*Breaking: update from Welsh rugby’s Professional Rugby Board (PRB) – click here:
Warren Gatland (left) after being unveiled as Wales senior men’s head coach at Principality Stadium, Cardiff pictured with Steve Phillips (centre) and Ieuan Evans.
CHAIR COMMENT:
“When I was honoured with the position of chair of the WRU a few short weeks ago, I thought long and hard about how I would first write to member clubs. How I would outline a vision for the future, appeal for togetherness, align behind common goals, motivate, inspire, reassure and advise. But I realise member clubs don’t just need to hear from me in this way.
“What member clubs need from me is an open line of communication. A listening ear and a commitment to both work hard on the aims and ambitions of all of Welsh rugby and to communicate progress. To detail the plans ahead, to check in against those plans and to keep clubs and all others with a vested interested in our national game, be they players, coaches, administrators, referees, partners, sponsors, broadcasters, season ticket holders or general supporters informed at all times.
“I will chair Board meetings, I will scrutinise, question and oversee our executive staff and I will, alongside my fellow Board members, approve strategy for the business, but the most important thing I will do is ensure that you – our member clubs – are with us at every turn in the journey as we seek to evolve and improve Welsh rugby.
Speaking of scrutiny. Credit where credit is due.
“It has been a classic case of ‘easy to say… not so easy to do’ over the last few weeks. Once there was a risk that we were parting company with Wayne Pivac after a thorough Autumn Nations Series review process was completed, the next step was obvious for everyone in Wales it seemed.
“Ship in Warren Gatland. Wales’ longest serving and most successful coach. He’s been seen in Cardiff taking in the matches. He’s still at the top of his game. His services are rumoured to be much in demand. He’s contracted to the Chiefs in New Zealand, but surely that’s no insurmountable obstacle.
Welsh Rugby Union Chairman Ieuan Evans at Principality Stadium, Cardiff
“Insurmountable it wasn’t and the hard work and diligence of our executive team at the Welsh Rugby Union, led by our CEO Steve Phillips and head of performance Nigel Walker sealed the deal with little, or no, time to spare.
This was no mean feat.
“Indeed, it has been hailed as something of a coup for Welsh rugby and we all believe Warren’s is an appointment which will continue to pay dividends in the years ahead. Success at international level has a cascade effect through the whole game, from improving participation and promoting a feelgood factor at community level to a direct influence on the culture, winning mentality and ability of our professional sides.
“We have high expectations of Warren, just as he has of himself. My favourite line from him this week has been when he was asked if he thought his legacy to Welsh rugby – three Grand Slams, a Championship and two RWC semi-finals over a 12-year period – might be on the line as he returns. His answer: ‘yes of course, that’s part of the appeal’.
“There will be many tough challenges ahead of us, but we will negotiate them all together. We will succeed together.
“Yours in rugby,
Ieuan Evans
WRU chair”
Energy Scheme:
Thank you to all the clubs who have completed an Expression of Interest for the new Energy Scheme. We will be in touch in the New Year with regards to next steps. Any questions please email the Club Development team – clubdevelopment@wru.wales
Judgement Day is back
Judgement Day is returning to Principality Stadium on Saturday, 22 April 2023, when the cream of Welsh rugby talent will be battling it out for local bragging rights in the BKT United Rugby Championship. The Ospreys will face Cardiff Rugby and the Scarlets will meet the Dragons.
U16s Concessions tickets will be available from £10, and for the first time, an over 65s Concession is being introduced with tickets starting at £15. Adult tickets start from £25, which means a family of four can enjoy a day of back-to-back, high octane, regional rugby for £70.
Tickets are on public sale from today 14th December 2022, just in time for Christmas.
More: https://www.principalitystadium.wales/2022/11/14/judgement-day-returns-2023/
Tickets: https://www.eticketing.co.uk/principalitystadium/
Club rugby news
MANDERS NEW CGB CHAIR
John Manders has been elected to the position of Community Game Board chair.
The new appointment means Manders also joins the WRU Board.
More: https://community.wru.wales/2022/11/12/manders-appointed-new-cgb-chair/
BUCHANAN NEW WRU VICE-CHAIR –
Anthony Buchanan has been elected to the position of WRU vice-chair.
