Rhys Long has only been back in Wales for a few months as the new technical director at the Welsh Rugby Union, but already he has identified the Super Rygbi Cymru competition as one of the most important pieces in the playing structure.
And now the man who spent more than eight years as Warren Gatland’s chief performance analyst at home and abroad on two British & Irish Lions tours wants to ensure the 10-team tournament grows in intensity, significance and stature.
After leaving the WRU, Long spent a decade working at the FA in senior leadership positions. Now he wants to bring together all his knowledge to ensure the SRC, which kicks-off its third season on Saturday 12 September, creates the perfect bridge between the age-grade system in Welsh rugby, the regional academies and the regional teams.
“The SRC is vitally important in helping our young players to develop. Since its inception, we’ve seen the quality of the competition grow significantly,” said Long.
“It offers a massive player development opportunity. The standard is at an exceptional level, providing a blend of experienced players and younger talent – particularly for U20 and 20-23-year-olds – which can only be a good thing for Welsh rugby.
“Every player develops at a different pace and at a different stage, so we must ensure this competition provides the right level of stretch and opportunity. The league sits in a keystone position within our development chain, allowing us to nurture young talent and transition them into the BKT United Rugby Championship and, ultimately, onto the international stage at the Principality Stadium.
“We’re already seeing that happen. Coaches and players are using the SRC competition as a stepping stone that prepares them for the step-up to the URC.”
There has certainly been plenty of evidence of that in recent seasons with the likes of Tom Bowen and Steff Emanuel at Cardiff, Carwyn Leggatt-Jones and Macs Page at the Scarlets, Evan Minto at the Dragons and Dan Edwards at the Ospreys.
The quality of players representing Wales at U20 level in the past three or four seasons has been at a very high level and that is largely due to the extra exposure they have been getting playing in the old Indigo Premiership and now the enhanced SRC programme.
“With my Talent ID hat on, I’m confident we have players in this league who can progress all the way to international level,” said Long.
“The key to success is making the SRC as intensely competitive as possible. The goal is to mirror the environment players will face when stepping up to the URC, European or international rugby stages.
“Exposing young players to severe pressure where they have to make split-second decisions – and learn from their inevitable mistakes – is what will prepare them to succeed at the next level.
“You can see a clear difference in readiness between U20 players who have had meaningful minutes in the SRC versus those who haven’t. Moving forward, we want to ensure even more young players get high-quality game time in the SRC so they are better prepared when transitioning.”
The clubs competing in the SRC are the old traditional powerbases of the Welsh club game. This season Aberavon and Cardiff will celebrate their 150th anniversaries, while Swansea, Carmarthen Quins and Newport have already passed that landmark.
“It is a fantastic competition that possesses unbelievable heritage that is virtually unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Visiting these clubs, you immediately feel the history and legacy and how much the game means to their local communities,” added Long.
“While the league needs to be fresh and modern, harnessing that deep connection to community and heritage is precisely what grounds Welsh players and instils a true sense of connection to Welsh rugby.
“A significant amount of my time this season will be spent assessing the talent coming through the ranks in the SRC and the quality of the competition. I will be watching as much rugby as I possibly can.
“Since I joined the WRU a few months ago, I’ve been travelling across Wales to gauge talent levels and identify what system improvements are needed. The objective is to build a reliable conveyor belt of talent that can flourish on the international stage over the next five to 10 years.
“We’re already seeing evidence that professional regional clubs trust the SRC to provide the right standard of development for their young players. There is plenty of top-line talent involved both in the SRC and the Wales U20 squad.
“Our job is to give them the necessary competition, support, and pathway to convert them into elite regional professionals and internationals.