The Welsh Rugby Union has announced changes to youth rugby in Wales, shortening the age range from 16-19 to 16-18 for at least the next four years.
A season with these changes had already been played, partly due to Welsh Government's pandemic regulations which allowed an early return to play for U18s. When that original change was announced for 2020-21, the move was met with fears from many clubs over a "lost generation" of players. However, the WRU has now confirmed that the changes will be made permanent until at least 2026 in a bid to retain young players in the game.
Historically the age range for the youth game in Wales has spanned from 16 to 19 years old, meaning players aged 19 and under were eligible to play alongside and against players who may be due to turn 17 in their current school year. The WRU say their participation figures show the first year of youth rugby after U16s is when many players are lost, something they hope the change will address.
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"Of course we will continue to monitor and review the effects of these changes, but I speak with absolute conviction when I say we believe this is a watershed moment for Welsh rugby," WRU community director Geraint John said. "This move is part of a much wider strategy objective to link up all the strands of our pathway, to increase the percentage of male players that transition from U16s into youth rugby and, in turn, increase the percentage of youth players who are retained in adult senior rugby."
He said the number of players graduating from youth level into the adult game could double after four years with this change.
"The collective aim we all strive for is a vibrant and flourishing production line of committed and competitive talent coming through to the senior adult male game. We have done our research and discussed widely with players, clubs, coaches, administrators and all interested parties throughout the game.
"We surveyed over 9,000 individuals associated with Welsh rugby, both on and off the field, including making direct contact with those involved in the current U16 junior, youth and senior adult male game in Wales and our overwhelming conclusion has been that the numbers don’t lie.
"Our participation figures and the comparisons each year, with each age group, show starkly that the choking point for our pathway is the year after U16 level, the first year of youth rugby. This is where players are lost to the game in their many hundreds and the research confirms what many of us have long suspected, that it is the sudden widening of age-banding which is part of the problem.
"There are of course fluctuations in player retention in other age groups, but between U7s and U16s, where single age banding is in place, player numbers in each age group remain strong. There are still holes in the bucket elsewhere and our work is by no means done, but it is in this first year of youth rugby where we have the opportunity to put our hands on the tap and significantly increase the flow of players coming through."
Of course, with the age range being lowered, that means that 19-year-old players will enter the senior game a year earlier than before. However, John believes the move will help retain players at both the youth and senior levels.
"Our utopia would be single banding, with separate teams running through clubs at U16s, U17s and U18s level," added John. "To achieve that we need more young people playing in Wales and, most importantly, we need to keep them playing. We believe the game will be re-invigorated by this decision from the Community Game Board to such an extent that this utopia could be possible in three or four years’ time.
"We know it’s tough on those players in the community game who are entering what would have been their final year of the youth rugby. We are acutely aware that, for an 18-year-old now they must prepare to enter the adult game, but we are wholeheartedly encouraging clubs to do all they can to retain these players too.
"Hopefully clubs will begin to flood their second or potential third teams with these players, if they don’t feel they are ready to step up to senior first team level, and we think, in the long term, this may be a common theme for the second team game in Wales. We will be doing all that we can to help support clubs in retaining these players and transitioning them through into the adult game.
"It’s been a tough decision, but there is a bigger picture to consider. In the past we have lost players to the game in their hundreds when they jump straight to U19 from U16 level in an average year, but last year actually saw an increase in players registering in the new U16 to U18 banding.
"We know this can be for a variety of reasons, but we are dealing with the one we can affect most directly. If we can improve retention in the first year of youth rugby we can open up the tap on protecting the male pathway in a way that will pay genuine dividends for years to come.
"We know we need to increase committed and competitive players to sustain competitive first and second team fixtures. Youth players can provide the stability to the adult game in the long term and also make second and third teams both sustainable and competitive.
"We make no apologies for stating that our absolute focus at this time is on retention at that first season of youth rugby. We can’t fix everything at once but by doing this we know we are going to have a long-term positive effect on the whole game.
"By the end of the four-year period we have committed to, if the numbers stack up in the way we expect, we could have doubled the number of players graduating from youth level and entering the adult game. That can only be good for everyone in Welsh rugby."
