Ospreys players and staff told Ealing merger reports 'incorrect'
- Published
Ospreys are 13th in the United Rugby Championship
Ospreys players and staff have been told reports of the region merging or being sold are "incorrect".
The region have not commented publicly on links with English Championship side Ealing Trailfinders.
However an internal private memo to staff, seen by BBC Sport Wales, has denied the claims.
Nick Angio, chief operating officer of Ospreys owners Y11 Sport and Media, said he felt compelled to write the email following newspaper reports.
Ealing won the English Championship last year but were denied promotion to the Premiership because their west London ground was not big enough.
They are again top of the second tier this season, but will not be eligible to go up.
Ealing's situation, combined with the ongoing financial uncertainty in Welsh rugby - and questions over whether four regions are sustainable - has led to rumours the London club could join forces with Ospreys and play in the United Rugby Championship (URC).
Ospreys flanker Sam Cross had admitted such a move would be devastating and Angio, who is also a director with the Welsh region, has moved to dismiss the idea in a bid to reassure staff.
He wrote: "There have been some national headlines in relation to there being a deal for the Ospreys to be sold or merged and any other combination imaginable.
"These headlines have been persistent to the point where we felt like it'd be important to confirm to you that they are incorrect.
"For further context, Y11 Sport & Media are in the business of investing in rugby and continues to develop a strategy of multi-club ownership and developing a commercial ecosystem that will benefit all clubs within the group of clubs.
"As a result, the company discusses with professional clubs across all major rugby competitions as well as governing bodies and other interested parties."
Angio explained why there had been no public comment from the region on the issue.
"We're all well aware of the rumours flying around about the Ospreys in the midst of this rather challenging period for professional Welsh rugby," he added.
"The constant media speculation makes it difficult to be an Osprey at this moment, especially within the vacuum of reliable information.
"The Ospreys' board of directors has a policy the club does not confirm or deny any media speculation.
"Constantly, there are rumours about the Ospreys just like there are about the other professional clubs in Wales.
"If the club were to publicly deny media speculation from time to time, then silence from the club on any topic would be interpreted as a confirmation of such speculation."
Angio said negotiations between the four regions and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) over a new six-year financial deal were ongoing but predicted a "few difficult years" ahead.
The region are also looking for a successor chief executive Nick Garcia.
"The club is continuing a difficult and drawn-out negotiation process with the WRU to ensure a new agreement puts the club in the best position possible for the future," Angio said.
"The difficult financial situation of the professional rugby ecosystem does mean that even in the best-case scenarios, we will be facing a few difficult years.
"The next year in particular will be very challenging and the club will need to develop new commercial opportunities while maintaining strict controls on costs.
"Once we have a new agreement with the WRU, we'll then be in a position to prepare budgets for next season and make more forthcoming decisions than we've been able to this current season.
"We also have new exciting local and international projects to further strengthen the Ospreys' commercial and elite performance for the future."