Llanelli RFC

Mugwuffin wrote: ladram wrote: Not a dig but why should a self sufficient successful club like Llandovery cede anything to the Scarlets? If we had been half as well run as the Drovers over the years we wouldn't have sold Stradey twice and picked up the nickname of cash strapped Scarlets. The two businesses aren’t really comparable. Llandovery have more in common with Division 3 village clubs than a top level professional club.

I'm with you on this really. Comparisons between professional rugby and community clubs don't really work. Drovers are not self sustaining of course, they have multiple benefactors.

Success in the Prem is really linked to that money. By far and away the best supported team are just 5 points ahead of the RFC and played 2 games more.

Regardless of the WRU 8 team proposal, it's clear that just subsidizing the RFC team by allowing FOC use of PyS etc isn't sustainable. Simon Muderack was on the record recently on that point. The 100-150k needed for recruitment of experienced players to become a team that can compete in the Prem isn't there now, so it has even less chance next year.

It's well know that Quins are suffering some hardships this year too.

The obvious problem is how to bridge the gap between Scarlets Academy and development players needing game time, and the likes of the Drovers wanting to be successful in their league ( by paying players).

Personally, knowing the institutionalized tribalism in all levels of Welsh rugby, I doubt there will be a good outcome here.

As a summary, to me, the Prem should be nothing but a development pathway and stepping stone for the regions to blood talent, assess players, bring through guys needing game time/recovering from injury.

Yes, let's hope indeed!

To all intents and purposes it's not a new league, it's a reduced prem with you'd imagine the intention being it's full of developing players and senior players who can plug a gap in the URC if needed.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/famous-llanelli-rfc-club-announces-26580347?int_source=nba

insidehalf wrote: I'm not so sure, perhaps Llandovery and Carmarthen won't want to go into this new 8 team premiership as I think (maybe wrongly) the team selected from our region will be controlled quite a bit by the Scarlets with respect to which players play each week, depending on the regions needs. These clubs may want to stay as independent clubs with pretty good set ups one level lower.

llandovery should be in it on merit  if anyone from the region deserves the sport it’s then think they fairly well off finamce wise tbh depend what the lge is all about i suppose?

Edited by RR1972 - 28 March 2023 at 8:34pm