Welsh regions 'relieved and encouraged' despite WRU cut plan

Director of rugby Dave Reddin laid out the Welsh Rugby Union's plans for the future

Cardiff say they are "relieved", Dragons are "encouraged", Scarlets are "confident" while Ospreys remained bullish about their future after hearing details of Welsh rugby bosses' intention to cut one of the four Welsh regional teams by 2027.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) says the three remaining teams will have one based in the east, one in Cardiff and one in the west.

While there has been no indication of which of the current four teams remain most in jeopardy of disappearing, the plan taken on a purely geographical assumption seems to put Cardiff and Dragons in pole position - with Ospreys and Scarlets battling it out to be the survivor in the west.

However, WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood insisted after Friday's announcement that Scarlets and Ospreys are not competing against each other - despite the plan being to have only one professional side in west Wales in future.

If current regions cannot come to a consensus as to how that will be decided - such as a merger - then the WRU will open a tender process for the three licences.

Cardiff 'focus' on being the capital team

Cardiff - who have been owned by the WRU since a financial rescue in April - indicated in a statement they believe they have a strong case to continue as they are.

Their position is also strengthened as the team currently sit fourth in the United Rugby Championship (URC), while Ospreys (13th), Scarlets (15th) and Dragons (16th) languish at the foot of the 16-strong competition.

Cardiff's statement read: "We have been assured that one of the three teams will be in Cardiff. We are relieved and encouraged by this.

"As a club we are confident in our position and viability, and our sole focus remains steadfast on ensuring Cardiff Rugby remains at the Arms Park as Cardiff Rugby.

"This will be reiterated with absolute confidence and clarity on our follow-up meeting with the Welsh Rugby Union.

"While this is positive news for the future of Cardiff Rugby, we recognise this is a significant change, which creates uncertainty for many friends and colleagues across Welsh rugby."

Dragons 'pleased' after 'difficult' time

Dragons' record on the pitch has come under fire from some quarters during the period of consultation undertaken by the WRU since August, when it announced its plans that included the "radical step" of perhaps halving the number of teams from four to two.

Ex-Dragons boss Lyn Jones was one of those to criticise his former team, saying the Rodney Parade side have been Welsh rugby's weakest team during the regional era - that began in 2003 - and were the obvious choice to be discarded.

Dragons' owners stated that elite rugby must continue in Gwent and reaffirmed that position in their statement on Friday, with chairman David Wright saying "the last few months have been difficult and uncertain".

"We are pleased that the WRU has accepted that elite rugby must remain in Gwent," the Dragons said.

"We are also encouraged that the strength and potential of rugby across Gwent has been recognised, from the deep community roots of our clubs to the pathway opportunities for young players.

"Sustaining and growing the game in this region is vital for Welsh rugby's future, and we welcome the commitment to ensuring that Gwent continues to play a central role.

"There are still significant issues which we encourage the WRU to reconsider. It is essential that clubs retain control of rugby decisions; this will ensure a sustainable domestic model which helps build a successful national team.

"We will continue engaging with the WRU to make sure that the structures and governance of the game are made acceptable."

Ospreys point to past success

There has been no suggestion that table positions or historic success will be a deciding factor in the WRU's final decision.

But the aim of going to three teams is ultimately to create success on the pitch, with Collier-Keywood saying "our [WRU's] desire is to align to improve performance of both the national teams and the professional clubs".

While Cardiff and Dragons appear to enjoy a geographic advantage - although there is the unlikely prospect that any team could apply for the licence to play in any location - Swansea-based Ospreys and Scarlets, who play in Llanelli, have been quick to remind decision-makers that they are the two most successful teams judged on several metrics.

Ospreys have already announced plans to redevelop St Helen's in Swansea as their new home ground for the 2026-27 season, while Scarlets said they are "confident that the club will continue to play a central role in the future of the game in west Wales from its home at Parc y Scarlets".

Scarlets revealed new proposed investors in August - although former WRU chief executive David Moffett resigned from that US-based company this week.

Ospreys said that on Friday morning they had met with WRU director of rugby Dave Reddin and chair of the Professional Rugby Board (PRB) Malcolm Wall to lay out their plans for Welsh rugby.

An Ospreys statement read: "Ospreys are Wales' most successful region, having won more league titles, produced players who have won more Welsh caps and been selected for more British and Irish Lions tours than any other region.

"We will continue to engage with the WRU with the intention of reaching an agreement which continues that proud tradition.

"Our intention is and always has been to find a solution which works in the best interests of Welsh rugby and Ospreys Rugby, not only at an elite level but across the entirety of the game and the communities involved in it."

Scarlets an 'anchor for Welsh culture'

Scarlets took a similar tack to Ospreys, detailing the team's successes but also pointing to the organisation as "an anchor for Welsh language and culture", plus playing at the "world-class club rugby facility" of the 15,400-capacity Parc y Scarlets ground.

In their statement, Scarlets said they were "encouraged that the WRU has recognised from the consultation process that brand, cultural identity, heritage and connection to Welsh language is irreplaceable".

The statement continued: "Rugby must stay connected to its communities, people and history and its values. That's what gives our game its soul. We want reform that strengthens Welsh rugby.

"With Scarlets in the future structure, Welsh rugby keeps a proven talent pathway, an internationally respected brand and a first-class home for rugby at Parc y Scarlets."

As part of their submission to the WRU board, Scarlets pointed out that the team had won two league titles and reached 12 European quarter-finals and five European semi-finals, while saying that over the last decade 34% of Wales internationals came through the Scarlets system.

The WRU has proposed to grant three licences for men's clubs - alongside two women's elite teams - with the three men's teams to be equally funded, initially by £6.4m each per year and rising to £7.8m.

Collier-Keywood said that there were multiple factors that would come into play in the lead-up to a final decision as to which teams would remain by 2027.

"We have carried out an analysis of population demographics, community club distribution, registered community player numbers and potential future rugby players, coaches, university and school locations and physical rugby infrastructure across Wales," he said.

"The geographical distribution of licences for the three future clubs in this new model will need to take into account these factors.

"Our view is that this will lead to licences being issued with one in the capital, one in the west and one in the east."