‘TOGETHER Stronger’, the catchphrase adopted by the Football Association of Wales in the build-up to the Euros and retained for their push for the World Cup, is just as appropriate in Welsh rugby.

It was a mantra that was key to Newport Gwent Dragons, the Ospreys, Cardiff Blues and the Scarlets surviving when they were being starved by the Welsh Rugby Union in 2013.

In the scrap to secure a fresh participation agreement it would have been easy for one of them to split given the financial uncertainty but they realised that they had strength through unity.

That policy led to them being content enough to sign the current accord There has since been a change of regime at the head of the governing body – then Dragons chief executive Gareth Davies is now WRU chairman – but the mantra remains the same for the four pro clubs, who used to refer to themselves as regions in the midst of the civil war.

In fact, it’s no longer finding strength as four, it’s increasing trying to build as a five while retaining all-important independence.

That is particularly the case when it comes to on-field matters; in the past there has too frequently been a disconnect between the pro clubs and national team.

Now there is the realisation that the former doing well is essential if a golden period for Wales on the Test stage is to continue.

Frankly that seems blindingly obvious but some past policies were short-term, giving the impression of ‘Test rugby pays the bills, sod everything else’.

But since the summer tour to New Zealand there has been an acceleration in the bid to collaborate and pool resources.

The four teams are working with the WRU to develop a Welsh model for success – this is not about copying New Zealand, England, South Africa, whoever. What works there won’t necessarily work here.

There have been a number of changes that have been easy to make swiftly.

Wales Under-20s boss and WRU skills coach Jason Strange has been helping out the Dragons one day a week since pre-season, a move that will help the Rodney Parade side but also aid the development of the former Ebbw Vale supremo.

They have also welcomed the international management team – Rob Howley, Shaun Edwards, Robin McBryde, Neil Jenkins – to Ystrad Mynach for training sessions.

That is nothing new as a practice but now things appear to be a little less ad hoc. Howley is with the Ospreys and Dragons one week, the next is in Llanelli and with the Blues.

At the end of last season the quartet conducted a review with the national management and by all accounts it’s very much a healthy, two-way process.

When it comes to data the four clubs have always shared the performances of their players with the Wales coaches but now they have opened that up; Dragons flanker Ollie Griffiths no longer just has Nic Cudd as a comparison but Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric and James Davies.

That neatly sums up the ambition – cooperation yet also competition.

What we don’t want is four clones and all parties have been careful to ensure that the collaboration isn’t at the expense of independence.

Nobody is being served with an edict by Warren Gatland; Kingsley Jones, Danny Wilson, Wayne Pivac and Steve Tandy have total autonomy.

There are certain things that will be shared and plenty that will be held back but there are some common themes (the hot topic at the moment is improving basic skills and the desire to play a more expansive game) that will serve everybody well.

The same applies commercially; these are five very different businesses and must make their own calls while also working together when appropriate.

Some may not like it, but these are five entities that are here to stay. Cooperation is key and thankfully there now appears to be a relationship at the top that can allow the quintet to try and flourish.

South Wales Argus:

THERE was frustration, if not anger, in the voice of the Newport Gwent Dragons coach as he talked about how they felt they were in with a shout of retaining one of their star names only for him to pen a big-money deal in France.

They believed that they could have retained the services of one of Wales’ World Cup heroes had they been backed a bit more by the national management.

Instead, in 2012 Aled Brew left Rodney Parade and signed for Biarritz.

In fairness to Warren Gatland he couldn’t just offer empty promises and his departure had minimal effect on Wales, who by then had turned to Alex Cuthbert to play alongside George North and Leigh Halfpenny.

But with hindsight it was the continuation of a slippery slope for the Dragons; five of their players made it to the semi-finals with their country in 2011 but at the start of the next season Lloyd Burns had retired, Luke Charteris had left for Perpignan, Brew had gone to the Parc des Sports Aguiléra and Dan Lydiate was in talks to head to France. Only Taulupe Faletau remained.

Brew’s departure back then was certainly more high profile than the winger’s exit earlier this week and it needs reiterating just how good Brew was, and hopefully how good he can still be.

The coach four years ago that I mentioned above was Darren Edwards and the former scrum-half played a major role in bringing the nine-times capped winger to Bath on trial.

The hope will be that the magic is still there and Brew’s power certainly fits the bill for the West Country side, who regularly field Matt Banahan and Semesa Rokoduguni out wide along with the more elusive Anthony Watson.

If he does rediscover a scoring touch that has deserted him – he has crossed for just one try in professional rugby since leaving in 2012 – then there will be questions asked about why things didn’t work out again at the Dragons.

When Brew scored 16 tries in 2010/11 he was dangerous whenever the ball came his way with his pace, power and footwork while his link-up with the left peg of Jason Tovey was a constant threat.

It seemed that Perpignan was going to be his destination when he starred against them at the Stade Aimé Giral but, despite the Dragons feeling they were making progress in talks, it was Biarritz where he landed.

Speak to Brew and he will tell you ‘je ne regrette rien’ despite the former European heavyweight struggling and eventually suffering relegation from the Top 14.

He got to play alongside genuine legends in Imanol Harinordoquy, Dimitri Yachvili and Damien Traille and he insists his game developed, even if possession didn’t venture out wide as often as he and Takudzwa Ngwenya would have liked.

Prior to the 2013/14 season I rang him and he apologetically asked to ring back later as he was with the kids on the beach, so it wasn’t exactly a disastrous move in terms of culture or life experience either.

There was great excitement when he returned to Rodney Parade. Alas, it didn’t quite work out under Lyn Jones and a number of niggling injuries meant the winger wasn’t the Brew we knew from the first and second spells in Newport.

But Brew is a genuine good guy and a Dragons great. Nobody will begrudge him success in England after the joy he has provided out wide.