Welsh rugby bosses plan to scrap one side by 2028

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) will announce long-term plans to cut to three professional teams by 2028 but will continue to have four sides in the short term.

Welsh rugby's governing body had suggested one or even two professional sides could go with the prospect of Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys or Scarlets being culled.

The two-team solution was described by the WRU as its "optimal system" in August among four different proposals put forward.

However, after months of consultation, debate and uncertainty, the WRU has opted initially to keep the four sides in the short-term before looking to reduce a side in the next couple of years.

The WRU have not decided how this process will be judged but hope for collaboration before looking at a tender system.

Their ambition is to have three equally funded sides, which might not have the same current branding, with one team in the east, one central and one in the west, where you currently have Ospreys and Scarlets.

Among the quartet of WRU proposals put forward in August, two choices involved having three men's professional teams, which would have meant culling one side.

One was equal funding while the other option of a trio of teams was with unequal funding.

The other choices was WRU with either enacting what it had termed its most "radical step" of halving the number of professional teams - which it has now shied away from - or cutting none at all and instead rejigging the finances.

It is understood one of the concerns of an immediate cut of one Welsh side was the reluctance of United Rugby Championship (URC) bosses and tournament stakeholders to lose one Welsh team playing in the 16-team competition, which currently also features four teams from Ireland, two from Scotland, two from Italy and four from South Africa.

The model for the continuation of four teams presented in August would see two elite sides with a budget of £6.7m and two developmental sides on £5.2m but that might be adapted.

The prospect of teams being cut had been be met with fierce opposition from three of the regions, while Cardiff have been owned by the WRU since a financial rescue in April.

Ospreys have already announced plans to redevelop St Helen's in Swansea as their new home ground for the 2026-27 season, while Scarlets unveiled new proposed investors in August - although former WRU chief executive David Moffett resigned from that US-based company this week.

Dragons' owners also fought their corner, stating that elite rugby must continue in Gwent.

The WRU held a month-long consultation in September with players, supporters stakeholders, politicians and the professional sides.

There was overwhelming public opposition to the two-team model from across the Welsh game, with the governing body knowing it could face legal action or even a player strike if that was voted through.

Wales captain Jac Morgan was so appalled at the prospect of his Ospreys side ceasing to exist that he said he would leave Welsh professional domestic rugby should that happen.

New director of rugby and head of elite performance Dave Reddin and his executive team provided the WRU board with details from the consultation and a public survey completed by more than 7,000 people. The WRU promised a decision would be made by the end of October.

A WRU announcement on the status quo should have allowed the waters to calm a little on the often seething cauldron of Welsh rugby.

There is the prospect the game in Wales could be facing uncertainty as the WRU work out how to drop a side.

Scarlets and Ospreys are also on current different funding deals to Cardiff and Dragons, with the two running out at different times.

There could be legal challenges to those facing a cut in funding.

So there is the prospect the game in Wales could be facing uncertainty as the WRU work out how to drop a side.

The WRU's current URC contractual commitments are believed to be the end of the 2027-2028 season, are completed and as a stakeholder in the league - along with the four other national governing bodies - it can renegotiate terms and conditions.

Surveys have shown a majority of Welsh rugby fans would like the WRU to approach the English clubs to see if there could be an Anglo-Welsh league.

Reddin had stated that option is currently not on the table and the WRU remains committed to the URC.

So while the present now has greater clarity, the longer-term future of Welsh rugby will still remain uncertain.