The Maltese players were staying in the same hotel as us and were adamant that the crowd noise was a big factor in them pulling off a shock victory.

Well the season for Pooler is over and we move on to who knows what next season. Maybe the letter of reprieve is in the post but there again.....

Sweet and Sour

Saturday saw the Pontypool faithful make the trip to our deadly rivals at Bedwas. These are the "upstarts" who have taken our place in the Premiership, we moan. When all is said and done, their playing record over the last few years has been superior to ours. Although their ground facilities and support are clearly inferior they seem to have been able to live a charmed life when it comes to meeting the WRU's criteria for the standard of their ground. This coupled with pitiful home match attendances have really rankled with their rivals from the Dragon's region in Pontypool, Ebbw Vale and beyond. This season Bedwas have struggled and Pontypool find themselves just three points behind them in the table with a game in hand. Having beaten Bedwas at the Park, here was a chance for Pooler to finish above them in the league and gain some bragging rights if nothing else.
The mood for the afternoon was set when we glanced at the programme notes before the match. The Bedwas Chairman was scathing about Pooler's attempts to protect their Premier League status intimating that we should take our summary execution like men. I wonder what Bedwas would have done in the same circumstances. There was also some amazing criticism of the referee for their last match which really should get some censure from the WRU. We rather hoped the "referee's union" would have seen it.
We filed into the ground through the usual gap in the hedge and were immediately greeted by the much trumpeted and very late ground improvements. A very temporary looking stand had been erected on the far side of the ground which was reminiscent of a rather large gazebo. In addition a new porch was in the process of being erected in front of the club. All very impressive but this was meant to be in place a year ago. We took our place in the original shed and it was immediately obvious that virtually everyone present was from Pontypool. The normal greeting to the opposition team and supporters over the tannoy was conspicuous by its absence. Bedwas were clearly feeling smug about their guaranteed premiership status.
So to the match. Pontypool certainly wanted to win this one and were well on top in the first half. In truth they should have put the game away before the end of the half but missed a few kicks at goal and bombed a few clear try scoring opportunities. Nevertheless a fine individual try by Robinson gave Pooler a narrow 0-5 lead. The first half was marred by a nasty injury to Williams, the Bedwas lock, with the players actually leaving the field while he was being attended to towards the end of the half. It was almost like having two half time breaks.
Bedwas started the second second half with a spell of pressure after Pooler failed to field the kick off but failed to make any impression on the scoreboard. Pooler seemed to gain confidence from this and hit back strongly with two tries and a penalty. The first try was scored by Robinson following a kick and chase and was followed by, "That try might have been scored by Dan Robinson," over the tannoy. The second was scored by Williams on the wing after a well judged kick by outside half Hancock. Pooler were flying and looking for a winning bonus point. Unfortunately the usual round of substitutions disrupted their rhythm and gave Bedwas the opportunity to gain some momentum. Bedwas scored a couple of tries and the gap closed to ten points and Pooler started to look nervous and Bedwas smelled blood. A penalty that widened the gap to 12-25 helped to settle the nerves but Bedwas continued to finish strongly and a losing bonus point was certainly in their grasp. This aspiration took a nosedive when an unnecessary punch in plain view of the officials led to a red card for Ryan. Even the very harsh last minute red card for Robinson for an alleged tip tackle could not prevent Pooler from recording their first victory at Bedwas in a long time and yes, elevating them above Bedwas in the league table. Even the sarcastic, "Good luck to Pontypool in the Chamionship next season,'  over the tannoy did not spoil a well earned victory.
But what of the fight to save our Premiership status? The members all received a letter informing us that we intend to fight this injustice in court. We were asked to buy our season tickets early to help fund the legal costs. I cannot help feeling that this is too late in the day and we do not have the fire power to take on the might of the WRU. I also worrying about spending money that we can ill afford to lose but there again we need to stand up for ourselves. It still remains ridiculous that the WRU are starting their reforms in the middle of the league pyramid rather than at regional level where the problems really are. Yet again we read of financial meltdown in the regions and a poor Heineken cup showing. It remains a mystery how the Welsh team have managed to play so well. We also hear that a "Valleys" region based on Pontypridd has been proposed. This would be a great embarrassment to the WRU as they would probably get much better attendances than the coastal regional clubs.
Pooler must just soldier on. A win against Newport would be most welcome and there is still a possibility of finishing above them and also Swansea if we can follow this up with a win over Llanelli. We have had a number of "great escapes" on the field over the last few years that have kept us in the Premiership but alas I fear we are going to lose this battle off the field - this cannot be right.

So near and yet so far ....

