Scarpreys? Or Osplets?

[Sourdust]

And how many eyes do I get to keep?

[Sandydragon]

Or a complete rebrand - how about the Celtic Warriors?

[normanski]

We’re going to end up like Scotland with just two regional clubs.

That can’t be the way to go. It will just diminish Welsh rugby.

No money, too few fans, too few clubs and we will be losers on the world stage.

[Puja]

Can someone explain the logic of this to an outside observer? Llanelli Scarlets are one of the best known brands of Welsh Rugby in England and a quick google tells me they've got the highest average attendance of the Welsh clubs. And Ospreys are located in the second biggest conurbation in Wales, so you surely need a presence there.

I get the want for a northern club, but surely the sensible bet would be to merge Dragons into Cardiff to make room, given they're the worst on the pitch, in the stand, and financially?

Is there something I'm missing for standing outside?

Puja

[paddy no 11]

This seems insane, surely one of ospreys or dragons should be binned. Given the fallout of original mergers has anything be learned

Is a north Wales team financially viable? Where would they play?

[SerjeantWildgoose]

I'm with Puja. This just doesn't make sense. Am I right in thinking that Dragons are funded by the WRU and is this why they are escaping the chop while the better, and better supported, regions face merger or worse? Surely, if it wants a franchise in the north, the WRU should pull its funding out of Newport and carry the financial risk? Or better yet, forget the pointless speculation and put its money into supporting three sustainable and competitive sides?

[Son of Mathonwy]

This is crazy. The Ospreys are the team which has been, by far, the most successful Welsh team in the Celtic League. The Scarlets are currently the most successful team. Why crunch them into one when the Dragons haven't been remotely successful since 2005?

This makes as much sense as merging Leinster and Munster but keeping Connacht alive.

[Son of Mathonwy]

As I said on the other thread, if a merger is needed, and a North Wales team is a goal, then the WRU should merge its own, failing region - the Dragons - with the North.

Do we seriously want to scrap part of two reasonably successful regions (and their relatively competent infrastructure) whilst keeping the very model of incompetence intact?

[Son of Mathonwy]

Hopefully this whole thing is being blown up by the journalists, and isn't a serious proposition........

[Puja]

Oh good, I'm glad it wasn't just me missing something obvious.

Puja

[Sandydragon]

I'm with Puja. This just doesn't make sense. Am I right in thinking that Dragons are funded by the WRU and is this why they are escaping the chop while the better, and better supported, regions face merger or worse? Surely, if it wants a franchise in the north, the WRU should pull its funding out of Newport and carry the financial risk? Or better yet, forget the pointless speculation and put its money into supporting three sustainable and competitive sides?

As much as it pains me to agree as a Dragons supporter, this is probably the best option. North Wales is a risky venture. It ought work but I don’t see RGC clocking 10k plus spectators. We have to enter four teams, so with effect from next season we focus on three and de prioritise one to the point where it is a dev side.

[SerjeantWildgoose]

Sure we've been doing that with Ulster for fecking years - but don't be telling them.

[Son of Mathonwy]

I wonder what Gatland and, more importantly, Pivac, think of this nonsense....

Are they being gagged by the WRU???

[Sandydragon]

It looks like the decision has been made with an eye on population density. 750k potential supporters up north, and the potential for two union owned entities to be on lower funding levelss than the other two regions (although just how well a dev team can attract new supporters is not entirely clear.

The Ospreys seem to have some major financial issues but quite who made this decision seems a bit unclear, with Ospreys blaming the WRU and the PRB stating it was driven by the regions.

What brilliant timing!!!

[Son of Mathonwy]

This is weird. The Ospreys and the PRB/WRU contradicting each other. Who is telling the truth (or the whole truth)?

[Sandydragon]

This is weird. The Ospreys and the PRB/WRU contradicting each other. Who is telling the truth (or the whole truth)?

