Martyn Phillips Welsh rugby Q&A: I'm happy to publish Gatland's law and how we plan to increase regional attendances

Interesting read here, Martyn Phillips the chief executive of the WRU doesn't half get himself in a muddle with these sort of interviews, I especially liked this bit:-

Q: Would you accept there remains a lack a clarity about Gatland’s Law as far as the public are concerned, both in terms of what it means and which players are captured?

A: We are not talking about it now because we are genuinely all focusing on the Six Nations. We are working hard to finish Europe off well and then have a good championship. wrote:

What kind of answer is that ?

Anyway have a read, there are some very intriguing Q&A's in there :-

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/martyn-phillips-welsh-rugby-qa-10730323

I know it's WOL but the interview is worth reading.

Q: Last weekend, there was a newspaper report about a potential problem over the availability of some exiled players for the tour of New Zealand because of Gatland’s Law. Can you just clarify the situation?

A: I am not aware of any issue. I have been with a couple of the regional chief executives this week and with Mark Davies (PRW chief executive) and we have talked about it and none of us are aware of it. It is a non story.


or the other one I liked was


"I am finding it tricky myself. It needs proper attention, but I would have no issue in publishing it at a point in time."

So hopefully that means over the summer we will see it published (on a slow rugby news day) so we can all argue the toss about it.

I found this more interesting:-

"We have clearly got plenty of choices in terms of where we could play things. There are people actually queuing up to stage games in some instances. We have just got to find the right game to go there."

GavinDragon wrote:I found this more interesting:-

"We have clearly got plenty of choices in terms of where we could play things. There are people actually queuing up to stage games in some instances. We have just got to find the right game to go there."

Ha yes, he is praising the atmosphere at Rodney Parade, then he is saying we should move games to create a better atmosphere. Quite the muddle.

Well I don't know what he means. Is he referring to regional games? Is he suggesting the odd game could go around the regions?

It could happen at the Ospreys. Brewery field is good enough for smaller fixtures. Not sure there is anothr ground in Scarlets region capable?

EXP could def host a game or two, but whether the Dragons board could afford the hit I don't know?

And the Blues? Could they go to Merthyr when that ground is up to scratch?

GavinDragon wrote:
And the Blues? Could they go to Merthyr when that ground is up to scratch?

Cardiff Blues have scrapped any affiliation with any teams outside of Cardiff, so going to Merthyr would not be playing a game in THEIR region.

Ah well. I just found it interesting that the CEO of the WRU made a comment to that effect?

LordDowlais wrote:

GavinDragon wrote:I found this more interesting:-

"We have clearly got plenty of choices in terms of where we could play things. There are people actually queuing up to stage games in some instances. We have just got to find the right game to go there."

Ha yes, he is praising the atmosphere at Rodney Parade, then he is saying we should move games to create a better atmosphere. Quite the muddle.

I read that as moving the Ospreys away from the Library for lesser attended games, to get a more packed venue with more atmosphere like Dave Parade.

LordDowlais wrote:Cardiff Blues have scrapped any affiliation with any teams outside of Cardiff

When was this? Can you post a link?

GavinDragon wrote:I found this more interesting:-

"We have clearly got plenty of choices in terms of where we could play things. There are people actually queuing up to stage games in some instances. We have just got to find the right game to go there."

People actually queuing up to watch games, not so much

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Cardiff Blues have scrapped any affiliation with any teams outside of Cardiff

When was this? Can you post a link?

http://www.cardiffrfcfans.co.uk/editorials/what-who-is-cardiff-the-blues-cardiff-blues-blues/

Is that a fan view or the official view?

No 7&1/2 wrote:Is that a fan view or the official view?

Read this from Richard Holland then:-

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/cardiff-blues-stop-providing-players-10432970

Ta. So cutting funding to everyone because they can't afford it.

LordDowlais wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:Is that a fan view or the official view?

Read this from Richard Holland then:-

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/cardiff-blues-stop-providing-players-10432970

That still doesn't mean they've 'scrapped any affiliation with any teams outside of Cardiff'.

Cardiff Blues paid to be stand alone from the outset, they had Pontypridd and the rest of the North Glamorgan valleys dumped on them, their saying not mine, when Warriors went bust, Cardiff Blues have now reverted back to what they were from the start of this shambolic state we find ourselves in.

A club representing Cardiff only and not welcoming to other new fans who it was anticipated would be welcomed?

LordDowlais wrote:Cardiff Blues paid to be stand alone from the outset, they had Pontypridd and the rest of the North Glamorgan valleys dumped on them, their saying not mine, when Warriors went bust, Cardiff Blues have now reverted back to what they were from the start of this shambolic state we find ourselves in.

They haven't done what you claimed they've done.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Cardiff Blues paid to be stand alone from the outset, they had Pontypridd and the rest of the North Glamorgan valleys dumped on them, their saying not mine, when Warriors went bust, Cardiff Blues have now reverted back to what they were from the start of this shambolic state we find ourselves in.

They haven't done what you claimed they've done.

Yes they have. They are looking after Cardiff Blues now, and that is it.

No, they haven't.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:No, they haven't.

OK, you must be going down there every other week and hearing different news to me.

Post a link to the press release where they 'scrapped any affiliation with any teams outside of Cardiff'.

The Blues said they are not going to be paying for players to just park them up in feeder clubs until they are needed, and from next season on they will have a smaller squad of players, and if needed play prem players on a permit system.

So do Cardiff see themselves as a Cardiff club with a bit of a 'you're not welcome if you're not from here' view to fans etc?

Reckon LD's abacus is on the blink again.

Gatland's Law; wtf is it if indeed it exists?