Anglo-Welsh league 'sounds good' - Worcester backer Worcester chairman and backer Cecil Duckworth says the prospect of a full-blown, top-flight Anglo-Welsh league is "worth looking at seriously".
Welsh rugby's Pro12 regions - the Ospreys, Scarlets, Blues and Dragons - have held exploratory talks aimed at joining England's Aviva Premiership sides in a new competition.
They did so amid ongoing fears about their long-term viability.
"It sounds initially a good idea," said Duckworth.
Worcester chairman Cecil Duckworth
"I don't know how the rest of us [Aviva Premiership clubs] would respond, but I know that it has been considered in the past.
"But the idea that Cardiff or the Ospreys or the other two regions coming up here to Worcester, I'm sure would be very well received.
"But we're close to the Welsh border so we have a slightly privileged position.
Continue reading the main story “I would have thought it would be good for us and good for Wales” Cecil Duckworth on an Anglo-Welsh league "But that would apply, of course, to Bath and also Gloucester so I'm sure they would quite favour the idea.
"But is sounds good to me, initially."
Duckworth says the concept of a new competition "could well" happen in the future.
Welsh and English clubs already play each other in the cross-border LV=Cup, but that is a second-tier competition largely played when leading players are on Test duty in the autumn and during the Six Nations.
Leading English clubs remain in dispute with Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup with tournament organisers over the future broadcasting of those tournaments.
That row centres on the English teams having sold the broadcast rights to their home European games to BT Vision from the start of the 2014-15 campaign.
Uncertainty over the long-term future structure of top-flight club-regional-and-provincial rugby in Europe has resulted from that dispute.
Speaking about a possible new Anglo-Welsh tournament, Duckworth added: "Obviously we have a full year with the LV=Cup and we have commitments going forward.
"But in a couple of years or so time when those arrangements have to be renewed, or altered, or we change direction a little, then that's [an Anglo-Welsh league] a possibility, of course.
"I would have thought it would be good for us and good for Wales.
"Not that you need much encouragement because you seem to have a pretty good side anyway, especially at the last international [Wales 30-3 England].
"But, joking apart, I'm sure it would be something worth looking at seriously."
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Worcester chairman and backer Cecil Duckworth says the prospect of a full-blown, top-flight Anglo-Welsh league is "worth looking at seriously".
Welsh rugby's Pro12 regions - the Ospreys, Scarlets, Blues and Dragons - have held exploratory talks aimed at joining England's Aviva Premiership sides in a new competition.
They did so amid ongoing fears about their long-term viability.
"It sounds initially a good idea," said Duckworth.
Worcester chairman Cecil Duckworth
"I don't know how the rest of us [Aviva Premiership clubs] would respond, but I know that it has been considered in the past.
"But the idea that Cardiff or the Ospreys or the other two regions coming up here to Worcester, I'm sure would be very well received.
"But we're close to the Welsh border so we have a slightly privileged position.
“I would have thought it would be good for us and good for Wales” Cecil Duckworth on an Anglo-Welsh league
"But that would apply, of course, to Bath and also Gloucester so I'm sure they would quite favour the idea.
"But is sounds good to me, initially."
Duckworth says the concept of a new competition "could well" happen in the future.
Welsh and English clubs already play each other in the cross-border LV=Cup, but that is a second-tier competition largely played when leading players are on Test duty in the autumn and during the Six Nations.
Leading English clubs remain in dispute with Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup with tournament organisers over the future broadcasting of those tournaments.
That row centres on the English teams having sold the broadcast rights to their home European games to BT Vision from the start of the 2014-15 campaign.
Uncertainty over the long-term future structure of top-flight club-regional-and-provincial rugby in Europe has resulted from that dispute.
Speaking about a possible new Anglo-Welsh tournament, Duckworth added: "Obviously we have a full year with the LV=Cup and we have commitments going forward.
"But in a couple of years or so time when those arrangements have to be renewed, or altered, or we change direction a little, then that's [an Anglo-Welsh league] a possibility, of course.
"I would have thought it would be good for us and good for Wales.
"Not that you need much encouragement because you seem to have a pretty good side anyway, especially at the last international [Wales 30-3 England].
"But, joking apart, I'm sure it would be something worth looking at seriously."
Comments
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All posts are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules.