Making it happen by Roger Lewis
“We cannot expect things to happen. We have got to make them happen.”
Those were the words of Wales prop Gethin Jenkins immediately after our defeat to Australia in the last match of the 2009 autumn test series; a series attended by almost 250,000 fans. The loss of that last game was a bitter blow to everyone, and particularly so for the players, coaches and back room staff. But it must not over shadow what has been a remarkable year for Welsh rugby.
In 2009 many people in Wales made things happen both on and off the pitch.
Today we can look forward to a New Year in which we will build on so many significant initiatives which have been launched or completed in the last twelve months.
At this time of year when we reflect on our fortunes I believe Welsh rugby has plenty to feel proud about.
The past year has roared past with the speed of a Shane Williams side step but the hard work has been worth it because we will reap the benefits for years, if not generations, to come.
We are constantly reshaping and restructuring Welsh rugby and the opening of the new multi-million pound WRU National Centre of Excellence in October was a major landmark for us all.
From now on all the WRU teams from under 18s through to senior level, Wales Sevens and Wales Women, will train and develop at the NCE in one of the world’s finest, if not the finest rugby facilities. Indoor and outdoor training and playing surfaces are complemented with the latest technology and training equipment. All this supervised by a team of expert staff which is truly the envy of the rugby world. This will be the home of the new WRU National Academy.
The elite game in Wales was also strengthened when we signed the new five year Participation Agreement with our four Regions in September to create an operational roadmap which will help our players achieve their full potential. At the heart of this agreement is a commitment from the four regions to increase the number of Welsh qualifying players in their squads and reduce the number of non Welsh qualifying players, backed up by a range of player development protocols. In return for a number of key deliverables, the four regions will receive £6 million pounds annually from the WRU.
The past year has been one of mixed fortunes for our four regions. Cardiff Blues led the way by winning the EDF Energy Cup in style and took part in a dramatic Heineken Cup semi final. There is still much to play for this season and it has been heartening this past week to see the fans turn out in large numbers at the regional derby matches, something we must never take for granted. The systems and structures, along with new facilities being developed, and increased funding in the regions should make us feel confident about their future.
Defying the odds, and they were stacked 80 to 1 against us, it was fantastic to greet our triumphant Sevens squad when they returned home to Wales from Dubai in March as Rugby World Cup Sevens Champions. What a tribute to our players and coaches and what a signal for the future of the Sevens game in Wales. BBC Wales, at their annual sports personality awards evening, recognised the Sevens team, as “team of the year” and Paul John was a worthy recipient of the accolade of “coach of the year” from the Sports Council of Wales. The momentum created early in 2009 continued in the autumn with a new-look Wales Sevens team picking up the Bowl in the first two IRB tournaments. Now that Sevens is to become an Olympic Sport, its’ importance in the international rugby framework is assured.
Our women also savoured sweet success this year when they won their first ever Triple Crown which meant they achieved their first ever victory over the powerful England team. It was their best season ever and they have qualified for next year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Fifteen of our best players and seven of our coaching and management staff were selected for the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa. This fact should not be overlooked when we consider not only where we have come from in the past years but also what can lie ahead of us. We have a remarkable group of players, coaches and management at present in Wales.
The tour to North America led by Robin McBryde was also a success not only for its results but also for its player and coach development benefits.
The WRU distributed a record £17million to our affiliated organisations which represented a £1.8million increase on the previous year and I am pleased to say included a record £3.8million to the community game. In the year ahead I am personally committed to do more for grass roots rugby and we look forward to announcing a range of initiatives in the New Year.
The turnover of the WRU over the financial year was £49.4million, our second best after 2008, and the Union managed to further reduce its bank debt by £2.1million to a record ten year low of £39.7million. I have around me an outstanding group of executives who with their teams have delivered a spectacular business performance in the toughest of conditions in living memory.
My greatest regret of the year is however that we lost our close friend and colleague Mike Jefferies, WRU Head of Legal Affairs. His death in the summer was the most bitter of blows. He is fondly remembered and deeply missed by us all. His contribution to the business of the WRU was colossal.
