THANKFULLY there wasn’t a red bus parked outside Principality Stadium with ‘Let’s take back control’ and a slogan on the side pledging to spend £5million on All Blacks and Springboks.

The Welsh Rugby Union yesterday outlined for the first time their takeover plans for Newport Gwent Dragons and now, after months of negotiations in the boardroom, we are getting down to the nitty-gritty.

The big sell has begun in earnest and make no mistake, there is still some work to be done if they are to win hearts, mind and, most importantly, votes.

The past year in politics has made us all a little wary of promises and pledges.

The governing body need 75 per cent of the votes at a Newport RFC shareholders EGM to be held next month if they are to take control of Rodney Parade.

That will be easier said than done and yesterday’s press briefing gave the impression of the WRU making sure that they cannot be accused of not giving professional rugby at Rodney Parade their best shot.

They have outlined their vision and now the fate rests in the hands of others. Now if their rescue package isn’t accepted then they can say they are not the bad guys.

Essentially it comes down to trust and unfortunately for the WRU, and Dragons fans who don’t give two hoots about Newport RFC, there are plenty of folk questioning the wisdom of handing over the keys.

It promises to be a nervy and potentially fractious few weeks leading up to the shareholders’ meeting and if the nightmare last year in politics has shown us anything, it is that fear is a powerful tool.

It will be used on both sides: one will suggest oblivion is around the corner without the go-ahead, the other will warn that a land grab is sure to happen.

Phillips said yesterday that he is a glass-half-full type of man and expressed his excitement about what can be achieved in Gwent.

Alas, the cynical journalist that I am, I’m a glass-half-empty sort and there will always be concerns about what the future holds.

If the go-ahead is given by shareholders and Newport and Gwent are painted over on the regional logo on the walls of Rodney Parade, how long will the WRU give it before they need to see some tangible success?

Contrary to popular belief, there isn’t money sloshing about at Principality Stadium and the governing body have a responsibility to look after the game in Wales, so propping up a failing region isn’t acceptable.

From a selfish point of view I would love regional rugby to continue at Rodney Parade because, while the Dragons do have the tendency to make you want to headbutt the press bench, it is a privilege to cover professional sport.

I would be thrilled if they could turn around their fortunes, but only after covering them so long do you realise just how much needs to be sorted out to get anywhere near the success that will be needed to even tempt the alleged hordes of Gwent fans to come flocking to Newport (and potentially replace those from the city miffed at how things have unfolded).

The Union undoubtedly have the ability to make some swift changes that will lead to quick improvements but this needs to be a long-term project and there has to be a commitment from the capital to showing they are in it for the long haul.

They have an honourable sort as chairman in Gareth Davies, who tried his best to allay some fears.

“We are doing this for rugby reasons,” he said. “I have seen, I’ve read, I’ve heard a lot of nonsense, the fact that this is a property deal, asset-stripping, we are moving to north Wales, we are doing a myriad of things.

“This is a rugby reason. Our strategy is based on four regional professional entities to compete, hopefully successfully, in the various competitions and supply players for the national team.

“This transaction allows the opportunity for the Dragons to consolidate, regroup and develop, and for Newport RFC to continue to play at Rodney Parade.”

The WRU want to be taken at face value but while admittedly there has been a change of regime, there has been an erosion of trust through the years.

They have a few weeks to prove that they are men of their word because I am certainly not the only cynic out there and the Newport shareholders have to consider a doomsday scenario, be it in a few weeks after voting no or a few years after it goes belly-up.

Newport have an awful lot to lose whatever the outcome of the vote and essentially they are being asked to sell their asset for the 72 other clubs in the area.

It’s impossible not to feel sympathy for them and those that are gleeful should consider how they would react if their club was told to sell their clubhouse for professional rugby.

But while the heartstrings will be tugged over the coming weeks, it is undeniably a hazardous situation for sport in Newport.

In politics we have got used to broken promises and downright lying but the perilous plight of rugby at Rodney Parade cannot be dismissed as FAKE NEWS.

It promises to be a testing few weeks for those with the power of the vote. They must weigh up the evidence, ignore how they are painted by some and make whatever decision that THEY feel comfortable with, nobody else.