Provincial Rugby Coming To Wales?
By Dai (26/11/02)
November 26 2002
Provincial rugby has been a talking point in Wales for many months however we have learned today that the working party, set up to find a solution to the problems with the game in Wales are planning to propose a five team provincial system. For more details read on.
PROVINCIAL PLANS
It has been revealed in the Welsh press that there are a new set of plans for provincial rugby in Wales. Whilst the exact details of the plans are unknown, it is understood that there will be five provincial teams set up in Wales which are controlled jointly by the new provincial teams and the Welsh Rugby Union.
There are understood to be two options on the table at the moment. The first of which will see Pontypridd and Bridgend as one club, Cardiff and Caerphilly as another, Llanelli, Swansea and Neath as another and then Newport and Ebbw Vale as the other provincial club. The second option will see Pontypridd, Cardiff and Caerphilly as one club, Bridgend and Neath as another club, Llanelli and Swansea as the third club and Newport and Ebbw Vale as the fourth provincial club.
The new teams will each receive approximately £1.5 million in funding from the Welsh Rugby Union and these teams will then compete in a 12 team Celtic League which will be played on a home and away basis and they will also compete in the Heineken Cup.
Below the provincial level, there will be a Welsh Premier Division consisting of the current Premier Division teams and some teams from Division One and these newly created provinces will run a club side in the Celtic League and a development side in the Welsh Premier Division.
These proposals put forward by the working party are likely to be put to the Welsh Rugby Union General Committee next month and then the 239 member clubs will vote on the proposals at an Extraordinary General Meeting to be held in January. If the proposals are then accepted at the EGM, it is likely that they will be implemented in time for the start of next season.
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