Wales legend Jonathan 'Jiffy' Davies says he would be part of an interim alternative board to run Welsh rugby if asked. The dual-code icon called upon the current Welsh Rugby Union board to step down last Friday, as pressure builds on them over the plan to cut a professional team in west Wales. Having backed businesswoman Hayley Parsons' call for the board to resign, Davies has now backed her statement on Monday that said the Welsh Government should intervene in the current situation.
Davies open to helping
Davies was appearing on Track Radio on Monday when he was asked whether he would front up an alternative board. "I think that's what Hayley is trying to do now," said the 63-year-old. "Get people with better skillsets than we've got."
"But if I can help, I will. And if Hayley can help, she will. There's a lot of rugby people in Wales who have done far more on the coaching side and administrative side than I have."
"There's lots of people in different sectors who are ready to come in. I think what Hayley wants to get is an interim board and then make sure from there, they get the right people to go on the board."
"If I'm one of them, great, but I doubt I will be one of them. But the point is we've stepped up and said this. I hope a lot more come out and speak their minds."
Backing for Welsh Government intervention
Davies also backed Parsons' call for the Welsh Government to intervene. Davies and Parsons said they had received a warm response since speaking out last week, with Davies even saying on-air that someone had hugged him after he walked into a pub to thank him.
Both also claimed they had been approached by people within the governing body who agreed with them but felt they could not voice that support publicly.
In a statement posted on her LinkedIn, Parsons said: "This is why I am now calling on the Welsh Government to intervene. There needs to be an independent, confidential and anonymous mechanism through which people connected to Welsh rugby can safely share their experiences without fear of repercussions."
Davies backed Parsons' plea to the Welsh Government, saying: "Hayley's the one that started all of this. She's been involved in rugby."
"She loves the game and is also a very successful business lady. She's seen what's happening and is disappointed. I think she's trying to rally the troops everywhere now and calling on the Welsh Government, if they can come in and help... hopefully we can get Welsh rugby back on its feet."
"Hayley knows more on that (whether Welsh Government should intervene on governance) but anything they can do to help the way the game's being run at the moment. There's no trust or transparency, no plan so everyone's in the dark."
"The people running Welsh rugby, they've got no skin in the game. There'll be no consequences if they walk away. We could end up in a worse position in 10 years' time. It's going to take a long time to turn this around. So why wait? Maybe now is the time."
Call for change
He added: "Everyone's really disillusioned with the game in Wales and there's a lack of leadership, trust and transparency. It's been coming from everywhere."
"I spoke to people in the regions, clubs and the grassroots. It was time for someone to say something. If no one else was going to say it, I felt I had to say it."
"I think everybody wants change. I'm not questioning whether it's three regions, two regions, four regions. I just think that at the moment, we're not having good leadership."
"We've become a little bit of a laughing stock in world rugby. And I think this is when strong leadership, good management and forward planning is needed, because if we didn't say it, they'd be in position for another two years."
"It's the time for change. Ultimately Welsh rugby is not in a healthy state and it hasn't been for three years."
