News

Magners bosses return fire

Thursday 28th August 2008

Magners League bosses have warned the Welsh Rugby Union that any Anglo-Welsh cup plans will have to play second fiddle to their league.

Speaking on Wednesday the bosses insisted that their seasonal competition has priority and any games between Wales' regions and English clubs would have to take place on international weekends.

David Jordan, Celtic League Director, revealed he was in the dark over the WRU's proposed Anglo-Welsh tournament plans.

Speaking at the official launch of this season's Magners League Jordan revealed plans to introduce a play-off system culminating in a grand final, and fixture priority had been rubber-stamped at a Celtic board meeting in Cardiff ten days ago.

He went as far as to say he was shocked at the plans that emerged this week concerning a possible re-structuring of Welsh and English rugby.

"I had not been told about that, but I am led to believe it's still at the exploratory stage," said Jordan.

"I am not concerned about that. We have an agreed set-up with guiding principles, which we have rolled out and which have been signed off."

Jordan believes that the improvements in the Magners League would only serve to enhance the competition as it moves into it's ninth year.

"With the exceptions of two weekends, the international players will be available for every game, which will increase intensity and interest in the competition," he predicted.

As well as the new play-off system other measures being introduced include teams rotating between home and away fixtures. This comes on the back of complaints that sides face lengthy gaps between home fixtures.

Figures point to a continued growth in the Magners League, with average gates increasing seventy-eight per cent over the past four years.

League champions Leinster's average gate of 14,361 in 2007-08 was only bettered in European rugby by three teams - Stade Fran�ais, Toulouse and Leicester Tigers.

"Magners League teams and players also enjoyed success in other competitions last season - the Six Nations champions, Heineken Cup and Anglo-Welsh Cup winners are from amongst our ranks - whilst the representation of capped players in Magners League games is higher than other European leagues," Jordan beamed.

Wales were crowned Six Nations champions, having won a second Grand Slam in four years, the Ospreys hoisted the EDF Energy Cup and Munster were crowned kings of Europe.

And Jordan firmly believes the battle for places in the British and Irish Lions tour next year will only serve to produce the highest standard of rugby from the players in the league.

"This is the ideal time for those players to make their mark," he said.

"Celtic rugby is always striving to align itself with other professional rugby tournaments around the world, consequently this season will be the last that the Magners League is played in its present format.

"From 2009/10 we will be introducing an end-of-season play-off to determine the Magners League champions with the top four teams qualifying for the knockout stage.

"It will maintain interest in the league through to the end of the year. Without relegation there is not a lot of jeopardy, but I believe the play-offs will fix that.

"I am sure the closeness of our league will ensure teams in fifth and sixth place are challenging for play-off places and confident it will improve the competitiveness of it.

"We also intend to address the irregular nature of the competition by creating a rhythmic season, achievable as Magners League weekends will not compete with any other tournament."

Since the EDF Energy Cup/Anglo-Welsh cup was introduced, Welsh derbies in the Magners League have been moved to accommodate them.

Earlier this week Roger Lewis, WRU Chief Executive, confirmed that plans to replace the EDF Energy Cup with a new Anglo-Welsh tournament were underway.

The new-look tournament would involve the 12 Guinness Premiership clubs, the four Welsh regions and four teams from the second tier of English rugby - National League One.

And he also revealed there were plans to run a second cup alongside it, which would see eight other English League One sides face-off with six teams from the Welsh Premiership.

"We would like to see it happening in September 2009," said Lewis.

"This is something that should be seen as very exciting and dynamic for Welsh rugby.

"It will create exciting competition which we all know the game desperately needs, but it will also bring additional money into Welsh rugby for the regions following the demise of the EDF Cup, and for the Premiership clubs too."