Welsh rugby bosses have called for change in how the professional game is run.
It comes at a time when the regions are enduring another tough season, which is at odds with the success of the national side during last year's Six Nations.
There are no Welsh sides in the knockout stages of the Champions Cup and they have lost all 11 games that they have played.
It paints a bleak picture of the game underneath Test level amid growing apathy amongst fans and a sense that things can't carry on like they are.
Dean Ryan, director of rugby at the Dragons - owned by the WRU - says a root and branch review of how the game is set up here is needed.
He adds that the five entities - the four regions and the national side - need to have a joint strategy for success.
“There are lots of ways to look at being more effective with the resources that we’ve got but that requires an overarching strategy that we’re all working towards," says Ryan.
“That’s not been the case. There are a number of working groups trying to find what those answers are but unless you have an overarching direction that binds all five entities together, it’s going to become very difficult.
“What we’ve got is a number of regions that are all trying to be successful in their own situations.
“We’ve got a relationship with a governing body that imparts most of the funding.
“If now, with the challenges we face, is the moment that aligns people then that would be a great outcome for Welsh rugby.”
Asked what specifically needs addressing, he added: “There are many things and I don’t think I’d do it justice to try and answer it here.
“Funding gets the headlines but I don’t think that’s the only part. The effective use of resources, the pathways to competitive experiences – there are so many subjects.
“To be fair, many of them are talked about and I’ve been in a number of meetings where they have been discussed.
“But there has just never been a strategy that has bound us all together. I think it would be wrong to cherry pick a situation. It is multi-layered and it requires an overall review to be able to work forward.
“But to continue in a situation where five entities are bumping into each other is just not common sense.
“It’s got no chance of being as effective as everyone would desire.”
The regions were set up in 2003 with the purpose of regularly dining at European rugby's top table.
But in the last decade, the Scarlets are the only side who have reached the knockout stages of the premier competition.
In that time, Wales have won two Grand Slams and a further two Six Nations titles. It's led to concerns that the structure of the professional game here is too heavily-weighted in favour of the national side, at the regions' expense.
So while Wales are enjoying some of the most successful periods in the team's history, the domestic game is struggling.
“Any time you focus on one part, you’re going to neglect other parts and the game and Wales needs all parts working well," Ryan added.
“As it moves forward, it will need competitive sides to create competitive experiences and stepping stones to international rugby.
“The moment you shine a light on one fifth of an area, you’re neglecting others.
“Wales needs the regions and the regions need Wales. We need to find that overarching strategy that binds us all together.”
Cardiff Rugby boss Dai Young, who has vast experience of the game here in Wales as both a player and a coach, also waded in.
He feels Wales' success has masked the system's deficiencies and isn't hopeful of much change as long as the nation is successful in the Test arena.
“It seems to me that Wales doing really well papers over the cracks a bit," Young said.
"The only way that things will change is if Wales don’t do well, which none of us want.
“We seem to be rolling on exactly the same because we have had success with Wales.
“Everybody understands it’s not an easy or quick fix, but something does have to change really and there are people tasked with that job of looking how to change for the better.
“I am sure that is something that is talked about but talking needs to be taken into actions really. I haven’t heard of any actions that is going to be taking place in the medium or long term really.”
Young is in his second spell in charge at the Arms Park, having previously been at the helm from 2002 to 2011.
“In my first stint here, the regions were far more competitive then than they have been over the last number of seasons," he said.
“We had some great teams and all regions were more competitive than they currently are.
“That hasn’t happened overnight. It has happened over the last three or four seasons.
“I was listening to some of the commentators and pundits over the weekend saying how little Welsh rugby regions have finished in the latter stages of any competitions over the last couple of seasons.
“So it’s doom and gloom, but is it a surprise? I am not sure if it is really, to be honest.
“Everybody understands there are bigger issues that probably need to be addressed if we are going to be competitive.”
Young continued: “Having been here 12 months now, this is the longest I have spent talking about regional rugby.
“What I mean by that is from week one since I walked in the door, every question you get asked is about Wales. Is so and so going to be fit for Wales? Do you think he should be in the Welsh squad?
“There is a big emphasis on the national team and everybody has that focus.”
A conundrum is the elite 38. This is a list of players drawn up by Wales boss Wayne Pivac every year. It is essentially a number of players he believes will be a mainstay in the national side. You can read more about how it works here.
The more of those players a region has, the more money they get in payments from the WRU. In turn, 80 percent of the wages of those players is covered in payments from the Union and the other 20 percent comes from the regions' other income streams.
But the word payment is important because it is for services provided. Those players, who are developed within the regions, are then available to Wales for all international activity and are not required to be released if they are unused by Wales.
This was particularly pertinent in the last 18 months because of the increased number of Test matches and the fact that the WRU didn't make their regular payments. They took out a loan to cover it, which has to be repaid by the regions, but they still had full access to the players.
Take Liam Williams, for example. Since re-joining the Scarlets in 2020, he has played in six out of a possible 33 matches for the region due to injury and international call-ups. In that time, he has played two Tests for the Lions and 11 matches for Wales.
In short, the regions are playing a lot of matches without their top stars. That makes it difficult to win or generate interest.
“When resources are as challenged as ours are, you’re looking at whether you improve the quality of your first choice," said Dragons boss Ryan.
“But you look at the availability of the national 38. There’s a huge amount of money that is assigned to that [and those players] don’t play a huge amount of games for us either through injury or whatever.
“Then we have to look at disrupted seasons like we have now, where we’re playing huge amounts of games outside of the national 38 windows, which challenges the group that is in behind.
“It’s not easy and there’s not an easy answer."
Meanwhile, the Irish provinces have been enjoying massive success for a prolonged period.
And, while the national side has not won as much silverware, they have still pulled off memorable victories over all the games major nations, including the All Blacks.
Cardiff boss Young feels it has more to do with the funding of the professional game being prioritised by the IRFU.
In Wales, over 300 amateur clubs have influence over decisions that impact the professional entities and the grassroots funding of £11.8 million is ringfenced.
That, in turn, has led to calls for the governance of the professional and amateur game to be completely separated.
“They put a lot more money into the pro game and that is a conscious decision," Young said of how Irish rugby is run.
“More money goes into the pro game and less goes into the community game and other parts.
“That’s fact. They made a decision a number of years ago to put more money into the pro game, as they felt that was the best with Irish rugby and they started with Leinster.”
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