Welsh regions stand their ground

Wales' four regions have turned down an offer to contract their Welsh international players centrally.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) had planned to use the £6.2m they give the Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff Blues and Newport Gwent Dragons for releasing their Welsh stars for international duty to fund central contracts with the aim to keep the players in the Welsh regions.

WRU chief executive Roger Lewis revealed the fact in an open letter, stating: “That offer was not accepted by the regions. That is their contractual right and I respect it."

Stuart Gallacher, the chief executive of Regional Rugby Wales, blasted Lewis for revealing the information to the public.

“We have consistently stated that until we have found workable solutions for the challenges facing the whole of Welsh professional rugby, it is our firm belief that it’s not helpful to a complex process to get drawn into individual debates in public,” Gallacher said in a statement.   

“What is important is that we consider and implement the right solutions for the whole of Welsh rugby; taking into account every level of the game in Wales and how that works together.

“It is also critical at this time that our regions and all our rugby supporters are able to concentrate on an important and exciting weekend of European rugby - both from performance and commercial perspectives.

“It is our primary duty to support our players and back the energy and effort going into Welsh rugby performances on the field in Europe’s top club competition; and it would be helpful, therefore, not to have any further distraction or disruption at this time from that task."