As Welsh rugby continues to tear itself apart, their URC neighbours are all asking the same question: what does this mean for us? With Wales poised to half its number of pro teams and many still pushing for the ones that remain to walk away from the league, how will the URC restructure itself and move on post-Wales?
Fortunately, we already know the answer: URC boss Martin Anayi confirmed to the press last year that if the Welsh left or reduced their number of teams the league would put the vacant spots out to tender. It would remain a 16 team competition and they would press forward with new names from new places.
This poses the tantalising question, which new team could join the URC? Well, there are several candidates… let’s take a look and give them a rating.
The Cheetahs
The easiest team to add would be the Cheetahs from Bloemfontein, South Africa. The biggest South African club not currently in the URC, the Cheetahs have actually played in the north before when they were part of the ill fated Pro14 - a forerunner of the URC - up until COVID. They even made the play-offs in their 2nd season, losing a quarter final to the Scarlets.
To this day, the Cheetahs are still afforded a spot in the Challenge Cup and currently sit top of the Currie Cup table. There have been murmurings of them seeking a level of competition above the Currie Cup for some time, with a return to Super Rugby or a bid to join the MLR both being rumoured. Some have even argued they should replace the Lions.
Rating: Cheetahs remain a popular team and have produced many current Springboks; clearly, a welcome URC addition in potential. 8/10
Black Lion
A team we know for certain that wants to join the URC wants to join the URC is Black Lion from Georgia. The Black Lion franchise represents the pinnacle of domestic rugby in Georgia and boasts many internationals on their roster. Their desire to join the URC has been public knowledge for some time and it is believed negotiations have already taken place.
Like the Cheetahs, Black Lion play Challenge Cup rugby and have achieved victories in both of their seasons at that level so far. The dominated the Rugby Europe Super Cup, winning every iteration at a canter, and have toured South Africa and South America since their inception in 2021. Some may wish for a Spanish or Portuguese team too, but these are highly unlikely and have even been ruled out by some officials.
Rating: Many rugby neutrals would wish them well in a URC adventure as goodwill towards Georgian rugby remains high. 8/10
USA Franchises
A story that resurfaces every few years - and never fails to trigger Welsh Rugby Twitter - is the notion of USA based teams joining the URC. Anayi has gone so far as to say this idea is a matter of when, not if. If it does happen, it is sure to be controversial.
Many would object on logistical grounds, citing the over expansion of Super Rugby in the 2010s as evidence it could never work. People might be surprised to hear, then, that New York is actually closer to Britain & Ireland than Tbilisi in Georgia, and the time difference is the same in both directions (Georgia is GMT-4, East Coast America is GMT+4).
The current MLR champions, the New England Freejacks, are an East Coast team and are in a period of dominance having won the league 3 seasons in a row. The MLR is currently going through a moment of pain due to losing 3 franchises in a matter of weeks, which might mean their owners could look for a new, safer home.
Where else might an American URC franchise be based? There are other rugby hotspots in Texas and California, but these really would be a logistical stretch. Either way, it would be a difficult sell to traditional rugby fans that their team should be flying off to LA to play a match mid season.
Rating: The fans won’t want it but the league does, the business case is clearly there. The ball, one feels, is in the American’s court to prove they can make it happen. 6/10
Rovigo
How about a current URC nation adding another team? Aside from the Cheetahs in South Africa, the most likely candidate to create an extra team may actually be Italy. Despite the struggles of Benetton and Zebre over the years, many believe there is still untapped potential for teams in Italy, with Milan and Rome both touted as markets that could support elite level rugby.
But it seems the most likely name could be Rovigo, who are the strongest team in the Italian Serie A Elite domestic league. They are near neighbours of Benetton and have publicly expressed an interest of being promoted to URC level. Their owners say they have the financial backing and the population pool in Italy must surely be enough to support 3 teams.
Rating: An outside bet, but stranger things have happened. Could be the natural next step for Italian Rugby. 4/10
An English Championship Team
Finally, a real wildcard. the URC has long cast a wistful eye towards London, with its high population of expats from every URC nation - not least South Africa, who are making test matches in the English capital an annual fixture. The Ospreys even moved a home game against the Sharks to London 2 seasons ago to capitalise on this audience - it was one of their biggest crowds that season.
And who is there in London who might be willing to break free of the English pyramid? London Welsh, Scottish and Irish have all been touted, but what about Ealing Trailfinders? They have dominated the Championship for years but find their path to Premiership promotion blocked at every turn. Might they lose patience and jump ship? The Coventry RFC chairman has also been quoted as saying he would advise teams to join the URC, not the English Pyramid.
Rating: It would be a shock, no doubt triggering a crisis at the RFU, but the case is there to be made. 2/10