They should release the minutes. The WRU is taking almost all the blame but I have a feeling that the story that the regions were keen on the merger is not inaccurate. Or at least I bet threee of the regions were up for it.

Still can’t get my head around a pro team in North Wales. On the bright side RGC is about an hour away from where I live so I may be able to get to some regional games but I just don’t think the overall support will be there and it’s a hell of a risk to take.

[Son of Mathonwy]

This is weird. The Ospreys and the PRB/WRU contradicting each other. Who is telling the truth (or the whole truth)?

They should release the minutes. The WRU is taking almost all the blame but I have a feeling that the story that the regions were keen on the merger is not inaccurate. Or at least I bet threee of the regions were up for it.

Still can’t get my head around a pro team in North Wales. On the bright side RGC is about an hour away from where I live so I may be able to get to some regional games but I just don’t think the overall support will be there and it’s a hell of a risk to take.

Exactly. I'm sure three of the regions would be fairly happy about it if they knew they would be either unaffected or the winner of a takeover of the Ospreys.

I suspect now, the way this has been mishandled, almost no Ospreys fan will be won over to support a West Wales team based in PyS. There'll just be more fans for Swansea City when the dust's settled.

For me, okay the Ospreys are my region, but I don't live in Wales anymore. What bothers me more is the waste. It's just so inefficient (and tragic on a human level) to destroy one of the better regions (historically the best) when merging the Dragons with the North might actually make something successful out of the Dragons (clearly nothing else has worked, or seems likely to.

This is fantastic news for the other home nations. The village idiots are tearing themselves apart again.

[Sandydragon]

Aye, once again spectacularly badly handled. It would be better to have these discussions in public and allow supporters groups to have their say. Ultimately if money is the problem then supporters are unlikely to sway the decision too much but at least all options could be openly explored. This feels like a stitch up.

[Sandydragon]

And couldn’t they have waited another fortnight before releasing this news? Trying to implement for next season is ludicrously right timing, better for the season after.

[Stom]

But where would the North Wales team be? Because it's not exactly a heavily populated area...even for Wales!

[Sandydragon]

But where would the North Wales team be? Because it's not exactly a heavily populated area...even for Wales!

Probably based on RGC1404 which is the semi pro team based at Colwyn Bay.

[Stom]

But where would the North Wales team be? Because it's not exactly a heavily populated area...even for Wales!

Probably based on RGC1404 which is the semi pro team based at Colwyn Bay.

And what, there's 30k in Colwyn?

[Sandydragon]

But where would the North Wales team be? Because it's not exactly a heavily populated area...even for Wales!

Probably based on RGC1404 which is the semi pro team based at Colwyn Bay.

And what, there's 30k in Colwyn?

Depends on how many Scousers fancy a day by the sea.

No where in North Wales really lends itself to a pro rugby team, I suppose the Colwyn Bay set up is at least accessible. But this is a very real risk. I’m a long way from being convinced that the dissolution of a team in the heartlands of Welsh rugby is worth it.

[Stom]

Probably based on RGC1404 which is the semi pro team based at Colwyn Bay.

And what, there's 30k in Colwyn?

Depends on how many Scousers fancy a day by the sea.

No where in North Wales really lends itself to a pro rugby team, I suppose the Colwyn Bay set up is at least accessible. But this is a very real risk. I’m a long way from being convinced that the dissolution of a team in the heartlands of Welsh rugby is worth it.

Every town is just tiny and because of the transport links it takes ages to get between everywhere...

Except Wrexham, I guess, but is there really the appetite there for a rugby team?

Coming from someone who lived in North Wales, it just doesn't make any sense...

[Sandydragon]

Some context. RGC’s stadium holds just over 6000 normally although apparently it can hold more for some events. That’s fairly comparable to Newport. Attendance for most matches is around the 1800 mark with 3000 recorded occasionally.

The Welsh U20 side have played there and posted a good attendance figure, but that was a one off.

RGC are currently 9th in the Welsh prem (out of 16).

Ospreys average crowd is just under 7000.