Competition is Healthy….

My previous little rant started with “All 5 professional, competing, rugby teams in Wales are going through a busy, long summer” and now it is clear as to why the FIVE are in competition. With the announcement of a “Farewell to Alun Wyn Jones” game on November 4th, the WRU have hammered both the rugby and commercial chances of its (only) four professional member clubs.

Thanks to the ever increasing unpopularity of the URC in Wales (for many, many good and obvious reasons) our 4 pro clubs get only 5 interesting home games a season – 3 against each other and (the hope of) 2 in Europe. By scheduling the Barbarians (aptly named opposition, if you think about it) on the same day as Scarlets v Cardiff in the URC, the WRU has already decimated 20% of those games for the Scarlets. Worse than that, the mandatory rest period post-RWC for squad players (who will bloody well need a rest after being “broken” by Gatland for months before then) means that many (if not all) will also be missing for the return Cardiff v Scarlets game at the beginning of December.

Also on the weekend of November 4th, the Ospreys are rumoured to be playing the Sharks in London. This is a big marketing push for the Os in order to dip their toe into the water of doing “something different” as they can’t make games pay at the soccer stadium in Swansea. Removing any cynicism or silliness judging that move, wouldn’t it have been superb for the Os to be able to use AWJ as an ambassador for that game? Think of the corporate opportunities around that…..

All of this is playing out with the backdrop of the commercial genius Malcolm Wall demanding the pro clubs increase their commercial income (even by using TikTok, as Wall is clearly down with the kids). This is Wall, a Director of the WRU, the same WRU who force our pro clubs to play in a league with the worst European broadcast deal, with huge travel costs, sponsored by some agricultural tyre company and an airline the clubs don’t actually use because it adds too much time to their travelling (and the players can’t fit in the planes). The same WRU whose commercial policy extends to “playing some more matches” as it can’t make best use of its own dominating market position within Wales.

And where is Nigel Walker in all of this? Surely he should have known this game was to be scheduled for this weekend in November, so he should have instructed the URC to NOT schedule a bloody Welsh derby at the same time. It’s not too difficult, is it Nigel?

Moving on to the further knock on effects – the Cardiff v Scarlets game in December is also under ‘threat’ from the WRU’s desire to host Bristol v Gloucester next door on the same day. Now, the WRU will make a hosting fee from that game so what are the chances of them wangling with the URC for that Cardiff game to be rescheduled? And, if it is rescheduled, you can be sure it won’t be at the prime Saturday afternoon slot it’s presently scheduled for. However, even if it goes ahead it will be without its big name players as they’ll be coming off that post-RWC rest period, meaning none of the four will have their internationals match ready by the time Europe starts……

So, Mr Wall, how is bloody TikTok going to overcome the complete shambles created by the organisation of which you are a Director of? Do tell.

As easy as it is to beat the WRU down because of their complete contempt of their own members and the game in Wales (remembering there’s a full league fixture list on November 4th, so the grassroots clubs will be concentrated on their own game that day), at least the money from the BaaBaas game will make it into Welsh rugby (if only to play the bloated salaries the WRU reward their staff with – nice work if you can get on to that gravy train, as we know). But is that the point? £100k today to make up for your £70k lost profit looks like fair business, until you realise that the £100k is blood money for damaging your own product.

So, Mr Wall, if you want the game in Wales to grow its own income, stop using your brand to completely overshadow everything else. Trim your branches to create the light for other trees to grow, stop being frightened of the threat. Yes, competition is healthy until somebody starts killing the marketplace through their own stupid actions…..

Finally, fair play to the supporters of all clubs in Wales – pro and not as pro – for calling out this lunacy from the WRU. As yet, we’re yet to hear anything from the actual pro clubs it negatively affects most of all. This is probably because of a gag clause in the present Rugby Agreement but there comes a time where you have to call the Union’s bluff on actually enforcing that clause. It’s time for the pro clubs to actually start behaving as their supporters already are……