@aa I for one didn’t think Flood would leave with a home world cup so close. I suppose like a lot of players he thinking his club career will be extended if he’s not playing internationals and that makes financial sense. Plus he may be of the view that his move will not impact his selection chances.

I dont blame him at all. It explains why the premership teams want to get the welsh on board to boost revenue though. If the top team cant hold on to their star player who will be next? Oh and he’s what 28? Hardly old in his prime I’d say, bit early to be topping up the pension.

So why are all the premership teams wanting the welsh in if not to boost funds?

Can’t be bothered pigface,so…AA;you are right,the Prem is desperate for the welsh,who would be massively funded by as yet undiscovered millionaires.Merry Xmas.

Because there are free weekends. Madness not to fill them. If the welsh don’t/can’t join, I expect the AP to be expanded with clubs from the EC. this hinges on a HC resolution.

Either, both……does it matter?
The English are going to do what’s best for the English. Just as the welsh, Irish, Italian etc are trying to do what’s best for them.
Why do you think the regions want to join the AP?

There’s a bit more to it than that of course. One thing I’m absolutely against is a british and Irish league. I like the AP.
On another note, 12trees is playing at 10 for glaws with burns on the bench. No idea why, I think 12trees is the most over rated player in England. They’re beating words 6-3. Worcs haven’t won or even drawn a game all season.

With apologies to pigface.
AA:Your one eye must be blurry,I have never said the English are offering the Welsh in out of kindness:I think you lot are a bargaining chip and a way of splitting the home unions stance on the HC,nothing more.I refuse to believe the English clubs don’t have sponsorship ready for their “new” cup,and so cannot reach a settlement.
Also I have asked how you will afford it,not that you would be mad to go. Feel free,I agree the rabo is crap and needs to die for many reasons,but you lot are too late to the party as far as England is concerned. It was in the papers when Saints got the North fine that it represented 20% of their GROSS annual profit,and they have bigger crowds and more euro revenue than any of the regions get.Lastly,how do they become competitive? I saw the Cardiff game,both sides would be at the wrong end of the table.

They would be at the wrong end of the table too but they’d beat worcester and newcastle or whoever replaces worcester next season. At t least they’d have a chance of growing as opposed to just being. slowly sent bankrupt by the wru so that they can pick up the scraps for free. I would hope the people running the regions are not as daft as you think and may have costed it and maybe even have a deal or two lined up.

In an interview with the Rugby Paper which will anger the current board, Moffett said the regions had to break away to bring the current shambles to a head.

“If I were the regions, I would be going to court before the Union. It will end up in court anyway. They’ve [the regions] got to bring the fight on. It has to be a major fight, one which means that a fresh start can be made in the best interests of Welsh rugby as a whole. Bring it on.”

With time running out for a compromise solution – the WRU has given a deadline of December 31 – and neither side showing any sign of being willing to compromise, Moffett said the impasse was “an indictment” of the WRU hierarchy.

“Why are the WRU asking the regions to exist on half the money for competing in Europe that the Scots are getting from the same competition?” Moffett said. “You don’t have to be a genius to work out what’s happening here. The clear inference is that the Union want the regions to go broke so they can take the players over and put an alternative system in place.”

He said the chance to join the Premiership was one “they should take it with both hands … so should the WRU because it will bring more money into the Welsh game and consequently reduce the threat of the top players leaving for France. It would be good for the English clubs and it’s a winwin for the Welsh clubs. It would be a huge step in the right direction by giving the fans the type of matches they want to see.”

Moffett brushed aside complaints that the Premiership deal ignored the Scots and Irish, arguing in other major sports the natural fit was between England and Wales.

“The WRU has no control over the regions other than financial so they keep the funding as low as they can. The WRU have to be extremely careful that they don’t end up like Welsh football, a feeder country for other countries. It’s almost like that now. The players don’t know what’s happening. No wonder they’re saying:’If I get an offer, I’m off’.

“There are now three choices: 1: The regions continue to exist but with the English clubs. 2: The regions go out of business and the Union tries to run alternative teams which would be a disaster. 3:Wales pick their best players from clubs outside Wales and the domestic game goes back to 13 professional clubs.”

Read more at http://www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/story/209571.html#EwRlq034JD0PTDWL.99

And to you a_a.

Happy Christmas to all. Come on Glasgow 🙂

Great Ospreys win, always good to beat the Scablets in there own back yard.

He gets marked down for that as well,poor sod.

Biggar completely lost his head against Scarlets which is worrying. I had hoped his petulant days were behind him. Quite funny when the ref moved the ball at a penalty a yard or two back inside the Ospreys half and Biggar went nuts at him. Later on the ref asked AWJ to tell his 10 to hold his mouth otherwise he’ll start giving away penalties. Hibbard was getting knocked all over the place and Dirkson had a tough old day. An interesting game for the derby niggle and individual battles going on.

SOB out of 6N. Balls

Welcome to Scotland DD,I have switched to wine from beer as part of a training regime in case I get called up. I wonder if there is a points deduction built into the 6n for not raising a team?

Halfpenny off to Toulon apparently. I thought we had known this for months.
Look on the bright side you irishers, Wales are being renamed as the French Foreign Legion for this years six nations.

@aa will be intersting to see what Armitage does. I look forward to seeing h/p. French season starts in August.

That’d be Steffon. Not seen much of him tbh.