Cardiff are hoping to reward their Indigo Group Premiership players with new contracts – even if they have no trophy and medals at the end of this season.
The Arms Park club are in talks with Cardiff Blues over a range of proposals for next season after the current race for the title came to a shuddering halt.
They also hope the current shutdown leads to a fundamental re-think over the way the professional game in Wales is both funded and structured.
Chairman Chris Norman wants to find a way to reward his players for finishing the campaign seven points clear at the top of the Premiership and on course to retain their Specsavers National Cup title.
When the WRU last week announced they were shutting down the season amid the coronavirus crisis, no club was hit harder than Cardiff.
On course for a league and cup double, they also had their eyes on £30,000 of prize money as well.
Then, there was the prospect of shooting for an unprecedented treble with the new cross-border competition with the Scottish Super 6 teams. That, too, has been shelved.
“There is no doubt the decision by the WRU was the right one and we back them to the hilt. Sport is very much of secondary importance at the moment, although that doesn’t stop you from dreaming of what might have been possible,” said Norman.
Unofficially Welsh Premiership Champions 2019/20 then. And still reigning National Cup Champions. 👀🏆🏆👀
— Rhys Grant 💙💛💚 (@Bluebird131999) March 20, 2020
“I’m sure that’s the same for Pontypool and Bargoed in the Championship, who have also missed out on the possibility of promotion. It’s tough on them, but I’m sure they will come back strongly next season.
“We had our sights set on doing the double and, despite a few wobbles in recent weeks, we felt well placed to give it a really good shot. We had a seven point lead at the top of the Premiership over Carmarthen Quins, who had played one game more than us, and eight over third placed Aberavon.
“The reality was that four bonus point wins in our last six games would have guaranteed us the title for the first time since 2009. We also had a Cup semi-final against the Quins to look forward to.
“As there will be no champions declared this season I want to find a way to give our players the credit they deserve for what they have done in being the team that everyone had to beat. They have been outstanding and great ambassadors for Cardiff RFC.”
Exactly what Norman and his committee will come up with to mark their side finishing on top of the table at the end one of the most extraordinary season in the history of rugby is still up in the air. It will be debated long and hard once the bigger issues are determined.
Contracts for next season, whenever that may be, need to be confirmed and, as with every sporting outfit, the club needs to understand what its budget will be moving forward.
“We are in discussion with Cardiff Blues, who own the licence for Cardiff RFC, about what might be possible next season. Completing the new deal for our head coach Steve Law was top of the agenda, but now that’s done we need to review our commitment to the 20+ players we were looking to contract for next season,” said Norman.
“Steve has done a brilliant job in rebuilding the Cardiff RFC brand and winning the Cup last season was the first step in giving the people of Cardiff a team of which they could feel proud once again.
“We are due to celebrate our 150th anniversary in 2026 and the plan is to be the leading club side in Wales and, if possible, beyond.
“Regional rugby has marginalised the club game in Wales, but it wouldn’t have existed without the goodwill and co-operation of many of the teams still playing in the Premiership.
Our former @CAVC_Rugby captain Ben Thomas is making headlines again! Identified as a young man with a big future he’ll be making his regional debut for @cardiff_blues this Saturday. Huge congratulations from all @CAVC, we’ll be watching https://t.co/v0qr270Obc
— CAVC Sport (@CAVC_Sport) November 13, 2019
“We are still very much alive, still ambitious and still vitally important to the future success of the regions and the game as a whole in Wales.
“What many of us hope in the Premiership is that the current crisis forces the professional game to take a long, hard look at itself and to find a better financial framework for a more sustainable future.
“It is also a chance to re-set the playing pathway and properly incorporate the Premiership and Championship.
“We are very proud of the fact we nurtured Ben Thomas over two seasons and helped him make the grade at the Blues. And that we rescued a talent like James Ratti after he had been let go at the Ospreys and helped him to get a contract at the Blues.
“We are doing the same with Max Llewellyn and we also believe that Terri Gee could easily step up into the Blues squad in the near future. There are many more examples of players like this around other regions.
“The Premiership is competitive and relevant, but could be so much better and even more beneficial to the professional game. The integrity of the Premiership must not be compromised, but it can become far more integrated into the professional playing pathway.
“Now is the time for these discussions to take place so that we can re-emerge from this crisis better prepared to help each other improve standards all round.”
