WRU consider reinstating mothballed Wales A team as chiefs have say
The Welsh Rugby Union are considering proposals to reinstate the Wales A team.
Wales A were once the Welsh Rugby Union's second team, competing in the A Six Nations, but have not played since being disbanded by former WRU CEO David Moffett back in 2003 as part of a cost-cutting exercise. The WRU officially reinstated its A team in 2016, which meant the Wales U20s side was no longer its capture team, in a bid to draw more players with dual-nationalities into the U20s set-up.
But there is a growing feeling within the WRU's high performance team that a couple of Wales A fixtures would be hugely beneficial to player development. "I think we do need an A team," Wales U20s head coach Richard Whiffin told WalesOnline.
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"It's crucial we keep exposing players to top-class rugby after the finish with the U20s. There's players playing good regional rugby who aren't quite at the level to play for the seniors.
"We've got a lot of good young players but it will act as another stepping stone. It will give players some more international experience.
"Yes, a lot of people will look at it as a capture opportunity, but I see it as a development opportunity because you get to play in front of good crowds against other international teams who you aren't used to playing week in week out.
"It would be a very useful development tool. It's something myself and Rob (Howley) have spoken about.
"The idea has been put forward but I don't know the response."
If the WRU were reinstate the Wales A team it would come down to two things; money and room in the calendar.
But the idea behind a Wales A side would be to bridge the gap between the regional game and the senior Wales side. There are a number of professional players in the Welsh game who are on the periphery of selection but it is difficult to gauge whether that individual is up to Test match standard because of the struggles of Wales' four professional sides.
"If it does come back it has got to be in conjunction with everybody because we are asking a lot of these boys at the moment," said Andy Lloyd, the WRU's talent and pathways manager. "When you look at our senior group there's a big chunk of players who are 23 or under.
"Whatever we do, it's got to fit in their plans so we can't just drop another couple of games on them, as long as it's part of their plan moving forward. But anything to put them on a high level again would be good.
"There's been talk because every other nation is doing it. Scotland have brought it back, England have brought it back and Ireland are also doing it.
"Scotland and Italy are different because they've only got to professional sides. Scotland have two fully-loaded professional sides.
"With Scotland a lot of their young boys aren't playing, while most of ours are playing. It's having that balance and doing something that's right for us."
