It has been a while since I ventured into the murky world of professional Rugby Union in Europe. My main beef in the past has been how the Murdoch controlled media, in my case The Times, has represented the conflict to their own advantage ie SKY Sports, a Murdoch controlled if not owned TV Company, have the right to European Rugby and BT Sports, a new kid on the block but with a BIG company backing them, have the rights to the English Premiership Rugby Union – so current European Rugby set up Good – proposed English European set up BAD.
The dispute has been about two things control and money, which in truth is all about money, and is the logical outcome of the professionalisation of Rugby Union in the 1990’s. There are many faults on both sides but it is clear that money will win the day in the end over tradition as the clubs pay the players wages rather than the National Unions.
The one final element in this sorry story is that there are only two countries who can fully support a professional Rugby Union structure, France and especially England. The other countries are trying to, by many slights of hand, support professional Rugby but when you see the value of the TV rights in countries other than England and France it soon becomes clear that there really is no monetary value in the professional set up beyond some form of tie up with the England and France. The proposed European set up next year shows just how worthless any product is without England for one very delicate reason – Scotland, Ireland and Wales are in the same market as England – they are not in the same market as France – much as they might wish to think they are. Hence any marketing strategy that doesn’t include the English is going to be significantly less valuable.
Which brings us to this article and how Wales is caught up in the middle of this monumental struggle. Professional Rugby does have value in Wales but the way things are going it would seem that value is stagnating. To make matters worse South Wales has started to establish itself in the English Premier League which means Rugby has to compete against the most successful International sporting organisation in the world – which game would the punter like to see Swansea v Manchester United or Ospreys v Leinster? In truth, I suspect, the only thing that would get real interest is if Ospreys play the Leicester Tigers or Bath or Gloucester. In short, Welsh professional rugby only has a future playing in an Anglo Welsh set up because, well not to a too finer point on it, that is where the money is. Hence the dilemma.
This whole sorry story will only have one winner – Money and those who have the money – England and France will eventually set the terms on which the other professional Rugby set ups are run and controlled and it doesn’t matter how many meetings between national Rugby Unions take place to try and pretend this isn’t the case. One final thought which I think underlines my point. The last World Cup was held in New Zealand, the world power house of Rugby Union, not because it would be a good idea but because it would have been the last time New Zealand could afford to host the tournament. You see there are only 4 million souls in New Zealand, which is small beer and the commercial opportunities aren’t there to support the Rugby World Cup. That is very very sad but the way of the world which, after all, ‘…money makes the world go round, the world go round…’
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/dec/19/rugby-union-wales-deadline-heineken-cup
Simon Marchini
http://www.simonmarchini.co.uk
Simon's Blog 
An interesting take on the European Rugby situation. In my opinion there is maybe one other problem that is happening in the current set up, and that is how the teams qualify for the Heineken Cup, with the Celtic nations getting automatic qualifying spots, accompany that with the fact there is no relegation from the Pro12 league and you realise that the Celtic teams can rest key team members for the Eurpean games without the pressure of relegation looming in the background. That is the big difference between the Celtic nations situation and the Aviva Premiership. An that is why there is need for change. I totally agree with you that in the end it comes down to the money and where it is going to go.
Dan – http://rugbyroots.net/
You are right about the inequalities when comparing the Pro12 to the English and French professional Rugby qualification set up. However this, I feel, is a symptom of the attempt to try and create an even playing field for the Pro 12 teams. I know this sound perverse when many teams, especially the Irish, have in essence two teams one for the Pro12 and one for European rugby, but without the support of the Heineken Cup they just wouldn’t survive. English rugby has in the past and will in the future and the reason for this is money – with the new BT deal they don’t need to play in Europe, certainly in the short term. The other teams do and they especially need the English and to a lesser extent the French. Should the Heineken limp onto the next season it will be a shadow of its former self, I’ve read somewhere that the French might even turn out their B teams for the European games as their own league would take precedents. If this is the case then the whole thing will collapse very quickly indeed – possibly along with much of the professional set up in Ireland and Scotland. This will be very very sad but I think one way or another it was bound to happen given the huge wealth difference between the Pro12 and England and France. This whole sorry affair will probably also kill off the 6 nations as meaningful competition in the not too distant future – another very sad day. We will then be left with autumn test matches as the only real tournament that will mean anything but with most of the players will by then be full time playing in England and France even this will loose it’s special gloss. In short, the Rugby world we know now will be radically different in maybe 5 but certainly 10 years time. I will let other people judge whether that is a good or bad thing.
Great ideas, keep up the blogging!
Dan Higgins – http://rugbyroots.net/