The visit of the Wizards from Aberavon is always eagerly anticipated as it gives Pooler a chance to wear their alternative strip. This year it is a rather fetching pink which I have to say did not really have enough contrast with the red and black of Aberavon on a bright sunny afternoon at the Park. Pontypool Park on a nice spring day is pleasant place to be and a decent crowd basked in the sunshine.
This really was one that got away! Pooler started brightly with an early try but then Aberavon, playing down the slope, took over with some slick and powerful rugby and had soon established a lead. Pooler looked all at sea with a new half-back pairing of Evans and Tovey, on loan from the Dragons, not really gelling with the rest of the team and we feared the worst. As the half progressed, Pooler gradually settled down and the hot conditions seemed to take the sting out of the heavyweight Wizards' forwards. The teams went in at halftime with Pooler losing by 8 points - it could have been a lot worse we thought.
The second half was all Pooler and it seemed inevitable that they would overhaul Aberavon. Pooler spurned some excellent opportunities both from good field position and from the kicking tee. Aberavon were reduced to 14 men after a yellow card but still managed to outscore Pooler by two penalties to one during the sin-bin period. It looked all up for Pooler but they never gave up trying and a fine try and a penalty closed the gap to just 3 points for the last few minutes. Pooler camped deep in the Aberavon half and even spurned an eminently kickable penalty in their pursuit of victory. Blakey, the prop, was held up over the line and despite a period of intense pressure from the resulting 5 metre scrum Aberavon managed to hold out.
It was hard luck on Pooler who could of and should have won but this is why Aberavon are at the top of the table and we are near the bottom. We had ample chances to win the game comfortably but didn't capitalise on them particularly as a result of some wayward goal kicking.
The regional rugby over the weekend resulted in good victories for the Dragons and Ospreys away in Scotland and Ireland respectively. The Ospreys win at Leinster was particularly impressive where a dominant scrum stole a rare victory. The Blues v Scarlets game was exciting but littered with mistakes. The Scarlets backs showed their class and that combined with some awful defending meant that the West Walians took the spoils. The game was played at the Cardiff City Stadium in front of a small crowd which was really disappointing when so many of Wales' Grand Slam players were on view.
At Pooler we are still on "death row" waiting to hear when we are to be executed. Rumours still abound that a last minute reprieve from the President may yet arrive. That sad old padre is waiting outside, however, and it looks odds on that we will be touching the green, green grass of Newbridge next season.  

Grand Slam is a Brilliant Achievment

Congratulations to Wales for a magnificent Six nations campaign. I was lucky enough to go to all the games and this was, in fact, my first live Grand Slam and I have lived through the tension. Make no mistake this Grand Slam was built on teamwork and an indomitable will to win. First and foremost we had an almost watertight defence with everyone contributing but with Lydiate outstanding. In each game there were flashes of individual brilliance in attack that put the points on the board - George North's off-load in Ireland, Scott William's try in Twickenham, Alex Cuthbert against France, Jamie Roberts against Italy and Leigh Halfpenny against Scotland. Yes we missed the buzz that we got whenever Shane got the ball but someone always stood up to deliver the goods. My abiding memories will be the brilliant tackles of Warburton and Halfpenny/North at Twickenham and that last minute penalty in Dublin that set us on the road. Having watched England dismantle the Irish scrum on Saturday we must also spare a thought for the Welsh front row that never took a backward step. I am particularly glad that the two unsung heroes Ian Evans and Dan Lydiate have been singled out for praise.
Whist the Welsh team flourishes, there are still major concerns about what is happening in the tiers below. I watched the Dragons v Blues game on Thursday night on the TV and the standard was truly awful. How can full time professionals play with such mediocrity. The ball handling was simply dreadful. The scrums were a disaster area with the referee unable to persuade the front rows that watching them collapse and get penalised does nothing to add to the entertainment. It seems that the rules of engagement at scrums are making the whole thing farcical. We used to laugh at the scrums in rugby league but at least they achieved the objective of getting the game going again quickly. Half the problem seems to be that the loose head props never seem to get their left foot forward to give them some kind of stability - this is a result of the so called "hit". I don't know what the answer is but can't we go back to the laws we had when the Potypool Front Row were plying their trade?
On Friday night I went to St Helens to watch Swansea play Pontypool. St Helens was a sad place and not just because one of Welsh Rugby's legends Mervyn Davies had died the previous day. Mervyn played for Swansea with distinction and I was there on the fateful day when he collapsed when playing against the Pooler in the Cup semi-final. The playing surface at St Helens is probably the best in Wales but the rest of the ground is in poor condition with crumbling terraces and bits of scaffolding and old fences scattered around. Pooler had to change in a portacabin. To think they used to play international matches there! As a Pooler fan I paid close attention to the covered standing and it was a joke - there was no terracing, no barriers and was filled with the goundsman's bits and pieces. What price the Premier League's ground criteria here? The crowd was pitifully small - I estimate 200 people max with a goodly proportion of Pooler fans who had braved the Friday evening traffic. I know Pooler are hardly box office but still you might have expected a bit more interest even if it was only to say goodbye to Merv the Swerve.
The game was entirely one-sided with Swansea on top in all aspects of the game. Their powerful forwards and fleet-footed backs soon put paid to an out of sorts Pooler who were disjointed in the three quarters when they got the ball. Pooler eventually lost 43-11 and I was glad to leave after a thoroughly miserable evening.
As expected the Wales under 20's were turned over by France to end a disappointing season. The trouncing that they had from England tells us that we do need to worry about the future no matter how young the current side are. Haven't we said that before?
Still three Grand Slams in eight years cannot be bad but let's not forget to nurture the roots of Welsh Rugby.

