Shane Williams column: Pro12 must have all its star players on display

The Guinness Pro12 is in danger of becoming completely over-shadowed if something major is not done to raise its profile. Organisers of the league are doing the right thing by considering a radical shake-up of the competition. Quite frankly, the sooner the better.
The Pro12 has the potential to be a fantastic tournament with world-class players from four different countries. Just look at how many times the Irish have won the European Cup. But things are changing.
This weekend there was not a single side from Wales, Ireland or Scotland in the Champions Cup quarter-finals and only two in the Challenge Cup. We have to look at what the Aviva Premiership is doing right because that competition is as strong as it has been for years and that only makes the Pro12 look worse.
I think there is a general feeling among organisers, coaches, players and fans that something needs to be done to glamorise the competition.
The supporters I speak to who go – or rather, no longer go – to the Liberty Stadium and Parc Y Scarlets have one major complaint and that is the top stars don’t play enough for their clubs.
This competition has more current internationals than any other league. That should make it a fantastic spectacle. But because so many games are played during the Six Nations and autumn internationals, its biggest strength becomes its greatest weakness.
The reality is that spectators paying money for a ticket want to watch the likes of Dan Biggar, Sam Warburton and Taulupe Faletau playing against Johnny Sexton and Stuart Hogg.
With more and more international rugby being played, why would fans fork out even more cash to watch their region’s seconds play?
We don’t see many away fans travelling to games in the Pro12 because of the logistics – and major expense – of travelling between the four countries. So clubs have to do everything they can to attract home fans. The knock-on effect of having the top players would be a rise in the quality of rugby. But right now, it just doesn’t happen enough.
Playing games outside the international windows would help that though it would come at a price.
The regions have been very good at developing young players and bringing through new talent in the league. The benefits of that are seen with Wales U20s winning the Junior Grand Slam and the success of Wales over recent years.
But if the league doesn’t act, it will be seen, especially from those in England and France, as little more than a development competition.
Playing outside the international window would also settle the Italian dilemma.
My old Wales team-mate Tom Shanklin has been among many to suggest it is time to give up on the Italians. The fact that people are also talking about their place in the Six Nations only serves to fuel that fire. But I don’t think kicking them out is the answer.
Treviso and Zebre have the potential to be strong competitors – but only when they have their international players. The league has shown they struggle without them.
However the Italian Rugby Federation really needs to sit down and decide if they are going to commit to the Pro12 because they can’t go on simply propping up the rest of the competition.
In my mind, that is also an argument against including London Welsh and/or London Scottish.
If we’re looking at how we raise the quality of the league, then I don’t see how bringing in two sides from England’s second tier does that.
In fact, it would risk making the competition a laughing stock among the English.
It is obvious to anyone that the real reason behind attracting the Exiles would be to tap into the London-market. That what any business in the UK tries to do to attract some major backing and investment.
But it would take a few years before London Welsh and especially London Scottish are competitive against the likes of Leinster, Ospreys or defending champions, Glasgow Warriors.
To make space for the extra games, the idea of splitting the league into conferences has been discussed. Whatever it takes, I say.