These are the latest rugby headlines on Monday, August 22.
Williams' solution to 'unholy mess'
Shane Williams has suggested a possible solution to the "unholy mess" that is the restructuring of the Welsh Premiership.
Last week it was announced that the Welsh Premiership is set to be increased from 12 to 14 clubs from the 2023-24 season, with a proposed reduction to 10 teams being rejected. That latter plan was put forward by the WRU executive, including performance director Nigel Walker, but the final decision rested with the WRU Community Game Board, who decided to stick with the expansion plan which was agreed last year.
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Writing in his column in The Rugby Paper, Williams said: "The Community Game Board, which has the WRU Board chairman as its chair, is stuck in the dark ages. Their recent decision-making has taken us back to the bad old days of back of fag packet resolutions and medieval thinking.
"Our aspiring young internationals deserve better than this. They need a system that supports their aspirations and gives them the chance to develop to become the best version of themselves.
"There are lots of examples of future internationals cutting their teeth in the Premiership, but a better competition would be even better for their development. The Community Board Game hasn't closed the door on reducing the numbers in the future, but they have classically kicked the can down the road to the detriment of the game they are supposed to best serve.
"The decision during Martyn Phillips' era as chief executive to push the Premiership into the community game was the first abrogation of the Union's duty and perhaps the best way forward out of this unholy mess is for Nigel and [community director Geraint] John to create a new competition in the professional section of the game and find the money to support the 10 best clubs in a new format.
"At the moment, the Premiership is suffering death by a thousand cuts and isn't being give the chance to thrive. It is a question of rule by the lowest common denominator, rather than higher standards and ambitions being able to properly challenge its clubs, coaches and players.
"The Premiership has the chance to be the tournament that is most needed in the game in Welsh rugby, the proper gateway for young players who want to become the next Alun Wyn Jones, Louis Rees-Zammit or Dan Biggar. It is part-serving that service at present but simply can't do things properly with 14 or even 12 teams."
Plumtree takes up new role after All Blacks axe
Former Swansea coach John Plumtree is back in rugby. Plumtree was recently axed by New Zealand as assistant coach but has now taken up a role with Manawatū in the NPC.
The All Blacks' poor form in recent months saw Plumtree discarded from Ian Foster's coaching ticket, but he has made a swift return to the game and is doing so free of charge.
“He reached out to me to see if he could have a hand in taking the distraction away of the last two or three weeks,” Manawatū head coach Peter Russell told New Zealand outlet Stuff .
“He wanted to get back on the grass and get coaching, because that’s his passion. I’d be bloody stupid if I didn’t [take up his offer]. That’s what you do as coaches. I’ve been through that before. You don’t sit at home in self-pity, you’ve just got to deal with it, and the only way to deal with it is get back on the horse again, no matter what level you get to.
“He hasn’t sort of guaranteed anything over the next couple of weeks, but he will just come in when needed, observe from a distance. We’re really just very privileged to have him on board in that sort of capacity. It’s a real positive for us, and for our level of rugby, that we have someone like him coming back into our environment. He’s also thankful for the opportunity. He just wants to coach. He just wants to keep going and support where he can. It’s fantastic.”
Welsh boss' safety belief
Welsh rugby community boss Geraint John has moved to reassure the grassroots community that everything possible is being done to make the game as safe as it can be in Wales. The Welsh Rugby Union's community director said one of the matters being looked into is when contact is introduced, while ensuring all volunteers have the relevant training is another.
"We're conscious that one of our key strategic aims and key priorities is making sure the game is safe," John said.
"Part of that is making sure the player development pathway from when a youngster starts playing the game at the age of six or seven, right through to 35, has the necessary support and all the resources for all our volunteers to make sure the game is safe.
"With player pathway, for example, there's certain times of the player pathway when they can do contact. We're also looking at when do you introduce contact? Some people may not want to play a contact version of rugby - what are the other offerings as well?"
As for reports that registered players must now tick a box accepting any risk of injury as a condition of registration, John said that is not a reaction to the heightened global awareness of head injuries in rugby but has been there for some time. "That information has been there a long period of time when players register, it's not a reaction from right now," he said. "When they click on those things at registration, it's information, an opportunity for parents to understand what is out there as well."
Courses which have made available to coaches range from introducing contact and tag rugby to tackling technique, while the WRU reports an increase in uptake of first aid courses over the summer. "We've been inundated with our first aid courses this summer, more than ever before, because we're coming back to what we could determine a 'normal' season. We've got a lot of new volunteers so we've had to do a lot of education this year."
As for referees, he added: "It's not just about applying the laws, it's about making sure everybody's safe, they have a duty of care as well in terms of that element."
World Rugby has convened a meeting of community directors in November during the Women's Rugby World Cup to share ideas on pathway, safety and best practice.
"It's a contact sport but our duty as a governing body is to try and make sure that everybody is fit, healthy, safe," he added. "But our aim is a sport that provides the health, wellbeing, camaraderie, our values of the game, friendship, meeting people, that's the key part of our rugby. We've got to still make sure that is maintained. Rugby is a great, fun sport. We've got to make sure we do it safely."
John was speaking at Morriston RFC while visiting one of the WRU’s recently-launched “Fit, Fed, Fun” camps, which are aimed at supporting children and families during the school holidays by targeting kids who would benefit from free meals at the sessions, which also offer rugby and educational activities.
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