Welsh Regions Set To Go To Court

The argument over player availability in Wales continues to roll on after it emerged that the four rugby regions are set to take the Welsh Rugby Union to the High Court ahead of Wales’ first autumn Test.

Regional Rugby Wales claim the WRU have not been granted permission for player release for Wales’ New Zealand game.

The 7th November fixture is outside the International Rugby Board’s window and RRW, the regions’ umbrella group, was granted an emergency hearing on Friday.

The WRU won a similar legal battle over player-release in November 2008. Then the row centred over player release for Wales’ first November Test with world champions South Africa in Cardiff – a Test that was also outside the IRB window.

The WRU successfully took the regions to the High Court and the union said at the time: ‘Judge Havelock Allen QC recognised the Test match is the most important factor, not the politics.’

It had been hoped a new participation agreement would settle these and other matters between the union and the regions but RRW claims ‘despite months of protracted talks, at which very little has been achieved, a revised participation agreement has yet to emerge.’

But a WRU statement said: ‘The WRU is very surprised at the suggestion that the negotiations between the WRU and the four Regional organisations have, in reality, not only stalled, but failed.

‘Since negotiations have proceeded in good faith since the four Regional Organisations elected to renew the existing Participation Agreement for a further five years from 1 June, 2009.
 
‘Indeed at the last meeting on June 12, 2009, a further meeting was arranged for 17 July to discuss the very topics which the Regions refer to in their Press statement.

‘The Regions have not advised the WRU that the July 17 meeting is not proceeding as planned.

‘In relation to player release this is governed by the Participation Agreement which has been renewed in return for substantial payments.

‘It provides for greater player release than under IRB Regulation 9. Regulation 9 gives basic release for which the WRU would not have to make any payment.

‘So far as the fourth Autumn international against New Zealand is concerned the WRU’s right to stage this is enshrined in the Participation Agreement.

‘Given the problems which the WRU faced in relation to last seasons Autumn international it was felt prudent to ask the Regions to set forward any contrary view on the WRU’s entitlement and this was therefore raised on 5 February, 2009.’

But in a statement, The RRW also accuses Welsh rugby’s governing body of not wishing to entertain a formalised partnership’ and claim the WRU ‘will not enjoin in any structured and binding partnership with Regional Rugby Wales’.