With 17 consecutive defeats for the men’s national team, Welsh rugby is in crisis. And with a challenging Summer Tour to Japan and a tough Autumn Series including the All Blacks and World Champions, South Africa looming over the horizon, there is a consensus that it’s time for action.
S4C is leading the debate on television with a one-hour special at 2100UTC on Monday March 24th. The programme will be recorded in front of a 40-strong studio audience at Tinopolis’ Llanelli studio, home to S4C’s daily Prynhawn Da afternoon show and evening show Heno.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcvl1pu2oWA
The one-hour special will be hosted by presenter and rugby specialist and Scrum V host Lauren Jenkins with a panel including former Wales men’s captain Dr Gwyn Jones, former men’s international Shane Williams, former women’s international Caryl James and Huw Jones, a former head of Sport Wales. Contributions will be invited from an audience that will include rugby players and experts as well as members of the public.
It’s expected to be fiery as the panel explores the origins of the crisis, grass roots rugby, the senior men’s and women’s teams as well as management, governance and rugby in the regions. Catrin Evans – award winning current affairs and factual programme maker – is Tinopolis’ Executive Producer with rugby specialist and Sunset+Vine’s head of the Welsh office Cerith Williams producing.
This programme special along with Ralio are additions to the daily programming, Prynhawn Da and Heno, produced and delivered by Tinopolis for S4C. Totalling 3 hours of peak viewing on S4C today.
The programme will air as a Welsh-language transmission but will be available with subtitles on the BBC’s iPlayer and S4C Clic. English language simultaneous translation will be available on S4C’s Red Button service.
‘There are so many questions surrounding the future of Welsh rugby at the moment, this programme is an important forum for all rugby-lovers in Wales and further afield. With a knowledgeable presenter and panel, and a fiery audience we’ll unpack the issues and discuss ways to fix this crisis in Welsh rugby’ Catrin Evans, Executive Producer.
‘Sunset+Vine is embedded at the heart of sport in Wales both in international rugby and with our programming on events like the Tour de France and Red Bull cycling,’ says Cerith Williams, Head of Sunset+Vine Wales. ‘I am pleased that we can play our part at the centre of this critical debate in the rugby world.’
- Leading Welsh production company Tinopolis to stage S4C panel discussion show on the crisis in Welsh rugby
- Crisis in Welsh Rugby is a special transmission of BAFTA Cymru winning monthly current affairs studio programme Pawb a’i Farn produced by Tinopolis
- 1-hour show – recorded in front of a live audience – to air on Monday March 24th at 2100UTC
- Programme produced by Tinopolis in conjunction with group company sports arm Sunset+Vine
- Leading panel figures include former Wales captain, former Wales international and a former head of Sport Wales
- Rugby reporter and presenter Lauren Jenkins will host the discussion in front of a live audience
- The Welsh-language programme will be subtitled and available on the S4C on demand channel and BBC iPlayer