by The Welsh Rugby Union has recognized the “injury and anger” caused by their proposal to reduce the number of parts of professional men in the land of Wales from four to two, but insisted that the maintenance of the status quo is not the “good thing” to do.
The director of Welsh Rugby produced a radical plan to shoot the game at the level of the club and the international, describing its ambitions in a 90 -page consultation document entitled “the future of elite rugby in Wales”.
Advertisement
There will be a six -week consultation period before the WRU made a final decision on the plans, and the CEO of WRU, Abi Tierney, urged people to “improve proposals” and provide “something adapted to the objective of Welsh rugby”.
The Welsh Rugby Union has produced a radical plan to run the game at the club and international level (David Davies / PA)
The WRU proposal to divide in two its number of four male professional teams – Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets – two will be the largest discussion point of a document that described four potential models for the game in Wales.
It is not clear if the two future teams offered will be new entities or existing teams, but the two organizations will each have a male and female team.
Advertisement
Tierney said: “It’s an important day for Welsh rugby. No decision has been made, but we think we think it is the strongest (option) to date.
“I know how emotional rugby is in Wales and people are going badly today, when they think what it could mean potentially for them and their team.
“I recognize that people injured and angry will feel. The change is difficult and it is difficult for fans.
“But the fall in figures for fans has not been a great experience for anyone either, and we want to create an experience they can be proud of.
“What we did and continue to do for fans was not the right thing. I encourage everyone to imagine how exciting it could be and take this step in the future.”
Advertisement
The WRU proposal comes in the middle of the planned oscreys to go to a refurbished stadium in St Helen’s in Swansea for the 2026-27 season and the Scarlets having recently released new investors.
Ospreys and Scarlets are two of the teams whose future is not clear (Nick Potts / PA)
Dragons said that this week, professional rugby Elite was to continue in Gwent, while Cardiff currently belonged to the WRU having entered the administration in April.
It is possible that the WRU is confronted with a legal action of the regions which could essentially be put out of business, the president of the WRU, Richard Collier-Keywood, saying that “two or three areas of potential legal challenges” exist.
The WRU also proposed the creation of a national campus on a site to decide, which would be the home of male and female professional teams, as well as the national teams of Wales and the union academy.
WRU CEO Abi Tierney said that she recognizes “wounded and angry people will feel” (David Davies / PA)
The players were informed of the WRU plan on Tuesday and Dave Reddin, the new director of rugby and elite performances, is confident suggestions of a possible strike action for players will not materialize.
Advertisement
Reddin said: “The national campus would be a radical departure and would do something different, a defensive gap for Welsh rugby and creating a competitive advantage.
“We have to look at beaten track if we want to try to do things differently.
“Be courageous enough to lead sometimes and do things that no one else does. Do things that people think they are a little hazelnut, too different or too uncomfortable. ”
