Gatland's Law

Confused, divided and handy on the keyboard. No I'm not talking about a post Brexit state. This is Welsh Rugby. This is Gatland's law.

Word from the politics bunch is that It will take decades for the masses to comprehend the impact and implications of the democratically determined Brexit decision. We are some eight years into Gatland's law, autocratic in origin, and a mess in practice. 

The policy designed to keep Wales' premier rugby talent within the regional game, follows an old Churchillian notion - that success on the international battle field is underpinned by a vibrant home front, which is shaped to facilitate global successes. Thus far, it has has proved far more simple in concept than in context.

The current understanding is that formalisation of the ruling under the guise of The WRU Senior Player's Selection Policy, will lead to a stricter enforcement. The only caveat, being the number of caveats, provided for within the written agreement.

Wales are not the only nation wrestling against market forces to retain their playing resource. Far from it. Australia were heralded during the Rugby World Cup for their implementation of Giteau's law. However, critics are now vilifying the decision as one that undermines the Wallaby culture - whatever that means. Amazing how differently the same ruling is viewed in the context of a six match losing streak, as against a run to the World Cup Final. 

As England perished from their own World Cup, their was a unified opinion that the 'special circumstance clause' should have been invoked to facilitate the return of the best of the ex-pats. A grand slam, and a white wash tour of Australia later, and you tend not to hear so much of Armitage, Abendanon and the rest of the France lot. 

Then you have the French - the troublemakers. The Top 14 is the magnet in the market,  dragging towards it the global playing resource, whilst simultaneously thrusting rival unions into a head scratching discomfort. The trouble that the French clubs are inflicting externally is only half the story. There is a positive correlation between the influx of foreign talent into the club scene, and the demise of French performance at International level in recent years. 

When hypothesising as to the role and importance of Gatland's law it is imperative to remember that the short end of the curve is, well, just that. The short term demands of professional sport - Six Nations, World Cups and the like, can make it difficult for us as fans to analyse how decisions taken in the now might influence the game in 80 years, as opposed to 80 minutes.

The elation of a big victory at the Millennium Stadium, the constant battle to gain a nose on rivals, distant dreams of unmentionable successes, and all the 'I was there' moments along the way, combine to make the 'get the best players on the pitch', school of thought, rather difficult to shout down. 

But shout it down we must. The picture is a bigger one. Deploying a laissez faire approach to player migration would set Welsh rugby on a downward trajectory, slow, possibly invisible at first, but downward nonetheless. The adverse impact would be felt in different forms at community, regional and international level - three pillars of the game in Wales that must be viewed as equal. Successes at the Principality Stadium should never mask regional shortcomings or forfeited second team fixtures.

To be successful, an interventionist approach must provide a competitive offering-competitive yet sustainable. On this front, central contracts seem to have been a step in the right direction. These dual contracts have not only served as a successful retention tool but have also helped attract internationals players back home. But, and it is a but, the decision of Taulupe Faletau, to give it the old 'thanks but no thanks', would have served as a kick in the teeth to those WRU administrators who may have thought central contracts were THE solution as opposed to a piece in an evolving puzzle.

So long as Wales continues to produce quality rugby players this threat to the game in Wales won't diminish. Such is the wider economic situation in Wales, I do not envisage a scenario whereby the WRU can compete pound for pound, or euro for euro, with the predatory scouts who seek the finest talent to feed the success of their clubs. So how do they fight their corner? Perhaps, maybe, it is time to give in to our greatest fear, giving Gatland's law some teeth. No region, No Wales (Not sung to the tune of the Bob Marley classic).