New hope of Euro peace as WRU bid to contract Adam Jones
Instead of signing on the dotted line, the Lions tighthead dropped more than a hint before yesterday’s showdown in Dublin of escaping the demoralising political warfare between the WRU and their four regions.
After another quarrelsome week in Wales of Union claim and Regional counter-claim, a final attempt will be made in Paris this week to solve the crisis over the European Cup. The summit meeting involving all Six Nations and the three domestic Leagues takes place amid new hope of Europe being reunited.
The frenetic diplomatic activity explains why the English Premiership clubs and Welsh regions have delayed a public announcement that they have signed legally-binding contracts to play in an extended 16-club Aviva League for four years starting next season.
A new deal over Europe would make that unnecessary which may explain why Jones refuses to be rushed into accepting a national contract worth more than £300,000-a-year.
Sam Warburton is currently on his own in a Union stable of one. The WRU had hoped to sign five more on central contracts, three of whom have made alternative plans.
While Leigh Halfpenny is heading for Toulon, Alun-Wyn Jones and Scott Williams are staying with their regions despite the fog of uncertainty over next season. The Scarlets are confident that Rhys Priestland will follow Williams by signing a new contract rather than join the Union or Wasps.
Resigned to being out-bid by the Union despite making Adam Jones a substantial offer, the Ospreys fear that Jones, 33 next month, will seek lucrative refuge in France from the domestic conflict.
“There have been so many deadlines and so many meetings,” he said. “Players are stuck in the middle. You don’t actually know the full story from either side. I’m definitely open to the idea of playing in France.”
Jones and the rest of the Ospreys staff have been paid as normal this week after directors guaranteed a bank loan following the decision of the Heineken Cup organisers, European Rugby Cup Ltd, to withhold £800,000 overdue in tournament revenue.
Meanwhile the WRU came under fire from the grass-roots game during the second of the ‘Time For Change’ debates held by former WRU chief executive David Moffett, this one in the Carmarthenshire village of Tycroes.
Mike Wilson, chairman of a timber and builders company in Llanybydder, told the meeting: “We don’t have any leadership at the WRU. They tell the clubs: ‘You are the Union’ when it suits them to say it. They don’t even reply to the letters we send them on various matters.
“You can’t have a debate with the WRU on anything. That’s why the regions are in the state they’re in. The WRU won’t talk to them.
“They are all yes-men and most of them have been there too long. The Unions are hanging on to power. If they are not careful, all the top clubs will break away.”
Moffett, campaigning for a seat on the WRU board, told his audience: “You may well ask: ‘Moffett, what the hell are you doing here? You could be home in New Zealand looking after a few sheep and getting the hay in for the winter’.
“I’m here because I have a genuine passion for Welsh rugby. The WRU as a body has become the laughing stock of world rugby and that’s something that really p****s me off. Instead they should be on top of the world, going for a third Six Nations title in a row.
“They don’t hold any open forums. Why not? Because they might get asked some difficult questions. If I achieve nothing else, I will at least have got people focused on the real issues facing the game.”
PETER JACKSON
