Welsh warn Celtic League must be saved
Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Steve Lewis heads into a Celtic League showdown with Scotland and Ireland today warning that failure to reach an agreement would be professional suicide for all concerned.
Lewis vowed to do “everything in my power” to resurrect the Celtic League after Wales were expelled in acrimonious circumstances from the competition on May 31 for joining a new Anglo-Welsh Cup competition.
Lewis has sent what he describes as a “clear the air memo” ahead of today’s Heathrow summit, outlining the WRU’s commitment to the Celtic League and including proposals to reshape the calendar he insists cannot be ignored.
“We simply have to find a way through this or we are all going to suffer. Our broadcasters will leave us, sponsors will walk away and the fans simply won’t have the same level of rugby to watch,” said Lewis.
“We believe we have found more than one way for the Celtic League season to support our plan to play in the Anglo-Welsh Cup. If the Scots and Irish turn down those plans then they will simply be cutting their own throats along with ours.
“The Scots and the Irish say they cannot find a way to accommodate those five weekends. We will be presenting them with further plans that should allow them to find a solution.”
If no agreement is reached, the Welsh regions will be left with just nine guaranteed fixtures next season.
Rugby chiefs in Dublin and Edinburgh have already indicated plans to play their own competition.
The WRU are determined to prove they remain committed to the competition and believe a solution can be found whereby the Scottish sides and Irish sides play each other on the first three weekends of the Anglo-Welsh Cup.
The Welsh would then catch up by playing their domestic Celtic League fixtures in midweek.
“The first principle is that the WRU and its four regions are totally committed to the Celtic League. It is our bread and butter, our main ranking tournament for European competition,” said Lewis.
“Ever since the WRU moved to bring the Scottish teams into the Welsh/Scottish League, and then backed the addition of the Irish to make it a proper Celtic League, we have given our utmost support to the tournament.
“We believe that the format of the last two seasons, where there are 20 fixtures on a home and away basis, is near perfect to meet the needs of everyone in the three nations.”
The Anglo-Welsh Cup, which replaces the Powergen Cup, will be played over five weekends, three for pool matches followed by the semi-finals and final.
