Professional Rugby For North Wales

This is a petition to the WRU in general, the Group Chief Executive; Mr. Roger Lewis and the new Elite Performance Director; Mr. Graeme Maw, in particular.





When plans for regionalization of Welsh Rugby were first drawn up in the 2003/4 season by Mr. David Moffett, the established thinking was that Wales create four professional rugby franchises, three based in the major conurbations of Swansea, Cardiff and Newport with one franchise based in a major conurbation in North Wales, provisionally based at Wrexham. Unfortunately due to the actions of one club these plans for proper regionalization throughout Wales were scuppered leaving Wales with a mish-mash system of regions and stand alone clubs all based in South Wales. Llanelli RFC was allowed stand alone status on the proviso that they be responsible for the development of professional rugby within North Wales. This duty has been blatantly ignored by the management of the 'Llanelli Scarlets' regional franchise. This dereliction of the duty agreed to by Llanelli RFC is not only an insult to the rugby fans of North Wales but also a mockery of the WRU who, it appears, are unable or unwilling to bring Llanelli RFC into line on this issue. Rugby development in North Wales has been stunted as a result of this policy from the Llanelli Scarlets and with the growth of Sale RFC in Manchester we now find ourselves in a situation where not only are young North Walian players moving across the border to England to play top flight rugby but a vast proportion of the potential rugby fan base in North Wales are doing the same.





Effectively the 'management' of the Llanelli Scarlets regional franchise has disenfranchised a vast swathe of Welsh fans and done a grave dis-service to the many clubs and players it purports to represent in North Wales in order to preserve Llanelli RFC.





This petition aims to put pressure on the WRU to revoke the running of the regional franchise from Llanelli RFC and to undertake the running of the franchise in house. A precedent has already been set for WRU intervention in the franchises as they have done exactly this with the 50\% stake they currently hold in the Newport-Gwent Dragons regional franchise. Considering that the Scarlets franchise is now approximately 10 million pounds in debt surely now is the time for the WRU to step in and recover the situation that the mis-management by Llanelli RFC has created? The WRU has a golden opportunity not only to recover the ailing Scarlets franchise but to enfranchise the rugby fraternity of North Wales by moving the franchise, as intended initially, to Wrexham. This would insure that ALL of Wales is represented by professional rugby franchises. Three in the south, one in the north, as was intended from the start.





If you agree with the points raised in this petition and care about the future of professional rugby in Wales then please sign up and forward the link to as many of your friends as you can.





Many thanks.