Dean Ryan has added his voice to the great debate over the crisis facing Welsh rugby saying the regional chiefs have been left to undertake a firefighting mission amid a lack of much-needed change.
The Dragons boss was speaking in the wake of comments from his Cardiff counterpart Dai Young who revealed the four head coaches told the WRU what was needed to make the teams more competitive as long ago as last summer.
“I have read some of the things that have been said, particularly Dai speaking,” said Ryan. “As directors of rugby, we have been feeding in opinions and the WRU is very lucky to have people like Dai feeding that information in to the space.
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“We had probably one of the most fruitful conversations I have had about Welsh rugby when all the directors of rugby got to together and we produced the paper that went to the PRB and WRU. We have never spoken since and we are left to firefight in the situation we find ourselves in.”
The problems facing the game have come under even closer scrutiny in the wake of Wales’ shock Six Nations defeat at home to Italy last weekend. You can read a detailed analysis of the issues here.
“It’s not a game against Italy that’s the catalyst. That catalyst has been there for a long time,” said Ryan.
“What’s happening in Academies, what’s happening in regional rugby, what’s happening financially, what’s happening with talent movement or how we support international rugby is something we all need answers to. We are sat here in very difficult positions where we are seeking those answers. As Dai said, we still don’t know what our money is next year. We know at the Dragons that there has been investment up to £10m in other regions more than us over the last five years.
“Someone at some stage needs to join up some of the parts and say this is the direction we are seeking to go. I don’t mind what it is, but people have to start telling us where we are heading and how that works. We need change.”
Ryan continued: “I came in three years ago looking at taking this region into private ownership, increasing investment and looking at a long-term future that could bring us to equality of funding. The last two years have been very difficult for everybody.
“Yes I am frustrated, I am pessimistic sometimes that we haven’t had change. This isn’t something that has been raised over the last seven days. This is something that has been raised over the last two and a half years. Am I pessimistic? I have to remain optimistic because I wouldn’t be doing justice for the developing player at the Dragons if I wasn’t able to show some kind of direction of travel and opportunity for them.
“One of the main challenges is creating the same opportunity for a 20-year-old from Gwent as we can create anywhere else. At the moment, that’s a real challenge. I haven’t been able to change the thinking within the WRU. I know David (Buttress) is incredibly frustrated they haven’t been able to change the direction of travel at PRB.”
Given the frustrations, does Ryan want to stay on board, with news awaited on whether he will be signing a new deal?
“I don’t think my contract is relevant for discussing here,” said the director of rugby.
“But I’m incredibly motivated by how unfair I believe it is to be Lennon Greggains, Ben Fry or Will Reed. I promised them I would change the direction and I haven’t done that. So that holds me here.
“I didn’t come in under any illusions of the challenge. I came here to change things and I haven’t been able to do that. If we can’t do that, I don’t see how that trajectory for the Dragons region moves forward. I am as motivated as I have ever been and I know David is to try and change that or be part of the direction the regions next go.”