He takes up the position, vacated by Ieuan Evans, with immediate effect. Buchanan and Colin Wilks were re-appointed to the Board at elections held following terms ending at the AGM.
EVANS NEW WRU CHAIR
Ieuan Evans has been appointed chair of the Welsh Rugby Union.
The decorated former Wales and British & Irish Lions wing, who also chairs the Lions Board, takes over from Rob Butcher who served two-years at the helm but stood down after the WRU’s recent 2022 Annual General Meeting.
Evans follows inaugural chair Vernon Pugh QC, Glanmor Griffiths, David Pickering, Gareth Davies and Butcher to become the WRU’s sixth chair since 1993.
The WRU’s new figurehead was elected as a national council member of the WRU in 2020…
More: https://www.wru.wales/2022/11/ieuan-evans-is-new-wru-chair/
NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR DIOLCH AWARD
We are launching a ‘Diolch’ Community Volunteer recognition award to thank those at the heart of community rugby who selflessly give up their time to support participation, people and places in Welsh rugby.
The Club Development team is keen to have as many nominations as possible. This is an ongoing campaign and will run throughout the season. Nominations are now open. Please email clubdevelopment@wru.wales or speak to one of our Club Development Officers who will take the nomination forward
More: https://community.wru.wales/2022/12/09/say-diolch-to-your-community-volunteers/
FLYING THE FLAG FOR CLUBS
Ryan Jones from Ebbw Vale leads the teams out at Principality Stadium
Ryan Jones of Ebbw Vale Youth and Sarah Bennett of St Albans Mini and Juniors led out Wales and Australia respectively on Saturday afternoon, bringing to a close an autumn of recognition for some of the army of volunteers who work so tirelessly within the community game in Wales.
The previous Saturday, Paul Davies of Llanelli Wanderers and Leon Welsby of Pyle led Wales and Georgia out respectively.
Paul Davies of Llanelli Wanderers leads Wales out
Tyrone Davies of Fleur De Lys and Liam McKay carried the flags for Wales and New Zealand to kick off the series while Tony Parry of Bala and Carl Thompson of Birchgrove were chosen for Argentina – all worthy recipients of the honour.
More: https://community.wru.wales/2022/11/28/community-rugby-volunteers-fly-the-flag-throughout-autumn-campaign/
PRITCHARD REMEMBERED
The life of one of the Welsh heroes who helped beat the All Blacks in 1905, Newport forward Charlie Pritchard, was remembered in a special event at Sy Woolos Cathedral, in Newport, in November.
As well as being one of the greatest players produced by the Newport club – he made 219 appearances in 11 years – he won 14 caps for Wales. He played in games in the Triple Crown season of 1905 and the inaugural Grand Slam campaign of 1908.
Charles Pritchard’s achievements in life, on the rugby pitch and the fields of war before laying down his life for his country is a story that everyone should hear and be proud of.
More: https://community.wru.wales/2022/11/11/charlie-pritchard-remembered-at-st-woolos/
5. Other rugby news
GATLAND CAN’T WAIT TO START… AGAIN
Warren Gatland is back and he can’t wait to get started once again as the Wales senior men’s head coach.
That was the message the three-time Grand Slam winning coach hammered out in his first press conference since agreeing to step in to guide Wales through to the World Cup in France next year following the departure of Wayne Pivac.
Twice as nice – Warren Gatland is back at the helm for Wales for a second time.
Here is what he had to say on a range of issues, starting with a tribute to his predecessor.
Read: https://www.wru.wales/2022/12/gatland-cant-wait-to-get-started-again/
or listen for yourself here: https://www.wru.wales/audio/welsh-rugby-union-podcast-48-2022/
HAWKINS REFLECTS ON DEBUT
Young Ospreys centre Joe Hawkins looks back on his first cap for Wales after debuting against Australia at Principality Stadium in the Autumn Nations Series.
Video: https://www.wru.wales/video/hawkins-reflects-on-debut-cap/
WALES WOMEN CAPTAIN RETIRES
Siwan Lillicrap has announced her retirement from international rugby.
