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Questions about Welsh rugby

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roms View Drop Down
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    Posted: 28 April 2006 at 4:48pm

Hi, I’m French and I’m working on a comparative study of the different national rugby championships of the main rugby nations. (Celtic League and Welsh primiership in the case of England)

 

I’m trying to estimate the importance of the national championship in each country and to understand how the changes which might have occurred since rugby became a professional sport were taken, how the fans rate a win in the national championship compared to a win in the European cup, how they feel about international tests being held the same day as premiership games etc… We see in the southern hemisphere but also now in Ireland or Wales that a continental tournament involving provinces (Heineken cup or Super 14) have got far more important than national tournaments (New Zealand’s NPC, south African Currie cup, Irish or welsh premiership)

 

For example in France the French championship has a long tradition and is very important for the players and for the fans. The trophy has always been awarded after a final, which for decades has been played in Paris, and the trophy being handed to the winning side by the President of the Republic, showing how important the event is in the French rugby season. The Heineken cup is a young tournament and is highly regarded too, I would say that winning the Heineken cup is now considered equal to winning the French championship.

 

I would like to collect as much information as possible about the Celtic League and Welsh premiership regarding a few things:

 

-         The Celtic league is a young tournament. What lead to its creation from a welsh point of view? Does the fact that the Celtic League lasts the whole season mean that the best Welsh players don’t play in the national Welsh premiership at all or do they play part of it? I think the answer is ‘they don’t play it at all’ and therefore I would like to know how did the fans react to the fact that the best Welsh players don’t compete any longer for the title of champion of Wales? Do they consider that the Welsh team best ranked in the Celtic league is the Welsh champion? What about the winner of the premiership?

-         Is it right to say that Welsh teams taking part into the Celtic League ar not really clubs but provincial sides for the Ospreys and the Gwent Dragons? What about the Scarlets and the Blues, are they exactly the same as Llanelli and Cardiff RFC?

-         Given the fact that the Celtic League lasts the whole season, does it mean that the best Welsh players do not compete at all in the premiership? Or can they play at that level to regain form or come back from injury? How do the fans feel about that?

-         On the whole, how do the fans feel about the creation of an intermediate level between the premiership and the heineken cup? Wales rather has a club tradition contrary to Ireland were provinces have always existed... Is it considered as an obligation for Welsh rugby to survive in the professionnal era? Do people think the welsh premiership could have survived?

-         Why was the powergen cup created including Welsh teams and why isn’t it played during the international tests instead of being played on Celtic League days?

 

I thank you very much in advance for answering all or part of my questions.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Alun Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 April 2006 at 4:58pm

In Wales, we have the Premiership for semi-pro teams (Llanelli, Swansea, Maesteg etc.) and since the creation of the regions (Scarlets, Dragons, Ospreys, Blues) we have taken part in the Celtic league which is our main league really.

Obviously, winning the Heineken Cup would be massive for any region in Wales, earning the title "Champions of Europe" but if we can't win Europe, then go for the league!

Cartref newydd, Stadiwm newydd, Penod newydd, Yr un freuddwyd.

"Does na unman yn debyg i adra, ond mae adra'n debyg iawn i 'chdi."

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