A Mixed Weekend

Pooler welcomed the league leaders to the park and Neath set about us like rabid dogs from the kick off. Their defeat by lowly Newport the previous week had clearly led to recriminations and to say they were motivated is an understatement. They were far too strong and athletic for a shell-shocked Pooler and we feared that a drubbing was on its way. To their credit Pooler defended stoutly and, despite the early loss of powerful centre Robinson to injury, dug in and managed to restrict Neath to just 8 points in the first half even though the Welsh All Blacks were playing with a keen wind at their backs. In the second half the wind speed mysteriously dropped a few knots and the Pooler were unable to make much impression even though Neath's tempo slowed. There was some hope of a bonus point loss after Pooler scored a try and kicked a couple of penalties but Neath pulled away and eventually won 23-11. Pontypool could not be faulted for their defensive effort as in previous years this would have been a much greater loss but it was still a defeat.Worse still, the news filtered down that Newport had beaten Pontypridd so we are back to last but one in the league. We still have to play Newport at home and Bedwas away so there is an opportunity to avoid being the bottom club in the Dragon's region.
The following day I visited the Millennium Stadium for the Wales v Italy game. It was disappointing to see so many empty seats even though Wales are on a roll. My ticket was £72 and with the game being on the telly you have to wonder if it is value for money when you add in all the "extras". The game itself was rather flat and in many ways reminded me of the Pontypool v Neath game the previous night in its inevitability. Italy were never going to win but defended strongly and restricted Wales to two tries. Both games were lessons that you can stop the superior side from scoring if you can slow down matters at the breakdown. This season it seems that the refs are more likely to penalise the attacking side at the breakdown which leads to frustration in the stands. It can be such a frustrating game to watch when you add in the time it takes for scrums to be reset and the frozen animation of the scrum half at the base of rucks. Still most people would have been happy with a twenty one point margin before the kick off and Wales move on to the Grand Slam game. We do need Warburton back to boss the breakdown if we are to beat France.
Ireland looked quite useful that evening against the disappointing Scots but that is the limit of my analysis as the "extras" caught up with me.
I agonised about what was the best result for Wales before the France v England game. After some thought I came up with a one point win for England which would mean France could not win the championship and England would need two surprising results to snatch the championship on points difference. The problem with that was that it would mean supporting England which is virtually illegal in Wales. In the end I couldn't resolve the issue and watched dispassionately. Strangely France also seemed dispassionate and diffident which meant that England were able to race into an early lead. The commentators enthused and it seemed as if it were England under 15s playing and winning against all the odds rather than a team of seasoned, highly paid professionals. France did manage to stir their stumps towards the end and actually could have won with a late drop goal but messed it up as they had done against Ireland the previous week. England were jubilant but the French did not seem that bothered. I wonder whether they are more interested in keeping their places in their club teams with the massive influx of top quality imports heading their way. I consoled myself in the knowledge that this was almost my ideal result even though they were wearing white jerseys.

Good victory against Cardiff but......

It started off as a pleasant sunny afternoon but the clouds soon gathered and an icy wind started to blow. The rather hostile climatic conditions coupled with an enterprising and hard-working performance from Pontypool soon put paid to Cardiff. It was one of Pooler's better performances of the season and a decent sized crowd were overjoyed apart from the few pockets of Cardiff fans who had made the trip. We got a bonus point for scoring four nice tries and we had edged above local rivals Newport in the league so we were happy.
Then you get to thinking - we finish above Newport, so what? We are doomed to life in the lower leagues and cannot really do anything about it on the field. The WRU have decided that our face does not fit at the Premier League table for reasons that are not clear to us and we had best just grin and bear it. It seems incredible to the die-hard supporters that we can be treated so shoddily and it is to the team's great credit that they still feel motivated enough to give their all each week.
There are murmurs on the Bank that it is not all over yet and we will fight for our rights. The eyes of the Wales, however, are focused on Triple Crowns and Grand Slams and do not spare a thought for our plight .
Anyway the next visitors to the park will be the league leaders Neath a nice appetiser for the Wales v Italy the following day.

Falling Attendances

So the WRU are worried about falling attendances at Rugby matches. It should come as no surprise to them because no thought has been given to the person who braves the elements and actually wants to watch a game in the flesh.

