Clubs Overwhelmingly Back Moffett

The Welsh Rugby Union member clubs and affiliated bodies voted overwhelmingly in favour of the General Committee’s proposal for a move to regional teams at the EGM in Port Talbot. It means the battle lines have been well and truly drawn in the move to bring about a much needed overhaul of Welsh rugby. More than 95% of the rank and file members of the Union opted to stand shoulder to shoulder with the WRU Group Chief Executive David Moffett in his bid to reduce the professional tier in Wales from nine clubs to four.
The 239 clubs stood firmly behind Moffett’s plans to cut back the top end of the game from next season by introducing new, regional entities based on partnerships between existing Premiership clubs. The Union is looking for ways to cut its £66m debt and improve its drastically reducing playing standards.
There were only seven dissenting voices among the more than 450 voters at the special meeting. Leading the anti-faction were Llanelli and Cardiff, both of who have threatened to back up their feelings with legal action that could yet threaten Moffett’s plans.
They both want to see five regional sides set-up to better reflect the player and population base in Wales. Moffett and the governing body claim there are only enough quality players, and sufficient funding, for four.
“I will seek to have a meeting with both Llanelli and Cardiff on Monday morning. The decision taken today, overwhelming as it was, is the easy part,” said Moffett.
“We now have to deal with the quite substantial number of risks. If there is good will on everyone’s behalf we can do that. I don’t think people can ignore the depth of feeling the clubs have demonstrated for change.”
During his empassioned plea to the clubs to back his plans Moffett bombarded the delegates with figures to show the extent of Welsh rugby’s demise.
He stated:
* Welsh rugby is in debt to the tune of £66m
* Since the game went open in 1995 the Union has given £46m to Premier Division clubs and another £30m to lower division clubs
* The Premier Division club benefactors have also spent more than £20m in that time
Moffett pointed out that for the £100m spent in the past eight years the game in Wales had seen very little return.
“We have the most fantastic sports fans in the world in Wales and they deserve better than they have received. We have to start to repay them,” said Moffett.
Llanelli chief executive Stuart Gallacher was adamant after the meeting that his club would continue to fight for a minimum of five regions and claimed his club wouldn;t be “railroaded” into merging with Swansea.
“If they want to go to four teams then it will be resisted by Llanelli and Cardiff. They know our position,” said a defiant Gallacher.
“What David Moffett has got to do is find the number of clubs that is agreeable to all of us.”