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Gatland`s cat among Welsh pigeons

Thursday 14th August 2008

Warren Gatland explains the benefits of a fifth nation

Wales coach Warren Gatland has opened the WRU closet and presented Wales' finest skeleton, saying on a radio talk show that he would be all for the introduction of a fifth competitive Welsh rugby region.

The Celtic Warriors were axed in 2003, with the union citing its own financial plight and that of the region as the main reason for the decision. It sparked fury in Wales, with Pontypridd and Bridgend fans now without a region to adopt, and many disgruntled players effectively made redundant and forced to seek rugby elsewhere. The WRU's name was mud.

But with Wales having taken two Grand Slams in the last four years, sponsors seemingly falling over themselves to plough cash into Welsh rugby, and announcement after announcement from the union concerning the vitality of the finances, Gatland is now seeking a little expansion of the pool of talent he has to choose from.

Having repeatedly asked for a reduction in the number of foreign players per team, Gatland now thinks a fifth team would help solve one or two lingering problems: namely that the youngsters coming through from the U20 side are taking too long to taste regular top-level rugby, and his dearth of both opensides and leaders.

"It's something that we and the WRU have got to consider," Gatland said.

"People say it can't work here, but they said that in Australia and look at how it's taken off there," he continued, in reference to the creation of the Brumbies 11 years ago, and the Western Force for 2005.

"When I was back in New Zealand, they were talking about the lack of depth and the number of New Zealand players that have left the country.

"I said to them: 'Imagine only having four Super 14 teams and seven of the players in each team being foreigners. That's what I have got to select the Welsh team from."

Cardiff Blues boss Dai Young backed the idea but with reservations, saying that the fifth team would have to be a developmental one rather than trying to create a fifth competitive side.

"Place our World Cup Under-20 players with it for two years. Somebody like our talented young outside-half David Flannagan, for example, would be a prime example because he could play week in, week out," he said.

"But we have worked hard to be competitive at European level with four teams.

"If we try and dilute that by spreading those players across five regions we are going to have a situation where we are not going to be competitive in the Heineken Cup."