Ex-Welsh Rugby Union chief executive David Moffett believes that now is the right time for England and Wales to join forces and create an Anglo-Welsh league.
The WRU have been in a perilous financial situation for several years, which culminated in the players threatening to strike earlier this season.
An impasse between the governing body and the four regions dragged on, leading to the players’ futures being up in the air.
That deadlock was eventually broken and a deal was duly struck, but the Ospreys, Dragons, Cardiff and Scarlets are ultimately struggling fiscally to compete with the French, Japanese and some English sides, who can offer more money.
Player exodus
Several individuals have already departed or, in the case of Cory Hill, have not returned home, and more are likely to follow.
It has affected their World Cup preparations with Hill withdrawing from the Wales squad to take up another contract abroad.
Meanwhile, youngster Joe Hawkins was not named in the initial wider training squad after being deemed ineligible by signing for Exeter Chiefs.
It is not much better in England, who have seen Worcester Warriors, Wasps and most recently London Irish suspended from the Premiership due to their respective financial problems.
And Moffett insists that it is time for the WRU, RFU and Premiership Rugby (PRL) to come together to create an Anglo-Welsh league.
“I’ve always said the Welsh sides would be better off playing in England like they do in soccer,” Moffett told WalesOnline.
“There’s a big fuss about the URC (United Rugby Championship) but it’s never going to be the answer for the Welsh sides. People may point to the quality of the sides in the URC like Leinster and the South African franchises but that won’t attract Welsh fans, especially if they are losing.
“The four Welsh sides would get much bigger crowds if they were playing an average Bath side at home than if they were playing a fully loaded Sharks or Stormers.
“The Welsh are tribal, and most of them want more derbies, and meaningful games against English opposition. It would significantly increase crowds, and you’d have away support.
“It would also allow fans in Wales to get into the habit of going to games every week because for over 90% of matches they could travel there and back in the day which obviously they can’t do in the URC.”
Salary cap benefit
English clubs still have the edge on the Welsh teams financially but Moffett believes that the Premiership’s salary cap would make it a more even playing field.
“Crucially there’s a salary cap in the Gallagher Premiership which would give the Welsh sides a better chance of being competitive,” he added.
“Despite the terrible financial situation in England at the moment, it would actually be a better eco-system for Wales to operate in.
“The competition money from the URC isn’t good enough for Wales, they’d likely get more money from TV in an Anglo-Welsh, while it would also be more attractive for sponsors.
“It would solve the problem of English and Welsh rugby while also putting it into the same basket as soccer and cricket, but it would take someone with a level of courage which hasn’t been demonstrated in Welsh rugby for a long time to pursue this opportunity.”
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