On Wednesday, WalesOnline reported that the WRU were in talks with the Rugby Football Union and Gallagher Prem bosses
Cardiff run out for the second half against Northampton(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)
The coaches of both Cardiff and Ospreys have responded to the news that the Welsh Rugby Union have shown interest in an Anglo-Welsh league.
On Wednesday, WalesOnline reported that the WRU were in negotiations with the Rugby Football Union and Gallagher Prem bosses over the possibility of getting Welsh sides into the league. The English bodies subsequently issued a statement, confirming they were concentrating on bringing further English sides into the league.
An Anglo-Welsh competition has long been mooted as something that would improve the fortunes of Welsh rugby – but, after over a quarter of a century of whispers, nothing has ever materialised.
There will be a hope in some quarters that this latest development makes that prospect considerably more likely – even if there would appear to be, on the face of it, still little appetite across the border.
For now, those in charge of Welsh sides remain tasked with focusing on the United Rugby Championship – the league to which Welsh rugby is committed to until at least the end of the 2027/28 season.
Representatives of the clubs would have been told of the WRU’s desire to join up with England on Wednesday at a Professional Rugby Board meeting – but that message hadn’t filtered directly to the clubs’ coaches by the following day.
“Well, I haven’t been told anything that I haven’t heard second-hand from other people,” said Ospreys head coach Mark Jones ahead of Saturday’s Welsh derby against Cardiff.
“All I know is we’re committed to the URC like every other region for the foreseeable future, so until somebody tells me you know we need to start preparing for anything other than URC teams that’s what we’re going to continue to do.
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“I love the versatility of the URC, you know I love the fact we play South African teams, Scottish teams, Irish and Italian teams, and we still have the derbies.
“So I love the make-up of the URC, but obviously I understand 100% the excitement around playing the old enemy across the bridge, which we get in Europe at certain times as well, so I get it, I understand the excitement around the potential of that, but look, we’re committed to the URC and that’s what we’re focusing on”
Jones’ opponent on Saturday night, Cardiff boss Corniel van Zyl, is in a similar boat – having not been told anything yet.
“To me, no personally,” he said. “I just saw it in the media.
“It’s probably not for me to worry about or comment about. There’s always a few rumours about. It’s probably better for me to stick to what’s just on paper.”
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