The 51-times-capped back five player has been Wales Women squad captain since November 2019 and played a huge role in the transition of the programme to professionalism last year.
More: https://www.wru.wales/2022/11/lillicrap-retires-from-international-rugby/
OBITUARY: JOHN RYAN
John Ryan, the first non-international player to become Wales’ National Coach, passed away in November at the age of 83.
He took charge of the Welsh team for nine matches between 1988-1990 after the departure of Tony Gray. He resigned after his side suffered a record defeat, 34-6, at Twickenham in 199o, and was replaced by Ron Waldron.
More here: https://community.wru.wales/2022/11/18/obituary-former-national-coach-john-ryan-dies/
OBITUARY: BOBBY WANBON
Former dual-code international forward Bobby Wanbon died in November, a few days before his 79th birthday.
A high-quality No 8 at Aberavon, he played for the Wizards between 1964-68 before heading to rugby league to join St Helens. He had the distinction of making his Wales debut against England in both rugby union and rugby league in the same year.
More: https://www.wru.wales/2022/11/obituary-dual-code-cap-bobby-wanbon/
CEO Comment:
WRU Chief Executive Steve Phillips.
“Where to start?
“A warm welcome to Ieuan Evans, hail the return of Warren Gatland to the Wales helm or celebrate the new six-year verbal agreement the PRB has reached to secure the future of the professional game in Wales.
“It’s a hugely welcome dilemma that’s for sure.
“I’ll start with the PRB. This agreement, when it is signed, is designed to ensure sustained success for the professional game in Wales. Success that, as Ieuan refers to above, will produce a cascade effect for the whole of Welsh rugby. We will not just ensure financial solvency but we will create a stable foundation from which to build – and build we must. The hard work most definitely starts. The PRB has done its job and I would like to personally thank our independent chair, Malcolm Wall, for the time, patience, acumen and passion he has brought to the table and in bringing the WRU and the four professional sides to this point
“I know it is still frustrating that there will be a delay in moving from the verbal agreement to the final agreement, as legal papers are drawn up, but, provided everyone abides to the verbal agreement, we are taking steps to ensure the efficiency of this process. We have met with the Welsh Rugby Players Association (WRPA) and we now have a mechanism for bringing new players contract negotiations forward in the process. In the New Year our professional game will be ready to begin charting the course for its future and it remains in safe hands.
“Which brings me to the revered, experienced and safe hands of Warren Gatland, which will now mould the activities of our senior men’s international side during the 2023 Guinness Six Nations, through the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France and beyond.
“A planned meeting between two former colleagues and old friends in the bar of the Parkgate Hotel in Westgate Street set in course a train of events which brought Warren back to Wales. I have known Warren since the start of his first tenure in 2007 and we have always found the time to put business aside and talk about rugby together. We did this again this autumn, but once our ANS review had been completed, and we knew the WRU had a vacancy to fill, I was able to look him up in ‘recent calls dialled’ and the rest is history. I am delighted we were able to re-secure him.
“Wayne Pivac left the Wales job with the respect of everyone at the WRU, from our Board to players and coaches and the staff around him, and we wish him well in his future challenges. A thoroughly decent man who conducted himself with the utmost professionalism and integrity throughout the recent review.
“Finally, to our member clubs directly.
“We know the cost of living crisis, following so closely as it has after the pandemic, is hitting hard.
“Our community rugby department is in constant dialogue, seeking ways to help out where it can but I ask you to keep in touch with your issues, problems or requests as often as you are able. You can contact the department at clubdevelopment@wru.wales and I know the team are working on ways to help with energy bills, with fixture rescheduling, with participation in general and with maximising the use of our club-house and pitches.
“We look forward to the next time we see you at Principality Stadium, for the 2023 Six Nations, for our warm-up matches against England and South Africa in the summer, at Judgement Day in April – when the best of our professional regional talent goes head-to-head in Cardiff in back-to-back matches – or at the Road to Principality events in which many of you will compete.
“Until then, my best wishes, have a merry Christmas and a great New Year.
Steve Phillips
WRU CEO”
