I mentioned the possibility of a west Wales merger to a friend from Burry Port last week. It would never happen was his firm response. Well here it is. Why? Ospreys completely broke? Dragons have finance? WRU own RP. Ospreys rent a football stadium? Who knows? It is a surprise I think. But the fact that the WRU attempted to merge Ospreys with the Blues seems to show that they see Ospreys as the problem, not the Dragons.

It is good for County that Dragons will carry on but a merger of the Blues with the Dragons would be very bad for us if they want to use RP. The loyalty to the city of Newport and its sports teams would be much watered down in that case.

I've said before and I'll say it again, County should put a financing plan together to buy RP when the chance comes. We've currently got £1m from the cup run as a down payment.

The chairman of the Ospreys resigned today and bitterly criticised the mismanagement of the WRU. New chairman wants a review of everything that has happened including the WRU's conflicting interests ( a reference to their ownership of the Dragons ?). It's not over yet, the warfare continues.

I don't follow rugby, either at club or international level, so this post comes from a position of ignorance, but also a position of disinterested detachment.

Surely the lesson of the last 15-odd years is that imposing synthetic regional teams with no history onto large, amorphous geographical areas doesn't work. People identify with their local city or large town, in a way that they don't with a "regional" outfit miles down the road - especially when that outfit only ever plays at a stadium in the biggest city / town in the region anyway! It's bad enough in Gwent, but it has demonstrably been a non-starter in North Wales where people from Ynys Môn are not going to travel all the way to Wrecsam for home games.

Likewise, three our four big regions from Wales playing in a hotch-potch league with equivalent clubs from Scotland, NI, Eire, and various European countries doesn't make sense to me. I can drive a few hours up the road to watch Newport County play away in the Midlands and be back for dinner - but to watch the Dragons away would clock up a lot of air miles and probably cost me a marriage!

Wouldn't it be in the interests or the WRU and their counterparts from Scotland, NI and England to have a proper league structure for all four home nations, with promotion and relegation, based on teams located in (and drawing support from) large urban centres?

Someone tell me why that wouldn't work, beyond the narrow self-interest of the different organisations involved!

Kairdiff Exile wrote:I don't follow rugby, either at club or international level, so this post comes from a position of ignorance, but also a position of disinterested detachment.

Surely the lesson of the last 15-odd years is that imposing synthetic regional teams with no history onto large, amorphous geographical areas doesn't work. People identify with their local city or large town, in a way that they don't with a "regional" outfit miles down the road - especially when that outfit only ever plays at a stadium in the biggest city / town in the region anyway! It's bad enough in Gwent, but it has demonstrably been a non-starter in North Wales where people from Ynys Môn are not going to travel all the way to Wrecsam for home games.

Likewise, three our four big regions from Wales playing in a hotch-potch league with equivalent clubs from Scotland, NI, Eire, and various European countries doesn't make sense to me. I can drive a few hours up the road to watch Newport County play away in the Midlands and be back for dinner - but to watch the Dragons away would clock up a lot of air miles and probably cost me a marriage!

Wouldn't it be in the interests or the WRU and their counterparts from Scotland, NI and England to have a proper league structure for all four home nations, with promotion and relegation, based on teams located in (and drawing support from) large urban centres?

Someone tell me why that wouldn't work, beyond the narrow self-interest of the different organisations involved!

The reasoning for change in the first instance was that the "talent" was spread too thinly amongst 12 teams, so by switching to 5 regions (initially, before The Celtic Warriors were killed off) Welsh rugby could compete better on the European stage. Establishing a region in North Wales makes little sense if it is at the detriment of a region in the South Wales heartland.

My personal view is that the weakest of the regions should be sacrificed if one is to go, but the counter-argument is that the Dragons Academy are producing the best youngsters at the moment which could be lost if they were forced to move to further their progress. If the WRU want to create a North Wales entity then perhaps the sensible way to do so is to create a development region that is solely funded locally. If the desire is there they will survive, if not they will fail.

Slightly off topic but....https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/20 ... ty-ground/

A couple of quick points :-

Ospreys have just put out an official statement saying that they will not merge with the Scarlets.

I understand that the Dragons region has the largest number of rugby clubs and therefore votes in WRU elections of any region.

The Professional Rugby Board has come out now and said the opposite!!!

It has hit the fan. Our future is at the mercy of these numpties. We need to make some kind of move. Flynny's training ground may have to wait, this cash injection may be needed elsewhere.

How much is RP worth?...

If someone wanted to buy it and knock it down for housing, how much would they need to pay?
If someone wanted to buy it and give it to Newport County as a football stadium, how much would they need to pay?

The pitch already looking worse for wear yet Wales women are to play on it two days before our game against Tranmere. Ridiculous.

newgroundrodney wrote:How much is RP worth?...

If someone wanted to buy it and knock it down for housing, how much would they need to pay?
If someone wanted to buy it and give it to Newport County as a football stadium, how much would they need to pay?

How much is RP worth if the council refuse to let anyone knock it down and build on it? They can earn a heap of goodwill for no cost.

As for RP itself? Jeez. If the WRU paid £3.75m for the whole site plus the new pitch (100k?) so £3.85m. Dare say half?

Swindon paid £2.2m for the County Ground. 15,000 all seater. Dare say RP £1.5m?

Papski wrote:

newgroundrodney wrote:How much is RP worth?...

If someone wanted to buy it and knock it down for housing, how much would they need to pay?
If someone wanted to buy it and give it to Newport County as a football stadium, how much would they need to pay?

How much is RP worth if the council refuse to let anyone knock it down and build on it? They can earn a heap of goodwill for no cost.

As for RP itself? Jeez. If the WRU paid £3.75m for the whole site plus the new pitch (100k?) so £3.85m. Dare say half?

Swindon paid £2.2m for the County Ground. 15,000 all seater. Dare say RP £1.5m?

Where did you see the figure of £2.2M?.....seems very cheap to me.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47460890

Plus looking on their forum, it was valued this time 2 years ago at £1.1m!

From 2017 - The low asking price is understood to take into consideration the Trust’s community status, the dilapidated state of the existing stadium and the covenant that stipulates the land be used for recreation purposes only, put in place by the Goddard family.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/new ... ty_Ground/

Papski wrote:https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47460890

Plus looking on their forum, it was valued this time 2 years ago at £1.1m!

From 2017 - The low asking price is understood to take into consideration the Trust’s community status, the dilapidated state of the existing stadium and the covenant that stipulates the land be used for recreation purposes only, put in place by the Goddard family.

Ok, interesting that. So 5000 fans at £200 each would probably do it, if the club can come up with their half.
I wonder whether County could raise that kind of amount if the opportunity came up to buy RP.

Papski wrote:https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47460890

Plus looking on their forum, it was valued this time 2 years ago at £1.1m!

From 2017 - The low asking price is understood to take into consideration the Trust’s community status, the dilapidated state of the existing stadium and the covenant that stipulates the land be used for recreation purposes only, put in place by the Goddard family.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/new ... ty_Ground/

Are covenants set in concrete though?....

I would also assume Newport RFC have most of their £600k from the sale of RP. They're gonna have to start paying rent in the next 8 years if RP is still there.

Assuming the worst of course.

And pass on the covenants, but i assume the council can say no. At a minimum they could do that.