Former Welsh Rugby Union chair Gareth Davies has suggested that Welsh rugby could get the best of both worlds by splitting its four professional teams between the Gallagher Premiership and the United Rugby Championship.
Davies made the comments as the WRU pursues a formal bid to enter Welsh teams into the English Premiership, which is set to expand from 10 to 12 teams. The Rugby Football Union has said it is committed to English expansion, while the URC has threatened Wales with legal action over the move.
Two Teams in Each Competition
Speaking to S4C's Newyddion, Davies outlined a proposal that would see two Welsh sides compete in the Premiership while the other two remain in the URC.
"I think if we can get two teams in the Premiership and maybe two teams carrying on playing in the URC," Davies said.
"There might be an opportunity for the young players to get experience and to develop them. It's an opportunity. There's been an opportunity before and it wasn't taken some years ago."
URC's Position and Legal Threat
Davies acknowledged the complexities of the proposal, noting that the Welsh teams are currently members of another competition and that the situation would need to be handled correctly.
"I think two teams is the best they could get playing in England," he added.
Keeping two teams in the URC may seem unlikely given the league's legal threat, but it could be feasible if the URC is unable to fill the spots. The league is likely to want to maintain its number of teams rather than risk losing fixtures. Throughout the discussions, URC CEO Martin Anayi has appeared committed to the idea of four Welsh teams remaining in the URC.
Cost of Entry
Davies also warned that joining the Premiership would come at a financial cost.
"Maybe there'd be a bit of a cost to enter," he told Newyddion. "I think they'd need a big cheque to buy the shares they'd need to be a part of the league.
"Then we've got to think are we going to be able to spend £40m to play in a competition where everyone else loses money."
