Wru Plans Will Drive Talent To Leave - Wales Players

The Welsh Rugby Players Association (WRPA) has told nan Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) that its proposals for nan elite crippled would "drive talent to time off Wales".

The governing assemblage is successful a consultation play for its plans that frighten to trim nan number of master men's teams from nan existent 4 of Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets to two.

The WRU intends to denote a last determination astatine nan extremity of October and that intends nan first artifact of nan United Rugby Championship (URC) will beryllium played amid uncertainty.

The WRPA met pinch nan governing assemblage connected Monday evening and made it clear that it did not work together pinch what nan WRU has termed its "optimal solution".

"The corporate position of nan players is clear: nan projected two-club exemplary does not person their support," said WRPA main executive Gareth Lewis.

Lewis says players judge it would:

Dragons past week urged nan WRU to rethink its plans, pinch chairman David Wright declaring "Welsh rugby deserves better".

The WRPA has followed that by encouraging nan Union to travel up pinch different plan.

"We consciousness it is important astatine this shape of nan consultation that nan spot of emotion among players is visible to each stakeholders and nan wider rugby community," said Lewis.

"With continued liking from nan media and supporters, we want to guarantee nan players' sound is intelligibly understood and contributes constructively to nan ongoing discussions astir nan early of our game.

"Looking forward, players judge nan early of Welsh rugby must beryllium built connected a exemplary that protects playing opportunities, nurtures pathways, preserves identity, and strengthens nan crippled for generations to come.

"We recognise nan WRU's position that each options stay nether information until nan consultation pinch each stakeholder has been completed.

"The WRPA will proceed to prosecute openly and constructively, moving alongside nan WRU, clubs, and wider rugby organization to thief style a sustainable and successful early for Welsh rugby."

The URC gets nether measurement connected 26 September and nan WRU intends to coming its last determination to nan committee astatine nan extremity of October.

Wales past play autumn internationals astatine Cardiff's Principality Stadium against Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.

WRU head of rugby and elite capacity Dave Reddin said successful August that nan governing assemblage was hopeful location would beryllium nary repetition of nan 2023 situation that saw Wales' Test players frighten to spell connected onslaught for nan Six Nations fixture against England.

"We want to intimately prosecute pinch nan players truthful that they understand nan position and nan opportunity," said Reddin erstwhile unveiling nan plans.

"I would hope, and early indications are positive, that group really want to perceive and beryllium engaged successful what a awesome Welsh strategy tin look like.

"We want to activity really intimately and pass pinch them because a onslaught would beryllium a disaster for everybody. I knowledgeable that pinch England rugby galore years ago, and I don't deliberation it would return our schedule forward."