It is always fantastic news when we see the game expanding, and you all know I’m all for spreading the word and getting new areas into the games higher levels.
This ones got me asking some questions though….
The BBC is reporting that a South Wales consortium have made a bid to enter a Bridgend-based team in Championship One for the 2010 season.
This is great news, it would be a big boost for the game to have a lower tier Welsh club. it is probably the level that Welsh Rugby League is at at the moment.
The thing that I find interesting is, the current Welsh Super League team, the Crusaders, look like they will probably move north to Wrexham. They have yet to confirm where most of their games next year will be played, much to the dismay of their increasingly bewildered fan base, and the move north really goes against the whole original premise of a South Wales based Super League club.
This new club being set up in Bridgend, you would think there has to be something behind this.
Are the RFL setting up an insurance policy should the Crusaders fall over?
Think about it? In the horrible event that the Crusaders fall over tomorrow, the RFL could offer their Super League license to this new consortium, based where they originally wanted a team, and start with pretty much a clean slate.
You keep your Welsh presence in the top grade, you can leave behind all of the issues the Crusaders have had, it would just make things a lot less messy then if you don’t have a ready made replacement for the Crusaders.
The other possibility is, should the Crusaders simply not be up to scratch the next time Super League licenses come up for renewal, could we see one Welsh team poach the others license?
I applaud the RFL’s push into Wales, they basically haven’t taken no for an answer. I do however think their good will towards the Crusaders has not been rewarded with good management.
Its very easy to get a Championship One strength club together, you just need a bit of money. The next step up to Super League however is a big one, and we have seen that extra pressure take its toll.
If this is the RFL taking out a bit of insurance, good on them. They can’t afford to fail in Wales.
