‘people Will Be Hurting’: Wru Recognise Anger Over Proposal For Two Men’s Sides

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has recognised nan “hurt and anger” caused by their connection to trim nan number of master men’s sides successful Wales from 4 to two, but insisted maintaining nan position quo would beryllium a mistake.

Welsh rugby’s governing assemblage has produced a extremist scheme to move astir nan crippled astatine nine and world level, outlining its ambitions successful a 90-page consultation archive entitled The Future of Elite Rugby successful Wales. There will beryllium a six-week consultation play earlier nan WRU makes a last determination connected nan plans, and its main executive, Abi Tierney, has urged group to “improve connected nan proposals” and supply “something fresh for intent for Welsh rugby”.

The WRU’s connection to halve its men’s master sides – Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets – to 2 will beryllium nan biggest talking constituent successful a archive that outlined 4 imaginable models for nan crippled successful Wales. It is unclear whether nan 2 projected sides would beryllium caller entities aliases existing teams, but each would person a men’s and women’s team.

Tierney said: “This is simply a momentous time for Welsh rugby. No decisions person been made, but we consciousness based connected nan study this is nan strongest [option] yet.

“I cognize really affectional rugby is successful Wales and group will beryllium hurting today, erstwhile they deliberation what it could mean perchance for them and their team. I recognise nan wounded and anger group are going to beryllium feeling. Change is difficult and this is difficult for fans. But fans’ numbers driblet has besides not been a awesome acquisition for anybody, and we want to create an acquisition they tin beryllium proud of.

“What we were doing and keeping doing for fans was not nan correct thing. I would promote everybody to ideate really breathtaking it could beryllium and return that measurement into nan future.”

The WRU connection comes arsenic Ospreys scheme to move into a redeveloped stadium astatine St Helen’s successful Swansea for nan 2026-27 play and aft nan Scarlets, who play successful Llanelli, precocious announced caller investors. The Newport-based Dragons said this week that elite master rugby must proceed successful Gwent, while Cardiff are presently owned by nan WRU, having gone into administration successful April.

It is imaginable nan WRU will look ineligible action from regions that could successful effect beryllium put retired of business and its chairman, Richard Collier-Keywood, said “two aliases 3 areas of imaginable ineligible challenge” exist.

The WRU has besides projected nan creation of a nationalist field astatine a tract yet to beryllium decided, which would beryllium nan location of nan men’s and women’s master teams, arsenic good arsenic nan Welsh nationalist sides and nan union’s academy.

Players were briefed connected nan WRU’s scheme connected Tuesday and Dave Reddin, nan caller head of rugby and elite performance, is assured suggestions of imaginable subordinate onslaught action will not materialise. Reddin said: “The nationalist field would beryllium a extremist departure and doing thing different, a protect moat for Welsh rugby and creating a competitory advantage.

“We’ve sewage to look extracurricular nan container if we want to effort and do things differently. Be brave capable to to lead sometimes and do things that nary 1 other is doing. Do things things that group deliberation are a spot nutty, excessively different aliases excessively uncomfortable.”