Scott Quinnell And His Players Pledge Themselves To Wales

In the wake of the decision by the Welsh players not to make themselves unavailable to face England this weekend, the Chairman of the WRU General Committee, Glanmor Griffiths, issued the following statement:
“I was delighted to hear from Scott Quinnell, the captain of Wales, that he and his fellow National Squad members will be available for selection for the fourth round of the Lloyds TSB Six Nations Championship against England at Twickenham next weekend.
“We are now guaranteed to have our first choice teams playing against England at senior, A and Under 21 levels. It means that common sense has prevailed.
“At a special meeting of the Union’s general committee tomorrow night (Monday) we will further debate the full blueprint for change, involving reducing the top tier of the professional game in Wales to six clubs as soon as is legally practicable, in order to maintain the momentum that has been built up during extensive meetings over the past week.
“We will also be examining the way forward for a semi-professional league just below the top tier and I have also had lengthy discussions with representatives from Caerphilly, Ebbw Vale and Neath over the weekend to gauge their position.
“In addition, I shall be seeking talks with the clubs from the current First Division in Wales to hear from them what the proposed changes would mean to their hopes and aspirations for the future.
“We are moving in the right direction on all fronts and there is a genuine desire from the WRU to improve and enhance the structure and competitiveness of Welsh rugby at club and international levels.
“What I hope is understood by all parties is the position of the WRU in serving the needs of the national sport of Wales from top to bottom, the international game and the professional clubs right down to the junior sections of clubs in Division 7 of our National League and the schools.
“There is a responsibility on us all to safeguard the future of the game at all levels, as well as ensuring the professional structure becomes more competitive and sustainable .”