Welsh rugby’s governing body has recently doubled down on outlining its plans to cut the number of professional teams from four to three by 2028, with WRU-owned Cardiff and privately backed Dragons set to be given licences.
That announcement has plunged the futures of Scarlets and Ospreys into doubt, with the west licence either being awarded to the Llanelli-based side or their Swansea-based rivals.
WRU chiefs have mentioned the process to decide the framework for the final decision will begin in December and finish before the end of the 2026-27 campaign.
Scarlets managing director Jon Daniels has insisted there are no plans for a merger with Ospreys and called for greater transparency from the WRU.
Ospreys have since responded publicly by stating they believe four professional sides is the way forward, telling the WRU its plan to reduce a team is wrong and not inevitable.
The WRU board statement says they “have worked closely with the leadership of our men’s professional teams to address the financial and performance challenges facing our sport.”
The board stated: “There is no realistic prospect of the game generating enough revenue to fund four professional teams competitively beyond 2028.
“The available finances, and the player base needed to sustain them, are spread too thinly across four teams to give any of them what they need to succeed.”
The WRU point to the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) held in April where they say the member clubs came together and were provided with a transparent report on our plans to address the challenges.
They say the clubs were given the opportunity to raise questions and provide comment on the decisions that we as their board have taken.
The statement continued: “Since then, and following the extensive consultation process undertaken last year, the WRU board has reconsidered in detail a range of factors when determining the future operating model for the men’s professional game.
“These have included population and accessibility, rugby infrastructure, financial sustainability, player pathways, sporting performance, fans’ support and heritage.
“As a professional, responsible group of individuals with the same aim, we have affirmed the difficult decision to move to a three-club model.
“The new model is designed to develop a strong and sustainable professional structure and a pathway system that gives future players, across our rugby strongholds, the best opportunity to develop.
“All involved in the leadership of our men’s professional game – the WRU and the four current clubs – have agreed to come together later this year to begin shaping what the future licensing arrangements for the new model will look like.”
