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Although far from perfect, there are many advantages that rugby union holds over football, one of which includes the pathways to the professional game that is presented before the players.
Over the Covid-19 lockdown, there was a glut of televised Premier League football on offer. Watching the constant stream of games, particularly between the strongest sides, the obvious and seismic gulf between amateur and professional players in football was all too evident. Fitness levels, the first touches, the conversion of chances - professional association football is a world away from the amateur game, so much more so than in rugby union. And I’ll be clear, this is in no way disparaging the professional players of rugby union; it’s just a fact that the chances to succeed in rugby union are so much more attainable than in football.
At time of writing, there are an estimated 83,000 registered rugby players in Wales and 90,000 football players. Although empirical research on the matter may be in short supply, you could comfortably bet your mortgage that there are far more Welsh amateur rugby clubs who can boast of having past players with international honours, in comparison to amateur Welsh football clubs. Although the next point is skewed somewhat by the fact that a lot of football clubs don’t necessarily have their own ‘clubhouse’, walk in to most rugby clubhouses throughout Wales and you’ll find pictures of proud young men and women in the red of Wales, and a range of threadbare jerseys and caps in glass cabinets celebrating the achievements of past players. Although ultimately it should be their own choice, the chances of our sons and daughters becoming international players will be markedly increased if they choose to focus their efforts on rugby over football in Wales.
54 ALL SHAPES & ZEBRAS FROM TREORCHY