By Shane Williams
IT’S 2018, but I will always remain a rugby traditionalist and that’s why I’m firmly of the belief Cardiff Arms Park has to remain in its current guise moving forward.
The Arms Park is one of Welsh rugby‘s most famous venues and the future of the ground worries me. It would represent a nightmare scenario if the land on which the stadium stands was to be sold off for development and the famous old ground flattened. That can’t be allowed to happen.
This week I was pleased to see a Welsh Rugby Union bid of close to £20m for the Arms Park site rejected by Cardiff Athletic Club, who own the freehold to the land. The WRU’s intentions at the moment are unclear.
What concerns me most is that no-one knows what’s going to happen should the land end up being sold. The WRU aren’t saying anything publically on their plans and that’s a concern.
Anything could happen and what’s vitally important from my point of view is that the Athletic Club, Cardiff Blues and Cardiff RFC are given some assurances over what may or may not happen.
I’m no property lawyer or expert businessman and I’m sure these discussions are complex and cover a wide range of potential options.
I also understand that time moves on, it’s modern-day sport, and we always have to be open to options which can be of benefit to those both on and off the field.
But at the moment there are too many issues muddying the waters and that makes me uncomfortable.
I love the Arms Park and part of the reason I feel so strongly about its future is down to nostalgia. Of course before the Millennium Stadium – now the Principality Stadium – existed, the Arms Park was the home of Welsh rugby and I remember going there as a child. It was amazing.
One of my first memories of the ground was watching a Schweppes Cup final between Neath and Llanelli and then, years later, I was fortunate to run out at the same venue as a player.
I’ve got fond memories of charging around at CAP. It was almost always blowing a gale and every single time it would be a tough game against the Blues. Of that, there was no doubt.
The supporters would be breathing down your neck and the atmosphere was always electric with a good crowd in. To lose that in the regional game would be a real disappointment.
I know the powers that be at the WRU see the Arms Park and the land surrounding it as a highly valuable commercial opportunity. There is no denying that’s the case given its city centre location.
Who knows what will happen next, but my hope is that a compromise can be reached between the Arms Park retaining its historical characteristics and Welsh rugby moving forwards.
The WRU and the four regions are working together better than ever right now and the fact the Blues don’t own the Arms Park site is to their detriment.
Rightly so, the Athletic Club won’t sell on the cheap and my belief is a compromise between all the parties is achievable.
My ideal scenario would be for the WRU to own the Arms Park site, maintain and improve CAP without changing its proud history of heritage, and also support the Blues and Cardiff RFC in their vision for the future. Maybe that’s not realistic, but it’s what I want to see.
The other thing to consider here is that the Blues don’t have the financial resource to build a new stadium elsewhere and Cardiff Arms Park is perfect for them.
Its central location helps bring in supporters. I think the artificial pitch is also to their advantage, and opposition teams always seem to struggle at the venue.
You only have to look at last season to see how the Arms Park works to the Blues’ advantage. It’s a formidable venue and the surface looks to suit the type of attacking rugby they’re trying to play.
To change all that would be to their detriment and my hope is all parties involved can work together to come to an agreeable solution.
In an era when everyone seems to be getting on in Welsh rugby, what we don’t want to do is fall out and go back to square one.
So come on, let’s protect CAP’s invaluable history. To fail to do so would amount to gross negligence on the part of everyone who loves Welsh rugby.
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