SELF DESTRUCTING REGIONAL RUGBY

The biggest mistake regarding the regions was definitely neglecting the valleys clubs, the towns and villages thrived around the rugby clubs which in many places were the focal points in the communities.
A lot of these clubs are dead on their feet now, left behind by the ignorance of the WRU, there was no way these people would go to "find" a region to support.
A generation has been lost in supporters too, they need to do something miraculous to rescue the situation, I can only see it getting worse.
PS, Gwyn, I think I played against you for Pooler at Ponty in late 80's, midweek game, probably 8-10k or so crowd for a merit table game. Blues would struggle to get that now for a Welsh Derby game? Sums it up really

A counter argument is the national team is stronger that its been since the 70s/80s. Has that been helped by all our players pooled into 4 regions?

milly a lot of our better players are now crossing the channel to play in france

Steve thats just purely to earn more money as everyone knows. Cant blame them as all our clubs are skint. Even if Gatland had stuck to his guns when he said players who played outside of Wales wont be slected, I think most will still have gone.
I know our pyramid and our system is fucked and welsh regional rugby is piss poor. But for that outsider looking in thats is paved over by the results being achieved by our national side at present.

A counter argument is the national team is stronger that its been since the 70s/80s. Has that been helped by all our players pooled into 4 regions?

milly a lot of our better players are now crossing the channel to play in france

Steve thats just purely to earn more money as everyone knows. Cant blame them as all our clubs are skint. Even if Gatland had stuck to his guns when he said players who played outside of Wales wont be slected, I think most will still have gone.
I know our pyramid and our system is fucked and welsh regional rugby is piss poor. But for that outsider looking in thats is paved over by the results being achieved by our national side at present.

watched sam warburtons interview on the rugby club last night and was impressed with his attitude. he said the team are adopting as he called it the american attitude where winning is everything.

The national side look likely to dominate the northen hemisphere for a good while though?

Your quite right.The only good thing to come out of the Regional set-up is the academies.You are now seeing the kids starting to come through that arnt attached to the booze culture that went hand in hand with playing rugby.The writing was on the wall when the game went pro in 1995.Welsh Rugby Politics is a cancer they'll never find a cure for.

A point that was never really talked about at all was the current league and cup set up - both the Irish and Scots for years would send weak teams to play in Wales.

No one knows what is going on from one week to the next.

Games are played when all the stars are off with Wales.

Create a league that the fans care about and there will turn up.

I think the NFL model makes sense if all the major rugby clubs get on board.

The game is in termoil.
I used to quite like watching the rugby, had a season ticket Bridgend and we won the league in 02/03 and would watch them when wern't clashing with the City . split into regions and the bridgend region was liquidated in 2005.

Theres now a 12/13,000 capacity stadium in bridgend holding 200/400 crowds for Bridgend Town FC and Bridgend Rugby get about 1000 on a good day.

This is happening up and down the country with all the old rugby grounds, not sure how many they hold in ponty, Ebbw etc, but it is a real shame that they let it come to this.

bring back the old leagues

The game is in termoil.
I used to quite like watching the rugby, had a season ticket Bridgend and we won the league in 02/03 and would watch them when wern't clashing with the City . split into regions and the bridgend region was liquidated in 2005.

Theres now a 12/13,000 capacity stadium in bridgend holding 200/400 crowds for Bridgend Town FC and Bridgend Rugby get about 1000 on a good day.

This is happening up and down the country with all the old rugby grounds, not sure how many they hold in ponty, Ebbw etc, but it is a real shame that they let it come to this.

bring back the old leagues

I used to have a seaon ticket at Newport before it was regional shite, my whole family did and family friends about 20 of used to go every week. Used to tell them I was going for a piss and sneak a cheeky bow in my under the Hazell stand

prices thesedays £18 for a student, f**k that. Used to be £8 and £4. Im lucky I get freebies and still dont bother often now.

The game is in termoil.
I used to quite like watching the rugby, had a season ticket Bridgend and we won the league in 02/03 and would watch them when wern't clashing with the City . split into regions and the bridgend region was liquidated in 2005.

Theres now a 12/13,000 capacity stadium in bridgend holding 200/400 crowds for Bridgend Town FC and Bridgend Rugby get about 1000 on a good day.

This is happening up and down the country with all the old rugby grounds, not sure how many they hold in ponty, Ebbw etc, but it is a real shame that they let it come to this.

bring back the old leagues

I used to have a seaon ticket at Newport before it was regional shite, my whole family did and family friends about 20 of used to go every week. Used to tell them I was going for a piss and sneak a cheeky bow in my under the Hazell stand

prices thesedays £18 for a student, f**k that. Used to be £8 and £4. Im lucky I get freebies and still dont bother often now.

I went to look at a blues ticket a few weeks ago and i think it was around £24/25.
no wonder the crowds are down