Rugby: Hansen: Make the right decisions for Welsh rugby

Wales coach Steve Hansen does not expect the outcome of Saturday’s Lloyds TSB Six Nations clash with Scotland to have any bearing on the following day’s summit to decide the way forward for Welsh rugby.

Hansen, who took over following Graham Henry’s departure after the 54-10 opening game defeat by Ireland, said: ‘‘Surely it will come down to people being honest and tough and making the right decisions for Welsh rugby rather than individual clubs.

‘‘If it is done for any other reason then the whole thing is a farce,’’ added the caretaker coach, who believes that it is imperative that financial resources should be concentrated on a small elite area to produce the best international players for Wales.

He declined to go into detail publicly on whether that involves backing the so-called ‘‘Gang of Six’’ rich clubs Cardiff, Swansea, Llanelli, Bridgend, Newport and Pontypridd or a set-up involving regional teams, but he has clearly made his feelings known in the corridors of power.

‘‘If I’m going to influence anyone I won’t do it through the papers,’’ said the straight-talking New Zealander.

‘‘I don’t hang my washing out in the front yard, I hang it in the back yard.’’

But he maintained: ‘‘You have to have an environment where you don’t reward mediocrity and currently we are doing that. We have players getting paid for being professional rugby players down to the Fifth Division.

‘‘What I’m asking for is that we get the right answers for Welsh rugby.’’

Asked if even six fully-professional teams was too many, he replied: ‘‘Probably,’’ before explaining:

"‘What I’m saying is that there should be a competitive environment. Whether it’s six clubs, two clubs

or 10 clubs is irrelevant.’’

Welsh rugby is steeped in club as well as international history and moving to a set-up featuring regional sides to play in Europe would have to overcome the deeply-ingrained feelings of the traditionalists among current club officials.

Equally, asking the legion of elected WRU committee men to follow the successful English route and allow the professional game to be run by professionals is akin to asking turkeys to vote for Christmas.

But Hansen claimed: ‘‘Nothing will work if you are not prepared to give it a go. But the bottom line is that it doesn’t matter what I think because I haven’t got a vote.’’

He might not have a job either if Wales crash disastrously to Scotland on Saturday. His appointment was only until the end of the current Six Nations Championship this weekend.

The players want Hansen to take them through to the 2003 World Cup and, following improved performances against France and Italy before the 50-10 drubbing by England at Twickenham a fortnight ago, it is unlikely the Welsh Rugby Union will jettison him unless the roof falls in against Scotland at the Millennium Stadium.

Hansen is clearly growing to like the job and relishes the challenge of trying to restore Welsh international rugby to its former glory. ‘‘I know these guys. I’ve got close to them and I feel for them,’’ he said.

But he maintains that he is not feeling the pressure of his own situation. ‘‘It’s irrelevant whether I’m the coach after this or not. The thing that matters is the next match,’’ he said.

‘‘If we go out and play the best we can and get beaten then we can live with that, and if we go out and play the best we can and win, then great.’’

Although he was given a long-term contract by the WRU when he was brought in as part of Henry’s coaching team, Hansen would walk away rather than work under someone else ‘‘it wouldn’t be fair to either of us’’ if he did not get the top job.

Long-term, providing his appointment is confirmed, he believes the side can go a lot further. ‘‘We are about a third of the way up the mountain,’’ he said.

But there are currently a lot of mountains to climb both on and off the field in Welsh rugby and Hansen added: ‘‘If we are to go the whole way it will make the task a whole lot easier to achieve if the right decisions are made.’’

Sunday morning’s meeting at Cardiff’s St David’s Hall could, in the long run, be far more crucial for Wales than events at the nearby Millennium Stadium 20 hours earlier.