News Roundup 31st March

• The Premiership clubs will be looking to iron out there funding differences tomorrow, if they can't agree with David Moffett. Last week the club's all rejected the executive's offer of 7.5 million pounds to be split between them, they want another five hundred thousand pounds. With the deadline for the union specifying it's entrants into Europe on Wednesday, it would without doubt see the end of professional rugby in Wales if the move to five teams was not to go through.

  We should Know sometime tomorrow afternoon the outcome of the meeting.

  If the plans don't go through, the club's are threatening to refuse the use of their players on the summer tour to Australia and New Zealand, which would yet again make us the laughing stock of World Rugby.

  Moffett is reported to have been offered the job at the FA for a third more than He get's paid at the moment, but He turned down. Saying "I was very flattered but my job is here and I will stay doing the best I can for Welsh rugby."
   

• Despite our Dire Six Nations performance, Coach Steve Hansen is planning ahead. The Kiwi may seek a new contract to go beyond His current deal that expires in 2004. However Llanelli's Gareth Jenkins is odds on favourite to take over from Him in what is with out doubt a bit of a poisoned chalice at the moment. Jenkins is likely to assist the team in the World cup as in introduction.

  Hansen put's His sides failure down to Structure yet again; "When I came here I knew how tough it was going to be," he added. "But I can't speak highly enough about how hard the kids have worked. 
   
  "We just need to help them out off the field by having some good decision-making from the clubs and WRU. But I have never seriously considered walking away." 

  You can't really argue with Him though can You? How many coaches have failed time after time and in the long term have little affect on the mediocrity that is Welsh rugby at the moment. Hansen also said "The frustrations are there and they are starting to frustrate the players too. There are rumblings within the group that they don't want to go back to a nine-strong Welsh Premiership and that if there are nine, they are out of here. 
   
  "Those rumblings aren't good for the long-term prospects of Welsh rugby. Those are not the sort of rumblings a coach normally hears. 
   
  "A lot of people are questioning them and their commitment, but they are working hard and have a taste of what it's like." 

  Personally I think We should stick with Hansen for the moment, no coach in the World could cope with what He's had to put up with and still produce good performances against England and Ireland.
   

• On the transfer front both props released by Swansea last week Ben Evans and Darren Morris are looking likely to be joining Cardiff for the rest of the season. Evans has constantly been linked with a move to the Arms Park, where as Morris has been linked to a few including Natal Sharks and Pontypridd.

  Another All Whites player Scott Gibbs has also been linked with a move away from the cash strapped club, but this time to rugby league, to the newly established Bridgend Blue Bulls. The inside centre spent several years up north playing for St Helens. Hopefully this may see the end of Gibbs's down right embarrassing stint in punditry for Scrum V and Grandstand.

   

• Bad news for Cardiff, is that Wales's best player of the championship Martyn Williams will be out for a month through injury. The open side hotly tipped to captain us to the World cup, having aggravated a knee injury against France on Saturday. He expects to play against Ponty in the cup on Friday night, but it may be His last game before the summer tour.
   
• Sonny Parker returning from injury on Friday in Ponty's 23 all draw with Llanelli at Stradey park, came through unscathed.
   
• The Sevens side failed to impress in Hong Kong, they started with a ten all draw with the Cook Islands, but although the comfortably beat The Netherlands, they failed to cope with the Samoans, going down 43-5. The Cook Islanders came back to haunt us in the plate quarter finals, just snatching a 24-19 win to knock us out. England went on to beat New Zeland in the final of the main tournament.
   
• And finally don't forget to make Your nomination for the Red Dragon Rugby Welsh player of the six nations. Simply follow the link below and make Your nomination. Place Your nominations here

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