URC boss Anayi welcomes Ospreys' play-off place

Martin Anayi was appointed managing director of the Pro12 in August 2015

United Rugby Championship (URC) chief executive Martin Anayi says Ospreys becoming the first Welsh side to reach a play-offs in six years will boost the league.

Ospreys finished the regular season eighth and will travel to face defending champions Munster in the quarter-finals on Friday evening.

"We are most proud to see all sides from all nations represented in the play-offs," said Anayi.

"It shows the competition is structurally sound and to get Ospreys through as a Welsh qualifier and Benetton from Italy is very pleasing."

Scarlets were the last Welsh winners of the tournament when they lifted the Pro12 crown in 2017.

The interest from the Welsh public in the tournament is not growing as much as in other nations, but Anayi remains positive about its future in Wales.

"We definitely saw when the Scarlets were winning the league attendances were up," said Anayi.

"The Welsh audience want to support a winning team. When we had Scarlets winning the league we were in pretty good shape in Wales and Ospreys are the side ranked second with league wins.

"We had good audiences through those years so success is a good driver in URC with Welsh teams.

"Hopefully the teams are going to be strong in the next couple of years and we will see that bounce back.

"The interest hasn't actually diminished in Wales, it's still growing. It's just not growing as fast in the other countries, it is our job to increase that."

Growing the URC in Wales

Welsh fans have shown their support for an Anglo-Welsh league, buoyed by good Cardiff crowds for European Champions Cup at the Arms Park against Bath and Harlequins this season.

"We are aware of that," said Anayi.

"I have been involved with Welsh rugby over the last decade so I have always known about the history.

"We are there to provide the best possible competition for those regions and the Champions Cup group stage is structured, you don't play against clubs from your own league.

"By that virtue you are going to get games against English sides. Where you see those games being successful like Bath, Cardiff and others, that maybe because they are scarce.

"Let's focus on those games remaining being important in the calendar and we will keep building the rivalries between the Welsh teams and the rest of the URC."

Fixture clash

South Africa defeated Wales 52-16 in the last meeting of the two sides in 2023

The URC final will be held on 22 June, the same day South Africa and Wales play an international at Twickenham against each other.

As well as Ospreys, there are two South African sides, Bulls and Stormers, involved in the play-offs.

"There's a commitment from our unions should teams from those countries get through to that final, that clearly takes precedent and we will have the top players involved," said Anayi.

"We had tried to organise where we wouldn't clash so there's been a lot of engagement on that.

"You understand where the unions are coming from and the financial and commercial motive behind it.

"I get the rationale and motive and we will make sure we are as joined up as possible with our unions going forward."