WRU TO PUMP AN EXTRA £1.7M INTO REGIONS AND CLUBS

That will take the Union’s direct investment to their membership to £6m for next season. The break down of the additional funding is as follows:

– an extra £1.2m to the Regional teams
– an extra £200,000 to the Principality Premiership
– an extra £300,00 to the ASDA League clubs

The additional funding will mean direct investment from WRU coffers of £3m to the professional sides in the Regions, £1m to the semi-pro Principality Premiership teams and £2m to the Community Rugby clubs in the ASDA Leagues from Divisions 1-5.

“This is not only the time of year that the WRU Group closes its annual accounts, but it is also the time when the WRU Board of Directors sets the budgets for the game for the next 12 months,” explained WRU Chief Executive Steve Lewis.

“The Union’s Executive has already formulated the figures for 2006/2007 and has had its plans to provide almost £2m extra funding for the game in Wales unanimously supported by the Finance Committee.

“Tonight’s meeting of the full Board will ratify all the spending for the new financial year across the Group – an extra £1.2m next season for the four Regional sides, £200,000 extra for the Premiership teams and £300,000 more for the Community Game.

“This is in stark contrast to the performance and results of other national governing bodies.

“Having got our debt under control we are poised to announce record profits across the Group. It is therefore only right that a large proportion of that money should be ploughed back into the game we service.

“It is no secret that the Celtic League is hoping to announce a major sponsor for next season. By that time we will have agreed a new four year accord with our Scottish and Irish counterparts that will provide the backbone of the competitive season for our regions.

“And when that is confirmed it will mean that for the first time Welsh rugby will have a sponsor at every level of competition – from RBS, Brains, Reebok and Invesco Perpetual at the international end of the game to Principality for the semi-pro game, Konica Minolta for the Challenge Cup, ASDA for our Community leagues and the RAF and Coca Cola at junior club, district and schools level.

“While that brings in much needed money, which we will be distributing at record levels in the next financial year, it also paints an equally important picture of a business that is growing in confidence and stature in a highly competitive marketplace. Big businesses are investing large sums in Welsh rugby because they like what they see.

“They have watched our game re-structure itself from top to bottom and emerge leaner, meaner and more in tune with the requirements of clubs, players and spectators. We have built a solid platform from which we can now move forward to gain greater success.”

Welsh rugby is also seeing growth on the playing front with an increase of 4,000 players across the board this season.