ANOTHER Premiership season has ended with Neath being crowned champions and the usual rumours of comings and goings have been flying around for weeks, but there are signs that the next campaign could be far from the same old story.
It has been an entertaining season, though Newport fans would probably disagree, and it looks like plenty of clubs are ready to push the Welsh All Blacks a bit closer next term with Cardiff, Pontypridd, Swansea and Ebbw Vale all having battled to the end for runners-up spot.
And with the WRU attempting to improve the standard of the league in a bid to help nurture the young talent, it could be an interesting battle 2008-9.
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But it would be unfair to suggest that clubs haven't been trying to develop the talent in their ranks and some of the best games took place when the greener members of squads were given chances towards the end of the campaign.
To that end the Premiership is doing its job and the likes of Rhys Jenkins and James Thomas will be learning a hell of a lot from experienced flanker John McPhail at Eugene Cross Park, similarly young props Nathan Buck and Dan Preece from Craig Gould and Brendon Fisher at Keys and lock Adam Frampton under the wings of Mark Workman and Matthew Veater at Rodney Parade.
But where the division shoots itself in the foot is the price some clubs are putting on the experience. When the likes of Newport's Veater and Neil Edwards at Ebbw Vale, while still excellent players, are being chased by teams with big chequebooks there is a problem.
And sometimes you are left to wonder what would have happened had players not been tempted by the big move -wing/centre Ryan Howells shone this season after swapping Rodney Parade for the Arms Park but he would probably have featured for the Dragons if he had stayed put, and it is certainly hard to see him breaking into the Blues set-up.
There is no doubt that there are plenty of players in the top flight that are capable of shining in regional rugby. The likes of Leon Andrews, Lloyd Burns and Simon Hunt certainly wouldn't look out of place in the Magners League.
Any spectator at Premiership games knows that there can be some cracking encounters. However, it is hard to argue that the step up from the top flight to regional rugby is too big and that's where the decision to allow more professional players to drop down to the league will help.
But equally there needs to be a change in attitude and players must WANT to impress at the clubs they are sent to. Aled Thomas has his critics when playing for the Dragons but nobody could call into question his approach to playing for Cross Keys, while other players have looked like they are going through the motions.
And then there is the problems of how many clubs are fed by a region.Pontypool's promotion means the Dragons, with the least resources, will be sending their players out in five directions while the Scarlets only spread their talent between Llanelli and Llandovery.
There's a nice situation to welcome team manager Jim McCreedy's successor.
Posted by: Exiled In Dorset, Poole Dorset on 12:01pm Fri 9 May 08
Aled Thomas just wasn't good enough to play in the Magners league. His "headless chicken" approach to the No10 position was poor. Compare him to Jason Tovey who made his debut earlier this month v the O's and they are poles apart, with Tovey looking an excellent prospect.
With the Dragons sending players out in five directions for the Premiership next season, I would have thought that would be more of a benefit than a hinderence. Players will get more match time keeping them just that bit sharper.
Aled Thomas just wasn't good enough to play in the Magners league. His "headless chicken" approach to the No10 position was poor. Compare him to Jason Tovey who made his debut earlier this month v the O's and they are poles apart, with Tovey looking an excellent prospect.
With the Dragons sending players out in five directions for the Premiership next season, I would have thought that would be more of a benefit than a hinderence. Players will get more match time keeping them just that bit sharper.
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