At the international level, admission prices have soared and the average rugby fan does not think it is a bargain to have to travel on overcrowded trains or pay exorbitant car parking fees to mix with the drunken hordes that gather in Cardiff. As a debenture holder, I still attend every home match but, rugby apart, the enjoyment is waning. It is evident to me that the people who actually watch rugby at club level and have attempted to understand the ever more complicated laws of the game are in the minority. This is evidenced by the shouting and bawling of absurd comments often using foul language. On top of this a large proportion of the match is taken up either letting people pass with trays of drink or inevitably making a trip to empty overflowing bladders. The WRU would argue that they still manage to fill the ground for most matches so why worry.

            At the regional level, attendances are generally low and the majority of games take place in cavernous stadia with little atmosphere. It is a wonder that the TV companies do not feel the need to dub on canned crowd noise. We have ended up with four regional franchises that are divided into two pairs with stadia that are only separated by about ten miles. The games are played on an ever-changing mixture of days and kick off times to suit the TV and of course virtually all are televised live. Most fans I talk to would prefer to plan their lives around attending a rugby match on a Saturday afternoon. The concentrated nature of the locations of the regional teams and their reluctance to travel to play in other parts of their region means that the regional teams are restricting their fan-base. With games televised, high admission prices, rising fuel costs and limited parking it is no wonder that fans are quite content to watch at home or in the local pub. If this was not bad enough, two of the regions are based in soccer dominated cities where they will always come a poor second in terms of attendances. One of the joys of attending rugby matches was the chance to mingle with opposition fans but away attendance has also dwindled with the RaboDirect Pro League.

            There is still Premiership rugby in the regions you will say. Unfortunately this too is gravitating towards the South leaving large swathes of our rugby hinterland unrepresented even at this level. The recent WRU plan to reduce the Premiership to ten clubs from fourteen with four of these teams based in the same place as the regional team and two actually playing on the same ground (with another likely to move in the same direction) actively encouraged this. It was pleasing to see that they back-tracked on this ill-conceived plan and allowed Carmarthen Quins and Bridgend (incidentally two of the more southerly based clubs) to remain in the league. This still leaves, for example, the whole of Gwent east of Newport unrepresented including the Eastern and Western Valleys that have long been a breeding ground for Welsh rugby talent. Think of Pontypool, Ebbw Vale, Newbridge and Abertillery and you think of tough forwards like Graham Price, Clive Burgess, Clive Davies and Alun Pask. There was a plan to include North Wales too but this seems to have been ditched somewhere along the way. It is barmy to go forward on this basis. It is even more barmy when you consider that the WRU are still dithering about what to do with the game at regional level

            If these sides are good enough they will rise to the top in our league structure you might argue. The plan is to ring fence the Premiership for the foreseeable future so no hope of that happening. The WRU in its wisdom decided to reduce the number of clubs to improve the standard by concentrating the better players. Take this to its logical conclusion and we could end up with just a league of regional second teams. The basis on which the original ten (and now twelve) was chosen was a complicated mixture of the quality of facilities, playing record and a host of other factors. The standard of facilities required was overblown and the position that a side achieves in the Premiership would seem to be determined by how deep their sponsors’ pockets are and how many regional players are released to play for them. It does not seem that the heart and soul of the cub, the number of members and supporters, has been taken into account as some of the clubs that have been selected could never be described as well supported. The upshot of the reduction to twelve clubs will probably be even less people watching rugby and a decline in interest and participation in previously highly productive parts of Wales. The Premiership has been badly organised from the outset with no one quite sure what was going to happen at the end of the season even halfway though it. The current situation with half of the league playing Anglo-Irish cup matches and the other half playing league matches is a good example of poor planning. What is the bottom half of the league going to do while the top half are catching up on league matches? Then we have the play-offs at the end of the season again for the top clubs. The lower half of the league is just not playing enough rugby and this is unsatisfactory for both the players and the spectators. I believe that too many promising young players are spending their time in the gym, on the practice ground and sat on the bench rather than getting match-hardened - maybe this would even reduce the number of injuries.

            Would it not be a better approach to give more young players the opportunity to play at this level and rub shoulders with professionals and expand the league to sixteen and ditch the unpopular Anglo-Irish Cup - incidentally the size of the Western Mail Championship in the glory days of Welsh rugby? We should think carefully about spreading these clubs geographically about the regions to try and correct the current unbalanced situation even if it needs a re-evaluation of the way the WRU’s money is distributed. You will say we cannot turn back time and things have moved on. They may have moved on but is it at the cost of damaging the roots of Welsh Rugby and perpetuating a downward spiral? We should be taking advantage of the positivity from the recent performances of the national team in New Zealand and in the 6 Nations Championship and trying to grow the game not shrink it.