WHEN faced by the behemoth that is the Premier League, it’s understandable that rugby should just look after number one in attempting to get the attention of youngsters, but by creeping into the summer months they are putting cricket in serious peril.

Last week the Welsh Rugby Union announced a trial that will see chosen clubs’ mini sections playing in June, July and August.

The governing body hopes that playing in the sun rather than sleet will be a more enjoyable experience for youngsters, while better conditions should also help develop their skills.

A knock-on effect could be clubs bringing in money by using their facilities throughout the year rather than having a summer lull.

“There is no magic wand, but it is vital we keep adapting and looking outside the box in order to keep up with ever-changing societal demands and ensure club rugby remains at the heart of our communities throughout Wales,” said WRU head of rugby participation Ryan Jones.

At this stage it is just an experiment but if successful then rugby for under-7s to under-11s could become a sport played from March to November.

The WRU insist that they are working with other games with the intention of organising multi-sport events, but there will be alarm bells ringing in pavilions throughout the country.

Cricket is a sport that already has to fight hard to increase participation, with Chance to Shine and All Stars Cricket doing fine work to introduce the game to children and show that it’s not a stuffy sport.

It is hard to see how it can benefit in any way from this shift of rugby.

When blue Kwik Cricket stumps are ditched and a hard red ball is taken out, the sport turns into something of an acquired taste and because of that many won’t care a jot about rugby moving onto its territory.

But as a youngster I enjoyed the sporting seasons, playing rugby and football for most of the year and then cricket and tennis in the summer.

I had a crack at most things – basketball, golf, badminton, boules on holiday – and profited from developing all-round sporting skills.

The summer would see a cricket wicket appear in our back garden with me and my brother locking horns – an edge between the crab apple tree and conifer leading to instant dismissal.

The football and rugby ball didn’t get packed away in those sunny months (and it was always a little odd that all goalposts got taken down in the park), it was just that the organised games were at the cricket club.

There was no conflict and no tug of war for my attention. If there had been then cricket would probably have been the loser.

I am sure that the WRU’s intention isn’t to trample over smaller sports in their bid to avoid themselves being dominated by football. I am sure that they will not want to restrict children to playing just one or two sports.

The idea of all sports being able to get along in harmony, sharing facilities and joining forces for wonderful festivals, is a lovely one, yet this move will inevitably lead to clashes and conflict.

If it boosts rugby participation then one fears it will be at the expense of cricket (and tennis, and athletics) rather than providing a joint boost.

And when judging the success of the experiment, will WRU chiefs take into account the impact on other sports? Unlikely if it boosts their own cause.

I’d selfishly love this rugby trial to fail so that other sports are protected but it will inevitably be a hit and a few issues, such as the perils of a hard pitch, will be ironed out in time.

That means that cricket chiefs must not bury their heads in the sand, they must brace themselves for fighting for their territory.

South Wales Argus:

WE will have to wait another week to see Ross Moriarty in a Dragons jersey but the number eight’s June with Wales has whetted the appetite for what is to come.

The 24-year-old’s tour ended on a sour note when he was sent off at the death in Argentina.

There could be no complaints about the dismissal after Moriarty choked Nicolas Sanchez and failed to listen to the demands of touch judge Andrew Brace to let go of the Pumas playmaker.

The back rower felt he had been the victim of a cheap shot and a switch was flicked - don’t make Ross angry, you wouldn’t like Ross when he is angry.

It was an act made all the more frustrating by the timing, with Wales winning comfortably and the clock in the red.

Yes, Moriarty should have turned the other cheek but tranquility is not in his genes and that is why the Dragons have decided to use a large portion of their budget on the back row forward.

Head coach Bernard Jackman was probably going to name another player at number eight in the opening rounds of the Guinness PRO14 anyway, but a disciplinary hearing has taken that decision out of his hands for week one.

That means there will be a chance for somebody else, probably Harri Keddie, to show the sort of physicality, edge and aggression that Moriarty will bring throughout the campaign.

After an injury-hit season with Gloucester it was a huge relief to see the number eight back to his explosive best against the Springboks and Pumas.

He will give the Dragons bite next season, he will be the mad, crazed player that opponents won’t relish tackling or being tackled by.

His choke hold wasn’t ideal but it did emphasise that Moriarty is not a man to be messed with.

The Dragons have needed an enforcer for quite a while and now they have one, he just needs to channel that aggression.