REGIONAL RUGBY // DREAM BABY DREAM

"We gotta keep the light burning...We gotta keep the fire burning...We gotta keep on dreaming" - Dream Baby Dream (2013/2014) 

Rugby in Wales is more than just a game and I know this will sound incredibly cheesy but it is genuinely a way of life to many who reside in the country, possibly more so than anywhere else in the World. Taking this point in to consideration the controversy surrounding the Welsh regions has hit supporters hard as they feel that they are being ignored by the WRU as they continue to battle with the regions over money, money and well, more money. It is a fact that without supporters there would be no rugby and no WRU thus it makes complete sense that the fans are protesting against the Welsh Rugby Union and its suggested contractual agreements with the words Protect Our Game appearing on posters, flags and hashtags across Wales and social networking sites. 

It is only in the last few weeks and months that the row between the regions and the WRU has become daily headline news but the regions have been facing tough times for years with all four regions failing to perform on the highest level despite the international team experiencing a long awaited 'Golden Age'. Something is not adding up for the regions and if the WRU proceed to take money away from the regions or even to simply continue with the amount of money that they are weakly pumping in to the sides now, things will only get worse for rugby in Wales. 

Many children, both boys and girls, across Wales aspire to play rugby for their local team, their region and then eventually their country but as things are now the desire to play for Welsh regional teams will dwindle because who wants to be in the middle of continuing rows, stress and uncertainty which is the current situation for Welsh regional rugby. Despite being saddened by the sight of another headline announcing the departure of another Welsh international to France or to the Aviva one can not help but, in a strange way, to be happy for them. Take the Scarlets' Jonathan Davies for example. Davies was one of the star players not only for Wales in this year's Six Nations but his partnership with Jamie Roberts in the deciding test against Australia with the Lions in the summer secured his place as one of the best centres in the Northern Hemisphere but with the Scarlets he was not achieving what he deserved. Davies is a player who's quality deserves recognition, Heineken Cup celebrations and other silverware along with a higher pay thus one can only and one should only congratulate these players and wish them luck because I'm sure that if we were in their position we would do the same. 

Both Boxing Day derbies were a great advertisement for Welsh rugby with the Scarlets match versus the Ospreys welcoming a sold out crowd to Llanelli. With the seats filled with supporters it showed the WRU that regional rugby is still very close to the hearts of the people of Wales and that the fans will not go down without a fight but as Gwyn Jones alluded to on the very insightful and informative Scrum V on Sunday, will the regions be able to survive without the WRU? Most probably not, thus an agreement must be reached sooner rather than later between the two but it is incredibly doubtful that the current contract will be signed before deadline day (New Years eve). One thing is for certain however and that is that this is one of the most crucial times for rugby in Wales since the game turned professional in 1995 and one that could make or break the regional game in Wales and the fans must be a part of this potential revolutionary period because it is after all as much their game as it is the WRU's.