Confirmed: One Welsh region will be axed say WRU

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has confirmed that one of Wales’ four professional URC regions faces the axe under a sweeping new plan to overhaul the elite game.

After months of speculation and no little amount of acrimony, the WRU Board has voted unanimously to replace the current four-team structure with just three professional men’s clubs.

One will be based in the capital, one in West Wales and one in East Wales.

The WRU will also fund two elite women’s teams.

Which of the existing four regions will lose out remains unclear – but with licences limited to three, one is now living on borrowed time.

Given the geographic criteria laid out by the union, it points to either the Ospreys or the Scarlets as the most likely candidates to be set adrift.

The WRU plans to grant three licences for the men’s teams – one in each of the designated regions – with equal squad funding starting at £6.4 million per club, rising to £7.8 million per annum.

WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood said the decision followed one of the largest public consultations in Welsh sporting history, with over 7,000 responses and 31 in-person stakeholder meetings.

“We have heard loud and clear from the consultation that people want a long-term fix and not a short-term patch.  We have listened and we agree,” Collier-Keywood said at a press conference at the Principality Stadium. “Our decision is that the future structure of elite men’s rugby will be based on three professional men’s clubs, replacing the current four-team model, alongside two women’s elite teams.”

The announcement marks the biggest structural shake-up in Welsh rugby since the controversial regionalisation in 2003.

The union states that the restructuring aims to concentrate playing talent, improve competitiveness in the URC and Europe and address chronic financial instability that has dogged the professional game in Wales.

Collier-Keywood stressed that existing contracts and URC obligations will be honoured during the transition.

“Any change is difficult, and we have current contractual obligations to the URC and our professional clubs that we will honour in the absence of new agreements. We want to involve the URC and the owners and managers of the current clubs in how we get to our chosen destination. This may take some time, but we will work hard to get this done as quickly as possible.

“If, however, it ultimately proves impossible to reach a consensus on how this change will happen then the WRU will run a fair and transparent tendering process for the three licences. We have already guaranteed that all existing player contracts will be honoured.”

The WRU has also announced an additional £40 million investment across the next five years, targeting both the men’s and women’s pathways.

Around £28 million of that will go into improved coaching and education structures, a men’s national academy with two regional training centres, twelve men’s Player Development Centres, a women’s national academy, three women’s Player Development Centres with nine satellite hubs, as well as enhanced Super Rygbi Cymru and Celtic Challenge teams and a new Talent and Insight Management Department.

The WRU claims the model will centralise rugby operations under the union, while clubs retain control of their commercial arms.

“Our intention is that we will work closely with the owners under a new licence agreement that will see them retaining overall control of the clubs and their commercial activity whilst the rugby operations and the funding for this will be the responsibility of the WRU. The details of this will be worked out with the clubs but our desire is to align to improve performance of both the national teams and the professional clubs.

“We have carried out an analysis of population demographics, community club distribution, registered community player numbers and potential future rugby players, coaches, university and school locations and physical rugby infrastructure across Wales. The geographical distribution of licences for the three future clubs in this new model will need to take into account these factors.  Our view is that this will lead to licences being issued with one in the capital, one in the West and one in the East.”

WRU director of rugby and elite performance Dave Reddin said the revised three-team model had evolved from an earlier two-team concept that was widely rejected.

“This new system has been built from the ground up to drive success with every part aligned and every decision designed to raise standards, restore the DNA of Welsh rugby and deliver the step forward in performance that everyone in Welsh rugby craves,” Reddin said.

“As a result of the consultation, it has moved on for good reason from the original two-club model proposed. The consultation confirmed that change is needed, and this model focuses investment where it makes the biggest difference on the pitch. But we also heard the concerns of players and the deep passion for the heritage of our teams. On balance we feel that this three-team structure protects that for most while managing a necessary reduction in a fair and respectful way. This creates a sustainable, joined-up system.”

Alongside the men’s restructure, the WRU confirmed plans for two professional women’s sides, a national academy and an expanded domestic competition.

“This is a transformative moment for women’s rugby in Wales,” said Amanda Bennett, chair of the Women’s Rugby Committee. “The WRU’s commitment to funding and infrastructure will help us attract and retain top talent and build a competitive domestic structure.”