Wales head coach Warren Gatland says rugby should welcome the prospect of a new external cash injection as Qatar prepares to invest in the sport.
Wales will play for the Qatar Airways Cup this Saturday when they face world champions South Africa at Twickenham.
Qatar is being touted as the destination for the finals of World Rugby’s new Nations Championship 12-team tournament which is planned to start in 2026.
The deal is being reported as bringing in a potential £800m investment into rugby.
Qatar has already staged football’s 2022 World Cup, while golf, snooker and boxing have also benefitted from money from other Middle East countries like Saudi Arabia.
This is despite concerns over human rights issues within these countries and accusations sports are losing their identity by selling to the highest bidder.
With the prospect of Wales playing in Qatar in a couple of years, Gatland was asked if he thought external investment was a good thing or if he had any concerns and he replied: “Take the money and run, that’s my approach. I think it is what the game needs.”
