{"id":16356,"date":"2012-12-14T12:34:27","date_gmt":"2012-12-14T12:34:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jomec.co.uk\/altcardiff\/?p=16356"},"modified":"2015-10-07T10:45:26","modified_gmt":"2015-10-07T10:45:26","slug":"in-depth-welsh-rugby-needs-to-try-harder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jomec.co.uk\/altcardiff\/active\/in-depth-welsh-rugby-needs-to-try-harder","title":{"rendered":"In depth: Welsh rugby needs to try harder"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

The Cardiff Blues' home ground, Cardiff Arms Park, has a capacity of 12,000 compared to the 75,00 strong Millennium Stadium next door<\/p><\/div>\n

Fears are growing that if problems in regional Welsh Rugby Union are not resolved, the national side\u2019s recent poor performances will become a regular sight.<\/p>\n

Confidence was high in the Wales dressing room at the start of the Autumn Internationals. Wales achieved a top four finish at the World Cup and another Six Nations Grand Slam. Captain Sam Warburton confidently expected<\/a> to defeat Argentina, Samoa, New Zealand and Australia at the Millennium Stadium.<\/p>\n

Now Wales are coping<\/a> with a humiliating whitewash and seven-match losing streak.<\/p>\n

The tenth anniversary of replacing the club-based system with regions approaches but problems with Cardiff Blues<\/a>, Ospreys<\/a>, Scarlets <\/a>and Newport Gwent Dragons<\/a> are reaching crisis point.<\/p>\n

Is this threatening national performances? The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is so concerned a Professional Regional Game Board has been created<\/a> to oversee and judge regional impact.<\/p>\n

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The Welsh Rugby Union is responsible for the running all aspect of rugby in Wales: including almost 300 clubs, the regions and the national side<\/p><\/div>\n

BBC commentator Eddie Butler says, \u201cUntil now, the Wales squad have managed to divorce regional from international form, but there\u2019s no denying the creeping advance of routines and habits from below.\u201d<\/p>\n

Au revoir<\/strong><\/p>\n

Arguably the predominant problem is the loss<\/a> of players to big-money clubs, particularly in France. Dan Lydiate<\/a> is the latest to join the exodus and Toby Faletau may be next.<\/p>\n

The French exodus:<\/strong><\/p>\n