Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter has again voiced his support for Welsh teams joining the Gallagher Premiership, saying English clubs need more games.
Last week, WalesOnline reported that Welsh Rugby Union bosses have expressed strong interest in moving two teams from the United Rugby Championship to the Premiership. The English league plans to expand from 10 clubs to 12 in the near future after several sides folded in recent years.
Wasps, Worcester and London Irish all collapsed in quick succession a few years ago, reducing the number of matches English clubs can play. While the RFU and Premiership Rugby's official position is that they are currently focusing on English teams in any future expansion, Baxter again offered his approval to bringing Welsh teams into the fold.
Baxter's call for more games
“There’s no point in me backtracking on what I’ve said in the past,” he said. “We need more teams in the PREM, and it seems like a very simple idea. If it happens, great; if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.
“I know it’s very complex as to why it can’t happen around TV deals and long-standing other contracts. Contractual things are in place.
“But I think everybody, everybody in the sport, knows that we would need more regular games through the season.
“We play through the Six Nations anyway in the PREM Rugby Cup.
“I think probably if there were 12 or 14 teams in the PREM, I don’t think PREM teams would have a problem playing through the Six Nations and the Autumn period. We used to do it.
“Once you know it’s happening and you build a season around that, you get on with it.
“As far as I’m concerned, whatever happens to create more games and a better competition, it would be a positive thing, whether that’s the Welsh teams or another avenue. I would obviously welcome it.”
Talks and legal threat
Welsh rugby bosses have already held talks with English counterparts over the potential to join the Premiership, a move that has sparked a threat of legal action from the URC.
This is not the first time Baxter has backed Welsh teams playing in an English league. Ahead of the season, he told WalesOnline he was in favour of such plans.
“I think an Anglo-Welsh league would be brilliant,” he said in September. “I've been a big advocate of it for years.
“I think we all know clubs are struggling with the amount of games. Welsh clubs seem to be talking about not really wanting to be in the URC, because it's a financial burden.
“It ticks a lot of boxes. Prem clubs want more games. I don't want to talk for Welsh clubs, but they don't seem to really want the travel and disruption that the URC can cause.
“So there's a bit of an ideal nature to it all.”
