Welsh rugby is set to receive a £10M ($15.4M) windfall from the Rugby World Cup "with some of the money expected to be used to bolster a bid" to bring Leigh Halfpenny, Jonathan Davies and George North "home from exile," according to Andy Howell of WALES ONLINE. Wales received a grant from the Welsh Assembly Government for a new pitch used for the RWC and will get £3M ($4.6M) for taking part in the tournament. The Welsh Rugby Union will also benefit from a "substantial fee for hiring out the Millennium Stadium for eight matches," a boost from sponsors for having reached the quarterfinals and some of the "record surplus the England-hosted event made." The fillip comes on the back of "four other major deals struck recently." These are a new TV contract for the Six Nations up to '22, finalizing fixtures for the autumn internationals until '20, naming rights for the Millennium Stadium which becomes the Principality Stadium and a "bumper" £33M ($50.8M) contract with Under Armour. It means "there will be enough cash in an expanding pot" for the WRU to offer more National Dual Contracts in a joint deal with the four regions with up to 15 players likely to be on them (WALES ONLINE, 11/4).
