Wales can take many plus points from the series of autumn rugby international matches, with bumper attendances and a number of positives on the playing side, but the series has come at a cost to local rugby clubs.
Denied regular rugby throughout the month of November, the cash coffers of clubs are hit hard without a regular supply of gate money, sponsorship and bar takings.
Whitland Rugby Club is no exception to the rule. The club owns its own ground and has a clubhouse in the town centre, but without the regular rugby, income levels fall down to a trickle, with no gate money, no sponsorship and very little activity inside the clubhouse.
Richard Merriman has expressed some interesting views, but emphasises that his comments are personal comments and do not represent any official policy decisions taken by the club.
Commenting to Observer Sport, he said: "Throughout November we only had one first team game when we were away to Cwmavon in the third round of the Welsh Cup.
"With no league matches, there is a loss of momentum and no continuity, so that players can get rusty. At the same time, cash takings at the club are hit hard.
"It is not just a problem for Whitland and no doubt other clubs are feeling the pinch as well. In December and January, we have a full programme of league and cup matches, but if we get wet, mucky weather conditions or severe frost, games can be called off. The November shut-down has little effect on overheads, but has a big effect on general income levels.
"There must be a case for reviewing the situation. Clubs accept the position during the Six Nations campaign, but to have another month without club rugby makes life rather difficult.
"Would it be possible, for instance, to have some of the autumn rugby international matches played on a Sunday to allow clubs to play league rugby on a Saturday? Another option might be to put back the dates of the autumn series, so that the international matches run into December. Although club grounds can suffer with extremes of weather conditions, the Millennium Stadium is equipped to deal with all weather conditions, so that torrential rain or a heavy frost would not prevent any of the international matches being played.
"We are quite fortunate in that out of the next five weekends, we have four matches and we just hope that no matches are called off. With the weather conditions we have experienced in recent years during December and January, we have found that games are called off and there is another knock-on effect, as it is difficult for club grounds to recover as quickly as the international stadiums.
"Another aspect not often considered is that spectators can get out of the habit of attending matches and without club rugby in November, supporters might be tempted to give rugby a miss in December to go Christmas shopping or socialise with friends."
The views expressed by Mr. Merriman could well be echoed by other rugby followers and club officials in West Wales and it would be interesting to see what would happen if any club decides to put forward proposals for some sort of change to the Welsh Rugby Union, to introduce more flexibility in the November fixtures lists.