The strength we now have in our structures and systems at the WRU enabled us to launch a major new initiative for rugby in North Wales by inviting Rugby Canada to send up to ten international players into the new development region to boost the Rygbi Gogledd Cymru representative squad, while introducing a North Wales academy to produce and develop home grown players for the future. These measures will ensure the team has the best possible chance of proving their status as a representative force for the future.
The hard work and energy of our North Wales Rugby Council and the outstanding support of the Conwy County Borough Council have been invaluable. Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay is now the home of the RGC representative team and will undergo a £6.5 million development making it a truly important sporting venue for the north. This is part of our one Wales strategy for rugby.
On the field the past year also saw many new competition initiatives. The British and Irish Cup kicked off to offer our Principality Premiership clubs the opportunity to test themselves over the borders. This competition has the potential to be a major strand in our rugby development.
The SWALEC Cup, Plate and Bowl have also been revamped to give all community clubs a realistic chance of competing in a final at the Millennium Stadium. The first finals day proved to be a huge success this year creating an extraordinary and memorable day with Neath retaining the Cup, Ammanford claiming the Plate and Morriston the Bowl. The runners up were respectively, Llanelli, Risca and Lampeter Town.
Just outside our stadium the WRU unveiled the new Cardiff Arms store and café bar visitor centre which will offer great new opportunities for our commercial and hospitality teams. Over 40,000 people attended tours of the stadium this year. This new centre is the first phase in our plan to develop the land around our stadium.
It is sometimes forgotten that the WRU owns and manages the Millennium Stadium. And so it was rugby which gave Wales this past year its biggest ever single musical event. Over 73,000 people attended the U2 concert in August, following on from two nights of Take That, which welcomed 128,000 people to Cardiff and a night of Oasis which brought 60,000 people into the city.
2009 was the tenth birthday of the Millennium Stadium and it was celebrated in style with over one million paying spectators attending a range of events at the Stadium this year. It is by far Wales’ most visited attraction and it delivers over £100 million pounds of economic benefit to the Cardiff area every year. It is the Millennium Commission’s most successful project.
Let us not forget though that it has been a challenging twelve months for everyone in Wales as the economic recession has taken its toll. The future will continue to be economically tough for us all.
However I believe the WRU is now in the right shape to meet those challenges head on.
Both on the field and off it the WRU takes pride in being fit for purpose and ready to take every opportunity to move forward and achieve yet more success.
For Warren Gatland and his team it has been a year in which the national squad has made huge strides forward whilst also learning how to stay focused through setbacks.
I know the whole squad has the confidence to learn from any defeat they suffer and go forward unafraid to talk to each other about their will to win and their determination to achieve their goals.
They know that between now and the World Cup in 2011 there will no easy contests but the rugby public of Wales can be assured that they are treading the road to New Zealand with pride and confidence.
The first hurdle of the New Year against England in the RBS 6 Nations opener at Twickenham will not be easy, but Warren and his squad relish the challenge of taking on the top nations in order to grow as a team.
The 2010 RBS 6 Nations has certainly captured the imagination of the rugby public and we are confident the Welsh team will be cheered on at the Millennium Stadium in a crescendo of noise from huge crowds in our three home games of the competition.
A winning Wales, filling the Millennium Stadium drives Welsh rugby forward.
All that lies ahead, but for now I simply want to say thank you.
I want to give thanks to all the staff at the WRU, to the Board of directors and to the Chairman, David Pickering and President, Dennis Gethin for all their support and help.
A very special thank you must go out to our great fans and especially the wonderful volunteers in clubs throughout Wales who make our national sport what it is. My sincere gratitude goes to you all.
And let us not forget Gethin Jenkins words, “We cannot expect things to happen. We have got to make them happen.”
So to everyone involved in Welsh rugby, have a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year and together let us make things happen once again in 2010.
Roger Lewis
Group Chief Executive, WRU
