WRU Penny Pinching - Bye Bye Students
By Zippy
January 6 2005
The WRU penny pinching has hit new lows with the Wales Students side having to fold due to its funding being cut for the full story and as usual scathing response at the WRU read on.
The Wales Students rugby side has become a casualty of the Welsh Rugby Union's reorganisation at youth level. An amalgamated Under-18 side formed from separate schools and national youth teams plays its first match on Thursday, against Italy at the Gnoll. But that move has seen the WRU decide to end its funding of representative sides such as Wales Students. As a result, traditional international fixtures against England and France in the New Year have been cancelled. The Welsh Students Rugby Football Union feels that it is unable to properly prepare for or stage the matches. The secretary of the Welsh Students Rugby Football Union, Reverend Eldon Phillips, said: "It is a shame that fixtures cannot be maintained this year. "The competition provided by the strong English and French teams has enabled the Welsh Students to test themselves in high quality matches. "The increasing number of young rugby players entering Higher Education look for the biggest challenge, that is representative rugby, but this year that opportunity will be denied them. Players who have played for Wales Students before going on to win full senior representative honours include Robert Jones, Rob Howley, Jon Humphreys, Darren Morris, Martyn Williams and Ceri Sweeney Zippy Reaction: This as I eluded to in the introduction hits new lows for the WRU, the Wales Students side must cost an absolute pittance in the grand scheme of things and Moffet’s penny pinching has meant again short term financial gain against long term the likes of the above coming through the worthwhile system. The amalgamation of the schools and youth side is another disgrace, in the first few years there may be no bias in the way the teams are selected but in future years it is very possible that some very talented youngsters will miss out on the chance of age grade rugby because they elected not to go to 6th Form College. This is of course speculation but I truly fear what these short term measures will mean for the long term future of the sport.