Waddington appointed as new Cardiff chair

Scott Waddington is the first permanent independent chair of Cardiff since the organisation went into administration in April 2025

Scott Waddington is the new independent chair of the Welsh Rugby Union-owned Cardiff.

Waddington succeeds WRU's chief operating officer Leighton Davies, who was appointed to the role on an interim basis after the governing body took over Cardiff in April 2025 when the organisation temporarily went into administration.

That decision was made once it became clear the club's former owner, Helford Capital, who secured an 84.5% majority stake in January 2024, was unable to meet its obligations to fund the club as it was contractually obliged to do.

Waddington is a former chief executive of SA Brain and served seven years as the chair of Transport for Wales.

"It is a real privilege to be joining Cardiff and I am looking forward to supporting everyone involved in the club and working together to build a successful future," said Waddington.

"In the short term, I am looking to contribute positively to the current consultation process with the WRU."

Cardiff's place in future of Welsh rugby

The Arms Park is the home of Cardiff Rugby but owned by Cardiff Athletic Club

The WRU says their ownership will be a temporary solution with the governing body looking to return Cardiff to private hands. That is unlikely to happen until the future of professional rugby in Wales is resolved.

The WRU has proposed to reduce the number of professional men's sides in Wales from four to two and insists maintaining the status quo is not the "right thing" to do.

Welsh rugby's governing body has produced a plan to turn around the game at both club and international level, outlining its ambitions in a 90-page consultation document entitled 'The Future of Elite Rugby in Wales'.

There will be a six-week consultation period before the WRU makes a final decision on the plans, and WRU chief executive Abi Tierney has urged people to "improve on the proposals" and provide "something fit for purpose for Welsh rugby".

The WRU's preferred proposal to halve its number of four men's professional sides - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - to two is the biggest talking point in a document which outlined four potential models for the game in Wales.

It remains unclear whether the two future sides being proposed will be new entities or existing teams, but the two organisations would each have a men's and women's team.

New-look Cardiff team

Waddington joins a new-look Cardiff management team with former chair Alun Jones and chief executive Richard Holland stepping down when the organisation went into administration.

"We are pleased to welcome someone of Scott's calibre and remain very grateful to Leighton for the contribution he has made," said Cardiff interim managing director Jamie Muir.

"It was important we appointed an independent chair, particularly with everything going on in Welsh rugby, and Scott has all the expertise and experience to lead and support us.

Waddington will take the lead for the club in the ongoing consultation into the elite professional game in Wales and continue the process of seeking potential new investors in Cardiff.

"We are delighted to welcome Scott to the Cardiff board and look forward to working with him at this pivotal time for the game in Wales," said WRU board member Alison Thorne.

"There's no doubt Cardiff colleagues and supporters have a chair who is determined to act in their best interests during the vitally important consultation process we are undergoing."