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Ospreys boss 'excited' despite uncertainty over future in Wales
Mark Anthony Jones is well-positioned to share his verdict on the potential restructuring by the Welsh Rugby Union.
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The WRU is considering some radical options to save the game, including reducing the number of professional regions from four to potentially two.
This option has sparked passionate opposition from fans and pundits concerned about regional identity, loss of history, and financial stability.
It was back in July when the WRU confirmed they were entering into formal consultation with Wales’ four regional teams and other key stakeholders about restructuring the domestic professional game by season 2027/28.
The consultation period took place in August and September, with the regional teams and players the primary stakeholder groups that contributed.
The consultation covered the entire high-performance framework from pathways to professional structure and national teams.
The Ospreys coach, Jones, said the “restructuring” of the Welsh landscape is going on in the background.
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“It is tough for the players to have that in the background,” the 47-times capped former Welsh wing said.
The 45-year-old said the Ospreys players have done well to “compartmentalise” the ominous distraction hovering over the Welsh game and the regions, focusing on the game when they need to.
“I think it is great that Welsh rugby is having a good look under the stones,” he rationalised the off-field distraction and paranoia.
“It is easy to get complacent and there are areas in the Welsh game where things and people got complacent.
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“When you are winning Grand Slams and Six Nations titles, like Wales did in the last 20 years, sometimes you don’t quite see what is in front of you.
“I am pleased there is thorough exploration around the whole game, not just the regional level – also looking at the international level, the pathways.
“I am excited about what will come out of the review.
“Everybody has had a good input, so hopefully there is some good food for thought.”
Saying he is “very optimistic” about the outcome, Jones also revealed that he still sees Ospreys as a cornerstone of the Welsh game.
“If you look at the region, the clubs and the junior sides and the professional team, the quality of the internationals that have come through.
“Our region, has produced more British and Irish Lions than any other team in Wales.
“With us moving to our new stadium [the revamped St Helen’s Sports Ground] next year, the future is really bright for the Ospreys.”
The original plan was for the region to relocate to the St Helen’s ground in Swansea towards the end of this year.
However, that move has been put on hold until the start of the 2026-27 season to provide sufficient time for the required redevelopment work to be completed.
Rather than staying at their Swansea base for another year, they have opted instead to utilise Bridgend’s Brewery Field.
“What we hope will support us moving forward is improvements around our pathway, producing more players at a higher level, coming into our academies – making that a finishing school for you Welsh talent.
United Rugby Championship
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Bulls
2
2
0
0
10
2
Stormers
2
2
0
0
9
3
Munster
2
2
0
0
9
4
Zebre
2
2
0
0
9
5
Cardiff Rugby
2
1
1
0
7
6
Glasgow
2
1
1
0
6
7
Ulster
1
1
0
0
5
8
Connacht
1
1
0
0
5
9
Benetton
2
1
1
0
4
10
Edinburgh
1
0
1
0
2
11
Sharks
2
0
1
1
2
12
Dragons RFC
2
0
1
1
2
13
Lions
2
0
2
0
1
14
Ospreys
2
0
2
0
1
15
Leinster
2
0
2
0
1
16
Scarlets
1
0
1
0
0
“There are lots of other attractions in Wales and Great Britain for youngsters these days.
“Football [soccer] is a big attraction in the Swansea area, being the Championship [the second tier of English football], so we do lose a lot of athletes and supporters to that side of the game.
“We are trying to keep rugby in the forefront of people’s minds, a game people want to pay to come and watch and youngsters want to play.
“It has been a cornerstone and I see us being one moving forward in Welsh rugby.”
Jones believes the “passion” for the oval ball is still prevalent in the region, even though the “badge on the shirt” is different from the days of premier clubs like Neath, Swansea, Aberavon and Bridgend.
There is the odd import, like the Congolese-born flyer Daniel Kasende, who played for Griquas and Cheetahs before moving to Wales.
However, the bulk of the squad is ‘born-and-bred’ in the Ospreys region.
Jones took over as coach in December 2024, after Toby Booth’s departure.
He previously coached at the Scarlets, the Crusaders in New Zealand, assisted the Welsh national senior and U20 teams.
He also assisted Namibia at the 2019 World Cup.
Starting his coaching career, after playing for Llandovery, Llanelli and Scarlets, Jones coached at Scarlets, Rotherham, Crusaders, Worcester Warriors and now Ospreys.
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