Welsh Rugby: Regions prepare to train against each other as squad sizes reduce
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Ospreys forward Rhys Davies and Cardiff captain Josh Turnbull played against each other at Welsh rugby's Judgement Day in April 2023
Some of Wales' professional teams are preparing to train against each other next season with squad sizes being reduced amid financial cuts.
Ospreys, Cardiff, Dragons and Scarlets are facing financial cutbacks following the recent renegotiation of their funding agreement with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).
There will be a salary cap for 2023-24 of £5.2m for each of the four teams.
This will be reduced to £4.5m the following season.
Squad sizes will be reduced across the board with more than 50 players expected to leave the four regions. Any planned sessions between regions would be expected to be once a week.
Professional Rugby Board (PRB) chair Malcolm Wall has previously stated there should be enough players for 44 players in a squad, but some of the regions have stated it will be closer to a number in the mid-30s. Squad sizes have traditionally been closer to 50.
Coaches need to have 15 players against 15 players in some training sessions during the week but injuries and unavailability could mean that would not now be possible in one squad.
The teams have also been waiting for the first full instalment of the new six-year financial deal they signed with the WRU in March, 2023.
The contract requires Welsh Government consent because of a current loan agreement it holds with the WRU and regions.
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The deal was announced by the Professional Rugby Board (PRB) which is made up of representatives of the WRU and Cardiff, Ospreys, Dragons and Scarlets.
It included a new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) that will run until 2029 and which is intended to "provide financial predictability".
It was announced when the deal was signed that some of the key features of the new PRA would be "reliant on certain external approvals related to existing loan arrangements".
The regions and WRU signed up to this agreement, aware of this detail and are still awaiting the required approval.
Those issues would have to be resolved before the full first payment of the new deal could be given to the cash-strapped four regions.
The sides are still receiving funding from the old financial agreement, but are struggling as they have to pay outstanding bills.
There will be a number of organisations who would have to give their approval. The most significant existing loan agreement is the £20m secured by the WRU on behalf of the four Wales professional regions at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
An £18m government loan was combined with another £2m of funding secured from World Rugby with the total made available between the four sides, who currently remain responsible for repaying the loans.
The WRU announced in March 2022 they had reached a re-financing agreement with the Welsh Government which they said would allow for more flexibility and included extending the term of the loan.