MICHAEL PEARLMAN SAYS: Rule only seems to apply to Mike Phillips

9:20am Tuesday 13th November 2012 in Sport

SO often on this page have I been accused of not knowing anything about rugby.

It has become almost taboo for me to mention it (see today’s letters page!), but Wales’ clash with Argentina at the Millennium Stadium had a selection issue I found crazy No Mike Phillips, described to me as one of the best in the world in his position.

And why no Phillips? Because he plays in France and couldn’t attend the training camp in Poland. Seriously? What is this, school football where little Jimmy can’t play for his team because he’s in the wrong catchment area?

I know that the idea is that it will serve as a lesson to those who turn their backs on regional rugby but, realistically speaking, that number joining the exodus will get larger and larger in the coming years.

The Celtic League, Magners League, RaboDirect Pro12, whatever you want to call it, simply doesn’t work.

People don’t want to watch the same teams season on season in a system where there is no relegation, no real drama and, very often, totally weakened sides due to international fixtures.

More pertinently, the numbers don’t add up. Why on earth shouldn’t Wales’ star men earn as much as they can playing in France? Or anywhere else for that matter.

That’s the future, that’s reality and until the WRU offer players a genuine reason to stay in Wales, rather than idle threats that only apply to Mike Phillips, that’s how it’ll stay.

The WRU has let a successful national side paper over numerous cracks for years now, but if the national side aren’t winning, what then?

Comments(13)

dalesman1666 says...
10:37am Tue 13 Nov 12

Thats a pretty accurate description mr pearlman, But you are only scratching the surface the problem goes much deeper. The union seem to be living in there own little world while the paying public are starting to vote with there feet. The wales report this weekend will go deeper.The union and the clubs supporters are a million miles apart. If the regions are struggling the national team will struggle, It,s not rocket science. Also the petty little rules on certain players does not help matters. grump over.

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ljg says...
11:25am Tue 13 Nov 12

dalesman1666 wrote:
Thats a pretty accurate description mr pearlman, But you are only scratching the surface the problem goes much deeper. The union seem to be living in there own little world while the paying public are starting to vote with there feet. The wales report this weekend will go deeper.The union and the clubs supporters are a million miles apart. If the regions are struggling the national team will struggle, It,s not rocket science. Also the petty little rules on certain players does not help matters. grump over.
have to agree with ''dalesman 1666'' post, so what will happen to Jamie Robert's when he goes to france ? will he be dropped if he can't go to poland ? It's time the wru opened their eye's

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high x boy says...
11:52am Tue 13 Nov 12

soon all the welsh team will be playing outside of Wales.

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Dai the Milk says...
12:55pm Tue 13 Nov 12

'Howley's Law' like 'Gatland's Law' is unenforceable, legally and in practice. When Mike came on we had some go forward. He is accused of having a slow pass and he might be able to cause a fight in an empty phone box but just like David Bishop 30 years ago, he is the only scrum half in Wales able to give the national side momentum. That was plain to see on Saturday. More and more, great individual player that he was, I notice an awful lot of the spoilt child in Mr Howley. The player drain is down to the mismanagement of the WRU and Roger in particular. They have had 10 years to sort out the relationship with the 'regions'. He has preferred to bolster his CV by visibly reducing the balance sheet instead of helping struggling benefactors. He has relied too heavily on people's good will. That good will, form both benefactor and the public, is beginning to wear thin. There were a lot of empty seats in the stadium on Saturday and there will be more and more as time goes on. I believe Roger's bubble has burst.

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high x boy says...
4:00pm Tue 13 Nov 12

worst game of rugby I think I have ever seen.regional form now passing on to the national team.

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Keith Barnett says...
7:23pm Tue 13 Nov 12

It only applies to scrum halves for some reason? (Peel)

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Robert Shillabeer says...
6:52pm Wed 14 Nov 12

Welsh rugby suffers from the fact that as we get better results we tend to look down on sides below us until oops they bite our bums. I agree with Dai the WRU has been so self interested in its own position it has missed the building of all levels regions, premiership and championship levels that the better players are moving to France where rugby is supported properly by its governing body.

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Euwan Usami says...
7:46pm Wed 14 Nov 12

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Welsh rugby suffers from the fact that as we get better results we tend to look down on sides below us until oops they bite our bums. I agree with Dai the WRU has been so self interested in its own position it has missed the building of all levels regions, premiership and championship levels that the better players are moving to France where rugby is supported properly by its governing body.
Let's not delude ourselves here, you can argue about the WRU either improving or ruining the game in Wales but there is only one reason players are going to France and unless you want to pay 700 quid a ticket for Welsh games there is no way the WRU can fund the regions to the level the French clubs are running at.

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Keith Barnett says...
7:56pm Wed 14 Nov 12

700 quid a ticket in France???

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Euwan Usami says...
9:48pm Wed 14 Nov 12

Keith Barnett wrote:
700 quid a ticket in France???
Ah... No. ;)
Some of the a french clubs have wage bills ten times higher than the Welsh regions. For the WRU to fund our regions to this level to compete, you would need to increase the income ten fold yeah? The WRU gets it income from internationals.... You with me yet? ;)

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Keith Barnett says...
11:37am Thu 15 Nov 12

Ah I see - you are only proposing to put international tickets up to £700

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Euwan Usami says...
11:18pm Thu 15 Nov 12

Keith Barnett wrote:
Ah I see - you are only proposing to put international tickets up to £700
Yes Keith, that's exactly what I meant. Makes perfect sense that.

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Keith Barnett says...
12:24am Fri 16 Nov 12

Pullin yr leg Euwan - you have a good point

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