I wonder when all the smoke clears will the central contracts just be moved to the region the player agrees to play with as a condition for the increased funding? I would think if they planned to move forward with central contracts for say 10 players that would be a significant savings to the regions on top of the extra funding so it would warrant a mention.

Wru have announced their improved financial offer through Wales online this evening.

They have increased the offer of funding for the regions from 6.7m to 8.7m. In addition there shall be 600k paid to the regional academy system and 135k to the regional underage teams. 9.45m in total to regional rugby. There is no mention of central contracts in this release. Warburton has signed one and Adam Jones believed to have so one assumes the CC budget is separate.
In addition the welsh premiership is to receive 1.5m and community rugby 2.6m which will heap political pressure on regions to accept the offer.
We shall wait and see what happens.

A couple of developments in Wales this week in media mainly.

Firstly judgement say is on at millennium stadium on 20th of April. Simon Thomas launched a campaign on twitter and through Wales online to promote the event citing the Leinster v Munster sell out as a benchmark for what could be achieved. He has been bombarded by other journalists and regional fans alike for doing so and has abandoned his efforts as a result. Meanwhile the regions themselves aren't working together to promote this and aren't even consulting with each other before calling press conferences thus clashing with each other.
The other development is that David moffett has been running a tacky propaganda campaign on twitter before the launch of his "MANIFESTO" on Friday night. He's running against David Pickering( for chairman) in upcoming wru elections. He wants the pretence of regions dropped and super clubs recognised for what they are. Ironic considering he brought in regional rugby back in 2003.

All in all no sign of peace there yet.

Aberdeen is rich in oil money though. No room for them in league anyway.

galway_gas wrote: very preliminary talks of a third franchise in scotland - based in Aberdeen. After the recent 6n performance these proposals should be taken seriously - especially if someone is offering dosh.

www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/26616760

Can not see the point of this, traditional Scottish rugby strength lay in the South in the Boarders, with team like Melrose, Gala, Kelso and Hawick. The only problem being that there is no major City in the South and the suits will chase the crowds and and money not the quality. Hope it gets a chance but doubt it will survive.

very preliminary talks of a third franchise in scotland - based in Aberdeen. After the recent 6n performance these proposals should be taken seriously - especially if someone is offering dosh.

www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/26616760

connachtexile wrote: Am I reading that right?

Nonetheless, in effect, Italy will return to having three franchises next season, in the shape of Zebre and Treviso along with a revived core of Exiles.

It's two teams Italian team next season correct not three?

Yeah, just Gerry's rather confusing turn of phrase, but basically he's saying a lot of Italians will be playing abroad.

Am I reading that right?

Nonetheless, in effect, Italy will return to having three franchises next season, in the shape of Zebre and Treviso along with a revived core of Exiles.

It's two teams Italian team next season correct not three?

IT reports that Treviso back in the Pro12 (or whatever it's going to be called from next year).

www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/despite-e...ext-season-1.1730012

I am totally shocked and surprised. I never saw this as a means to highlight the amount of funding that they got from the italian federation. Genuinely.

Simon Thomas tonight tweets that a title sponsor has been secured for the pro12. He's working on their identity as I type apparently

Simon Thomas of walesonline.co.UK has tweeted that he's is hearing whispers of a deal being imminent and all going well should be announced tomorrow.

That's the Heineken cup. That means the pro12 will follow suit.

FIR have said that one team will be in the NW region based in parma so that's zebre. They also said the other one would represent the NE region and would be called Treviso or another name. I thought I saw the name dogs mentioned somewhere. Not great imo but probably FIR telling Treviso to cop on or be replaced.

swift4prez wrote: i finally bring good news,

A constructive meeting took place on Tuesday in London between FIR and the Celtic Rugby Unions (SRU, IRFU, WRU).

The meeting was successful and an agreement was reached for FIR to join Celtic Rugby as an equal partner from July 1st, 2014. The terms of participation of two Italian teams were agreed upon.
Under the new agreement, FIR will ensure the participation of two Italian teams for the next four years in the competition which is currently known as the RaboDirect PRO12.

The agreement between FIR, SRU, WRU and IRFU will be officially signed in due course.

excited to know where i'll be going away next season, dont make it be rome

Why not Rome? Makes most sense, big population, established(ish) rugby community, best place to attract travelling supporters.. I don't understand why they haven't set up a franchise in Rome yet, probably politics.

IMO they had a golden opportunity to do this after the collapse of Aironi; remember the Praetorians idea?

This is good news for Italian rugby but not IMO for the league.
Italians IMO will follow Australian model and have two pro teams in our league and have 8 team domestic competition supporting them.
League IMO suffers too much during and around 6ns and AIs . 4 less games would have elevated that somewhat.

galway_gas wrote:
Any indication yet if wru will be represented by new or current regions?

It'll be the same old regions, assuming the mooted European deal (only Sky/BT coverage sharing to be agreed) comes into being.

In the unlikely but possible case that it breaks down, it's probably too late in the day for the Anglo-Welsh league to be put in place (they'd have to clear at least 2 court cases first) and the regions will go bust and be resurrected/subsumed into the WRU anyway.

That the Pro12 teams are signing up players left right and centre and the FIR have agreed terms would indicate everything is pretty much done and dusted, the identity of the second Italian team (apart from Zebre) asides.

swift4prez wrote: i finally bring good news,

A constructive meeting took place on Tuesday in London between FIR and the Celtic Rugby Unions (SRU, IRFU, WRU).

The meeting was successful and an agreement was reached for FIR to join Celtic Rugby as an equal partner from July 1st, 2014. The terms of participation of two Italian teams were agreed upon.
Under the new agreement, FIR will ensure the participation of two Italian teams for the next four years in the competition which is currently known as the RaboDirect PRO12.

The agreement between FIR, SRU, WRU and IRFU will be officially signed in due course.

excited to know where i'll be going away next season, dont make it be rome

Any indication yet if wru will be represented by new or current regions?