By Paul Jones
The back door entry into the Heineken Champions Cup for the Welsh regions is set to close next season.
The Scarlets, Ospreys, Dragons and Cardiff have all had the opportunity to qualify for Europe’s top tier tournament by winning the Welsh Shield – a contrived competition amongst themselves – but that route now looks over.
URC chief Martin Anayi has confirmed the likelihood that Champions Cup qualification will revert to a meritocratic basis from next season, after pressure from the Irish provinces led to calls for the geographical criteria to be scrapped.
It means Welsh sides will need to rapidly improve and make the top eight, otherwise there will be no Welsh presence in the main tournament.
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This season, the top eight included all four Irish sides, three from South Africa (Stormers, Bulls and Sharks) and Glasgow.
Cardiff finished 10th but usurped top eight South African side Sharks, as they won the Welsh Shield as the highest placed region.
For the first two United Rugby Championship seasons, there were Welsh, Irish, Scottish/Italy and South African shields where the four winners would be guaranteed a Champions Cup place even if they finished outside the top eight in the final URC table.
“The way it works now is we take the four geographical shield winners and next four highest placed sides in the league, and we did that because we wanted a broad range of teams in the Champions Cup,” said Anayi.
“There was quite a vocal objective to that within some of our stakeholder groups who didn’t want that. They said they would go with that for a two-year period and then we would review this summer.
“Unless it is unanimous to continue as we are, we will revert back to a straight meritocracy.”
The first of our season reviews – looking at the Welsh Shield winners @Cardiff_Rugby – Everything from eggs to Sharks to Suspensions – what a season!https://t.co/oQP8I46gIl
— WRRAP Podcast (@WRRAPodcast) May 11, 2023
However, struggling Welsh regions are in danger of being cut further adrift under these proposals.
Anayi revealed there are discussions with Welsh chief executive Nigel Walker and chair Malcolm Wall, to discuss the ongoing crisis, but he concedes it could take some time to see an upswing in fortunes.
“They are going to give us a lot more detail about how is this going to work and the plan,” he said, confirming the likelihood that Welsh representation will remain at four teams, despite threats to cut the Dragons.
“I think they see it as an opportunity to bring through the next generation of players in Wales.
“They feel like they’ve got a very strong generation to come through, and they need the opportunity to play.
“Personally I like that, and I think there’s a good opportunity to do that post World Cup.
“With regards the comparison with the Irish we don’t have oversight over how much they spend but just looking at their squad make-up it’s to retain Irish talent in Ireland, rather than bringing in foreign imports which cost a lot of money.
“They do do that but very selectively, maybe three a season, and they do that really well.
“In Wales the opportunity is there to do that, to invest in Welsh players in Wales, and keep them in Wales.
“There’s some reason to be hopeful in Wales I believe.
“What we as a league would love to see is at least one of those teams do what Glasgow have done this year, and challenge at the top end of the competition.
“I really do believe that is possible, even in the short-term, because you’ve got talent in Wales to retain and build off that basis.
“It will be challenging because they will reduce the cost base but I think they have to do that to ensure they can be sustainable and grow again.”
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Despite the financial crisis in Wales, the loss of Wasps and Worcester in England, ongoing troubles in London Irish and the liquidation of former PRO14 side Southern Kings, Anayi believes the Union-owned URC can resist meltdown.
“We, as a league, are union-owned and the unions of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Italy and South Africa effectively, the technical word is ‘procure’, but they govern the entry of clubs and should they get into financial difficulties, the union is there to step in and make sure they are funded so that’s a protection that the URC have.
“It doesn’t mean they don’t have financial concerns and issues, the financial impact of Covid is still with us and they are trying to build back.
Anayi, who is also a board member of Champions Cup organisers EPCR, also hinted that they are close to agreeing to replace the convoluted conference system and make a return to the familiar pool stages.
However, with French clubs not convinced about reinstating a nine-week competition – with six games in four-team pools followed by three knock-out stages, there may still be some hurdles to overcome.
“We’re pushing for playing everybody in the pool home and away, other than a team in your competition,” he said.
“That’s a transitional period in the last year of the TV deal. I think that’s favoured by our broadcasters, the return to the pool, with a view to the following season we do a more comprehensive change where we focus on pools.
“Whether we go to eight or nine weekends is an on-going conversation. The Premiership and the URC feel that a nine-weekend format worked pretty well but in France we might have some issues. But the conversations are very live.”
The URC also confirmed that next year’s third series will begin on October 20- 22, the same weekend as the World Cup semi-finals.
Ahead of this weekend’s semi-finals, it has been confirmed that the 2023 Grand Final will kick off at 5.30pm on Saturday May 27.
That will be held at the designated venue of the highest ranked team who reaches the decider. Should number one ranked Leinster defeat Munster the Grand Final will be held in Aviva Stadium.
Were Leinster to lose it opens the door to either DHL Stormers (No 2) or Munster (No 5) to host the Grand Final in either Cape Town or Limerick, respectively.
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