Fans protest against WRU plans at Dragons-Scarlets derby

Dragons and Scarlets supporters found common ground against WRU plans to cut teams

Dragons and Scarlets smashed into each other on the pitch at Rodney Parade on Saturday afternoon but their fans displayed a united front when protesting against Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) plans to cut teams.

The two sides played their final friendly ahead of the start of the United Rugby Championship (URC), with the hosts running out 33-28 winners in Newport.

Before the game there were protests, with supporters posing with the '#SaveOurGame' banner that was made for the previous crisis at the start of 2023.

The first block of the season will be played amid uncertainty over the future of the professional game, with the WRU proposing to cut the number of professional teams from the current four of Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets to two.

Welsh rugby's governing body is in a consultation process that finishes at the end of September, with a final decision expected a month later.

Dragons have already criticised the proposal with co-owner and chairman David Wright stating: "Welsh rugby deserves better and the WRU must rethink."

That was followed by the Welsh Rugby Players Association (WRPA) declaring that its members were against the two-club model, warning that the plan would "drive talent to leave Wales".

Supporters from the Rodney Parade club and Scarlets joined forces before the game in Newport to make their feelings clear.

"It's important to make the WRU aware that supporters aren't happy with their proposals," said Dan Hallett, chairman of the Dragons Official Supporters Club.

"We will keep these protests going until the end of October when we potentially could have the decision.

"We are the people paying money to watch these teams and some have been doing it for 20-odd years, some even longer with the Scarlets and Cardiff."

Protest march planned in Llanelli

Parc y Scarlets opened in 2008 to replace Stradey Park as Scarlets' new home

The travelling support in Newport was part of the protest and they have planned a march from the site of the old Stradey Park posts to Parc y Scarlets before the URC opener against Munster on Saturday, 27 September.

"Players come and go but supporters are the fabric of the clubs," said Helen Davies, Scarlets supporter liaison officer.

"We have got to use our voices, show our support and let the WRU know how passionately we feel about this.

"The majority of our supporters have said that if we were forced into a merger then they would walk away, so a lot of support would be lost.

"Mistakes have been made in the past that have caused where we are today and we are being forced into change that could have been avoided."

The WRU insists that being challenged has already influenced the plans it will present to the board in October.

"I don't want to get ahead of myself or take any shortcuts here, but I can confidently say that our thinking is changing in positive ways as we progress," said WRU director of rugby and elite performance Dave Reddin.

However, supporters have left them in no uncertain terms that they will not back the governing body's 'optimum system' of two elite men's clubs.

"There needs to be some change but the figures don't add up for their two-team model," said Hallett.

"There has been no accountability, this is a result of many years of chronic mismanagement by the WRU, with their investment in the wrong things and taking money away from the professional game.

"We had fan forum a few weeks ago and not a single person said they would support an east Wales franchise.

"They would either watch community clubs, not bother putting money into Welsh rugby, or go and watch games across the [Severn] Bridge."

Dragons hold on for win

Wales wing Rio Dyer on the run for Dragons against Scarlets

Dragons, who start the URC at Ulster, took the spoils to enjoy a first win in Newport since the opening day of last season.

It was 26-12 to the home side at half-time thanks to Angus O'Brien's try and a hat-trick by centre Joe Westwood, while number eight Taine Plumtree and wing Ellis Mee went over for Scarlets.

Dragons flanker Harry Beddall made it 33-14 from a driving line-out early in the second half, before Scarlets threatened to sneak a late win.

Scrum-half Dane Blacker and full-back Ioan Nicholas, a late call-up after Wales international Blair Murray suffered a back spasm in the warm-up, went over but Dragons held out in their 22 at the death.