RGC will now have to play their Friday night games on Saturdays during November after their opponents decided they could not raise a team for the fixtures.

The Gogs face off against Bedwas and Llanelli at 11am on November 17 and 24 after the Welsh Rugby Union and Principality Premiership outlined this particular need, with both sides unwilling to travel with weakened squads despite agreeing to the fixtures in the summer.

I understand people have to work and it can be a struggle, but this is supposed to be the very elite of top-flight rugby in Wales and for two established sides say that cannot call upon a squad to fulfil their fixtures looks bad not only on them, but the Premiership in general.

This is going to have a significant impact on the Gogs’ fan base, with some hoping to take in both their game and the Wales international the following day, but having possibly already purchased tickets for the international it leaves them with little choice that to miss the RGC fixture.

Friday night games at Stadiwm Zip World have always been a huge draw with the crowd and an 11am kick-off is not exactly ideal for supporters, although they will probably turn out in force for both such is their fierce loyalty to their club which says more about them than the organisation of the two clubs involved in the change.

For Llanelli and Bedwas the prospect of a 5am start to North Wales is hardly going to give their preparation a boost, whilst home plans will also have to be altered considerably in terms of diet and warm up for such an early fixture.

This has the possibility of a drop in overall quality of the game, something which, once again, is going to leve more questions than answers in terms of the decision.

It is highly unlikely that if the shoe was on the other foot then Mark Jones’ men would make the same call. Being the only Premiership team from the north it means regular long trips to South Wales for half of their fixtures throughout the season, and not once has a situation like this occurred which tells you a lot about the professionalism of the Gogs’ set-up and their resolve irrespective of the task in front of them.

Despite this being the third year that RGC have competed at this level, their presence in the top flight always seems like an inconvenience to the rest of the league.

The fact they are forced to travel to Colwyn Bay once or twice a season seems to be something any side is particularly keen on, but given the nature that RGC have quickly established themselves as a real force within the division it is something that they are going to have to get used to for the foreseeable future.

The north/south divide in rugby circles is still evident despite the fantastic work being done by RGC to promote the game at youth, female and senior level, yet despite this, farcical events such as this that are beyond their control keep the debate in the spotlight when it should have been dismissed a long time ago.

No doubt the Gogs will take everything in their stride, something that has been the catalyst behind their incredible rise to prominence, and the irony is that their next contest comes on a Friday night in the nation’s capital, Cardiff.

This fixture has not been moved, or differed to another date, it is a case of accepting their fate as part of the season’s games and just get on with things.

After all, these dates were confirmed in August and for them to change it so late in the day and with such a poor excuse is nothing short of an outrage that should make RGC feel rightfully aggrieved.