The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has acknowledged the “pain and anger” caused by its proposal to reduce the number of men’s professional teams in Wales from four to two, but insists that maintaining the status quo is not the “right” thing to do.
The Welsh rugby governing body has unveiled a radical plan to transform the game at club and international level, detailing its ambitions in a 90-page consultation document titled “The Future of Elite Rugby in Wales”.
There will be a six-week consultation period before the WRU makes a final decision on the plans, and WRU chief executive Abi Tierney has urged people to “improve the proposals” and provide “something suitable for Welsh rugby”.
The WRU’s proposal to halve the number of its four professional men’s teams (Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets) to two will be the main topic of debate in a document outlining four potential models for the game in Wales.
It is still unclear whether the two future teams proposed will be new entities or existing teams, but the two organizations will each have a men’s and women’s team.
“I recognize the pain and anger that people are going to feel. Change is difficult and this is difficult for the fans. But the decrease in the number of fans has not been a great experience for anyone either, and we want to create an experience they can be proud of. What we were doing and continue to do for the fans wasn’t right. I would encourage everyone to imagine how exciting it could be and to take that step into the future.” The WRU’s proposal comes amid the Ospreys’ plans to move to a redeveloped stadium at St Helen’s in Swansea for the 2026-27 season and the Scarlets who recently presented new investors. The Dragons said this week that elite professional rugby must continue in Gwent, while Cardiff is currently owned by the WRU after entering administration in April.“I know how emotional rugby is in Wales and people will be hurt today, when they think about what it could potentially mean for them and their team.
Abi Tierney, WRU Chief Executive
The WRU may face legal action from regions that could essentially be put out of business, with WRU chairman Richard Collier-Keywood saying that there are “two or three areas of potential legal challenge”.
The WRU has also proposed the creation of a national campus at a site yet to be decided, which would be home to the men’s and women’s professional teams, as well as the Welsh national teams and the union academy. The players were informed about the WRU’s plan on Tuesday and Dave Reddin, the new director of elite rugby and performance, is confident that suggestions of potential player strike action will not materialize. Reddin said: “The national campus would be a radical deviation and do something different, a defensive moat for Welsh rugby and create a competitive advantage. We have to think outside the box if we want to try to do things differently. Be brave enough to lead sometimes and do things that no one else is doing. Do things that people think are a little crazy, too different, or too uncomfortable.”
