Premiership coaches have had their say on the future of the league and weighed in on the debate over whether it is a suitable place to develop aspiring professional rugby players.
The semi-pro level of the game in Wales has been thrust into the spotlight in the last fortnight. The league was pushed into the control of the community game in 2018, when the Welsh Rugby Union decided that regional under-23 - or 'A' teams as they became known - were the best way to enhance the development of the brightest young talent.
That move has fallen flat on its face - Community Director Geraint John admitted that, looking back, it was a mistake - with neither the funding or volume of players available to make it a success.
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Now the WRU executive is keen to revert to utilising the Premiership as a finishing school for talented age grade players, helping bridge the gap between the Wales under-20s at professional rugby. As part of that plan, the preference was to trim the league from 12 teams to 10.
But the Community Game Board, on which numerous grassroots club representatives sit, now governs the league. And they appear to be pressing ahead with proposals to expand the league up to 14 teams for the 2023/24 season, which were put forward last year.
Speaking at the league's 2022/23 launch, Aberavon boss Jason Hyatt agreed that whatever was decided, longer-term stability is needed.
“Of course there has," he said. "It looks like, from reports, next year is going to be 14 teams. It affects everyone when you hear the league is going to be increased, then it’s going to be reduced. But we’ve spoken to the players and we’ve just got to control what we can.
“People will be arguing over it forever."
Cardiff Rugby Academy Manager Gruff Rees, who works closely with Steve Law's side to ensure younger players are getting chances to develop, believes the league is capable of bringing on youngsters in its current guise.
But he, and Hyatt, believe that tweaks may help.
"We’ve got URC and there’s a gap underneath," said Rees. "We tried the ‘A’ team model before and I was involved in that. It creates too many difficulties in terms of managing a calendar around young players.
“This [the Premiership] is something we can get a grip of. I’m excited and I was pleasantly surprised with where the standard was last year. We lost games to Newport on a regular basis and Merthyr beat us up.
“It was good exposure for some of the young players.”
"I’ve spent months with Nigel Walker (WRU Performance Director) and John Alder (WRU Head of Player Development) looking at refining the league and the merits of it. Developmentally it [reducing the number of teams] is a robust argument.
“We’ve got to challenge the young players to be playing their best. I think it works quite well at the moment as it is but at some point I’d like to be able to pursue different opportunities for those young players as well.”
Hyatt adds: “Everything can be changed to improve. Personally, I’ve been fortunate enough to coach at Aberavon for several seasons and I think the league is getting stronger year on year.
"As long as we’ve got quality opposition to face every Saturday... I’d also like to see the Super Six with Scotland revisited, perhaps there is a way to bring the English teams in as well.
“Who knows which way it’ll go but it would be great to expose the young players hoping to get pro contracts to different levels. That would be a step in the right direction.”
Whilst those involved in the league believe it is capable of being an important part of a player's journey to the elite end of the game, there is also an acceptance that it is up to them to make it work.
Ceri Jones, who was interim boss at the Dragons following the departure of Bernard Jackman in 2018, is now in charge of RGC. Having featured on both sides of the fence, he is well placed to give his views.
"There needs to be a vehicle between the youngsters and the professional end," he said. "I’m hoping that can be the Prem if we show that we can do a good enough job.
“If we’ve got good enough coaches in the league and it’s run correctly – and there were a lot of positive figures at the launch – then I think it can be that vehicle.
“It’s the responsibility of all of us to make sure the product we’re putting on is fast enough and hard enough. It can be the missing piece in the middle.
He added: “We’ve got Ethan Fackrell who has come to us after the under-20s and we’re trying to push him on a bit. If one of the regions had an injury at No.7, why wouldn’t they look at him? That’s where we need to be at.”
Concluding, Hyatt used the example of exciting young Welsh talent Gabe Lacey.
The Aberavon head coach said: "My views don’t necessarily sit well with everyone but my opinion is that chucking 15 youngsters in together isn’t the way to develop.
“You need to have that experience around them. We’ve been fortunate to bring Gabe Lacey in, who has had experience with Bristol Bears.
“I think he’s a future international rugby player. Having him learn from the likes of Joe Thomas, Joe Gage, Rhys Jones, Steff Andrews, having him mixing with other young players who have aspirations to play pro rugby themselves, and face opposition of a similar ilk, is something that can be grown into something special."
When faced with the question over whether the league is the appropriate place to develop young talent, the coaches are unanimous. But there also seems to be an acknowledgement that small tweaks are needed to optimise it.
Quite what the future holds is yet to be seen but things, seemingly, are about to come to a head.
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