This was exactly my point. I know for certain a lot of local rugby league players get paid (and quite a lot, for a local competition) and I'd assume the same would be the case for rugby union.
While there will always be people who are dedicated enough and love the game enough to train five nights a week (although if they have this amount of spare time I'd be perhaps suggesting they find other things to fill their time), this simply isn't an achievable outcome for most players. While players are unpaid, playing football can only be a hobby.
No-one pretends that there is not a commitment problem with some of the teams who are not succeeding, but in the end I think it comes down to resources. Some clubs have the resources available to run training more than twice a week and enlist specialist help, but others don't. Similarly, some players have the resources available to give up more time than two nights per week and all day Saturday, but others don't.
So I think it's a bit rich to assume that just because some teams have the ability to invest significant time and funds in extended training programs, that this extends to all the teams in the league. Perhaps paying players is thus something that needs to be looked at if the league is going to become truly competitive.
ps. I note the inclusion of a lot of Cardiff players in the rep team! What a strange coincidence. I also note that Liam Gibson, who has apparently not played a game this season due to injury, is included in the supplementary list. Even if this is with an eye to the June long weekend, it seems an interesting way to reward all those players who have played well so far this season and who were not included in the team or the list.
