WELSH rugby’s new toptier league structure will ‘fall flat on its face’ says a leading coach.
The 2018/19 campaign will see the introduction of regional U23 sides below Wales’ four fully professional outfits while for the 2019/20 season, the Principality Premiership will be cut to 12 teams from 16.
The changes have been slammed by Pontypridd legend Dale McIntosh, the Merthyr coach.
“I think it will fall flat on its face”, McIntosh said. “I don’t think it will work and I don’t understand the reasoning behind it. When I was 20, I just wanted to play against the best players around.
“I don’t think that will be the situation with this new venture. I also don’t think there’s enough detail with what they are trying to achieve. It’s going to compromise the alignment of the Welsh Premiership and regional rugby.”
WRU funding for Premiership clubs will drop from the current level of £93,000 to £75,000, then £60,000 and then to £50,000 by 2022.
The WRU believe the semi-professional layer of the game in Wales is not conducive to producing players for the four regions. STEFFAN THOMAS
The best betting sites
