United Rugby Championship: Dragons chairman says Welsh regions need investment to compete
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Dragons chairman David Buttress says Welsh regions must be adequately funded to compete with other sides in the new United Rugby Championship (URC) tournament.
The Pro14 will be rebranded for next season after four South African sides joined teams from Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy.
"It is incumbent on all involved responsible for running the game in Wales to make sure we have investment in the pro game to be competitive and have stability," said Buttress.
The 16-team URC will begin late September with a grand final in mid June and tournament organisers want to keep this format for at least five years.
"There is importance on everybody who is involved in Welsh rugby off the field, including myself, to make sure we give our supporters and players the best chance to compete in what is going to be one of the most important professional leagues in the world," said Buttress.
"We talk about the five-year plan for the league and we need the same in Welsh rugby.
"The conversations are happening and we can see we are trying to make things happen.
"We want Welsh rugby not just to be successful internationally, but also successful in the professional game, because there will be a lot of growth in the next four or five years."
The financial future of professional rugby in Wales remains precarious though.
Dragons, Ospreys, Scarlets and Cardiff Blues are battling to cope financially following the Covid-19 pandemic and currently will have to start paying back a loan on 1 July.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) negotiated a loan of £20m for the regions with NatWest bank to help avoid the financial collapse during the coronavirus pandemic.
The repayments are the liability of the regions with the first instalment due next month unless the WRU successfully renegotiate the terms of the loan.
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The regions and WRU have an umbrella organisation to run the game's top tier which is called the Professional Rugby Board (PRB).
"We have got to make sure that Welsh rugby has a chance to recover from Covid like the wider society and wider economy," added Buttress.
"We need that support and I know that everyone is working hard to get that in place. I am an optimist and believe that in the end we all want Welsh professional rugby to succeed.
"I am confident that in the end we will get to the right place, but there is still work to be done."
Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan has continually bemoaned the Welsh regions still not knowing their budgets for next season.
"I think we've navigated it as well as we could have," added Buttress,
"Plus-minus, we know roughly where we are. There is some further clarity to come but we are getting pretty close."
Dragons are also looking to complete their bid to return to private ownership.
The WRU took over the Newport-based team and its Rodney Parade home in 2017 to keep it alive.
Buttress has since aimed to return Dragons to private ownership and is again behind the latest bid.
In September 2020 he admitted the coronavirus pandemic had delayed progress on that ambition but those hopes have gained fresh impetus.
"I can't say anything about it at this moment in time because things are delicate," admitted Buttress.
"I've been very open about that (in the past), I think it's important and am working hard to make it happen."
Dragons will be in the Challenge Cup next season with the other three Welsh regions in the 24-team Heineken Champions Cup with tournaments spread over nine weekends and beginning in December.
The final phase begins with a two-leg last 16 fixture before quarter-finals and semi-finals and the finals planned for Marseille in late May.