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  • 3 months ago
A decision on the future of professional rugby in Wales is expected by the end of October, but WalesOnline understands there is a stark divide among Welsh Rugby Union board members over the best way forward. In August, WRU director of rugby and elite performance Dave Reddin revealed the executive’s preferred solution: a reduction from four professional clubs to two, with significant central control.

Following a month-long consultation with key stakeholders, the findings were presented to the WRU board, who are now expected to announce their decision imminently.

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00:00A decision on the future of professional rugby in Wales is expected by the end of the month,
00:06but Wales Online understands there is a stark divide among Welsh Rugby Union board members
00:12over the best way forward. In August, WRU Director of Rugby and Elite Performance Dave Redding
00:18revealed the executive's preferred solution, a reduction from four professional clubs to two
00:24with significant central control. Following a month-long consultation with key stakeholders,
00:30the findings were presented to the WRU board, who are now expected to announce their decision
00:35imminently. A professional rugby board meeting was held on Wednesday, but it appears Wales' four
00:43clubs, Cardiff Dragons, Ospreys and Scarletts, were not informed of the WRU's intentions.
00:49High-level sources suggest the executive is now pushing for a three-team model to be approved
00:56by the main board. Yet there remains a split among directors, with opinions ranging from
01:02maintaining four clubs to reducing to three or two. Time is pressing. The WRU wants clarity before
01:10uncertainty affects players ahead of a challenging November schedule, where Steve Tandy's side face
01:16Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa. If consensus cannot be reached, a vote among the
01:2212-strong board could be used to settle the matter. Members include CEO Abbey Tierney, Chair Richard
01:29Collier-Keyward, PRB Chair Malcolm Wall, Independent Non-Executive Jennifer Mateus, Andrea Williams,
01:37Elias Thorne, Jamie Roberts and Amanda Bennett, along with elected members Claire Donovan,
01:42John Manders, Chris Jones and Colin Wilkes. Options under discussion include one club's
01:49owners buying Cardiff, potentially leading to a merger. Whatever route the WRU chooses, the road
01:55ahead is unlikely to be smooth. With tight deadlines and key stakeholders divided, the coming weeks
02:01will be crucial in shaping the professional game in Wales for years to come. The decisions made now could
02:08redefine the structure and competitiveness of Welsh rugby at its highest level.
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