The inaugural season of the United Rugby Championship is heading towards its conclusion, amid a qualification battle both for Europe and the play-offs. So how has it gone with the four South African Super Rugby sides on board and what’s the verdict on the Welsh teams, with all eight of them in the bottom half of the 16-team table? Martin Anayi is the chief executive of the URC and he has sat down with the media to answer the key questions.
Q: How would you assess the situation with the Welsh teams and the way the URC is viewed in Wales?
A: I was down in Swansea visiting the Welsh regions, their chairs and CEOs, two weeks ago. They have got an absolute commitment to being at the top of our table. You have got teams there with budgets that are bigger than the budgets in the English Premiership next season, so money shouldn’t necessarily be a reason for failing. I think there is something else that they need to look at there. I know there are very good discussions going on with Steve Phillips (WRU CEO) about getting funding sorted out for next season and getting a platform for them to build from.
