Latest news with #WelshRugby
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
No domestic bliss for ongoing Welsh rugby soap opera
Richard Collier-Keywood, Abi Tierney, Warren Gatland and Matt Sherratt have been pivotal figures in Welsh rugby during the 2024-25 season [BBC Sport] So there we have it. Scarlets' defeat by Leinster in the United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-finals represented the end of the domestic season in Wales and another tumultuous campaign on and off the field. Resignations, administration, wooden spoons, caretaker coaches, contract controversies and more Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) disputes with the regions. Advertisement Just the latest edition in the chaotic world of the soap opera that is Welsh rugby. When the four professional sides kicked off the campaign last September we wondered how much lower Welsh rugby could sink on the international and domestic stage. While there has been a slight improvement from the regions, the dire Dragons apart, the latest campaign has been a disaster on the international stage and in the boardroom with influential figures like Warren Gatland and Nigel Walker departing. The two national sides won only two out of 17 internationals while the men's side are without a permanent head coach before a two-Test tour of Japan in July. Advertisement There has been more off-field controversy involving the WRU who were forced to apologise to Wales women over player contracts. With Cardiff going into administration and being taken over by the WRU, the governing body find itself in dispute with Ospreys and Scarlets with question marks over whether a region will be cut. Never a dull day in Welsh rugby. National woes Wales women's and men's side lost 15 out of the 16 games in the 2024-25 season [Huw Evans Picture Agency] Played 10, lost 10. That was the dismal record of Wales' two national sides in the 2025 Six Nations in the space of 86 difficult days. From the 43-0 Friday night Paris mauling dished out to Wales' men's side in January to the 44-12 hammering inflicted by Italy's women in late April, it proved a miserable three months as both sides finished rock bottom. Advertisement Wales men have lost all eight matches this season to take the international record losing sequence to 17 following another clean sweep of Six Nations defeats. So there was no surprise when there was a record low of two players, captain Jac Morgan and scrum-half Tomos Williams, named in the British and Irish Lions touring party to Australia. Gatland departed in February, Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt taking charge for the rest of the Six Nations which finished with the record 68-14 home loss to England in March. Sherratt remains in charge for Japan, with new performance director Dave Reddin - who might wonder what he has let himself in for - leading the process for Gatland's permanent successor. Advertisement Wales women have also gained a new coach after Ioan Cunningham paid the price for the contracts dispute at the back-end of 2024. Ironically, Cunningham was the only Wales national coach to gain victories in the regular season with a 19-10 win against Japan in the WXV2 tournament in South Africa and a warm-up win for the tournament against Australia. Former Gloucester-Hartpury boss Sean Lynn came in just a week before the Six Nations started after guiding his club to a third successive league title. Lynn was quickly exposed to the harsh realities as his side became the first Wales women's team to lose all five matches in a Six Nations tournament. He will expect more during the World Cup in England later this year. Advertisement There is some hope. Wales captain Morgan has been a stoic figure in adversity, while Scarlets and Wales full-back Blair Murray has been the find of the season. Wales Under-20s provided arguably the performance and occasion of the campaign. Richard Whiffin's side defeated defending world champions England in the final Six Nations game at a raucous Arms Park to deny the visitors another Grand Slam. Wales will travel to Italy this summer for the Junior World Championship. Domestic duties Cardiff won the 2024-25 United Rugby Championship Welsh shield for the most impressive results in games played between Welsh teams [Huw Evans Picture Agency] In terms of results, the Welsh sides matched the previous campaign with one team reaching the Challenge Cup quarter-finals and the URC play-off last eight. Advertisement In 2023-24, it was Ospreys who achieved both those feats under the guidance of Toby Booth. This season - with Booth departing just before Christmas and replaced by Mark Jones - Ospreys managed the European knockout stages again but it was Scarlets who reached the league play-offs with a storming finish to the regular campaign before a last-eight defeat at Leinster. On paper there was a slight improvement in results, despite the salary cap reducing to £4.5m. In the 2024-25 URC season, Welsh teams won 25 games compared to 22 in the previous campaign. Scarlets (nine) and Cardiff (eight) were the most improved with their win totals improving by four victories each, while Ospreys had three fewer wins than in 2023-24. Advertisement Dragons were again the major disappointment as they equalled the record for the worst URC league season with just nine points, finishing bottom in a nightmare campaign which also saw Filo Tiatia replace Dai Flanagan as head coach. The Welsh side lost 17 successive league games after defeating Ospreys on the opening weekend in September 2024 for a sole success. The dip in interest has also seen Welsh rugby's Judgement Day shelved for next season after a crowd of only 28,000 attended this season's event in April, compared to the 50,000 that turned up for the Bath v Bristol English Premiership match staged a month later at the same Principality Stadium venue. More of the WRU same Welsh rugby has made as many negative off-the-field headlines this season as they have on it. Those hoping fresh faces at the top would signify no more controversies will be disappointed. Advertisement The change in personnel with chair Richard Collier-Keywood and chief executive Abi Tierney at the helm has so far not resulted in an alteration in headlines or produced an improvement in the dreadful state of the Welsh game. Old behaviours reared its head as Wales women's players were threatened with withdrawal from the WXV2 international competition and, subsequently, this summer's World Cup as contract talks broke down. They were issued with a "final offer" ultimatum on 2 August, saying if they did not sign within a three-hour deadline, planned matches against New Zealand, Scotland and Australia would not go ahead and the contracts would be withdrawn. The WRU later apologised for their behaviour but refuted allegations of sexism. Collier-Keywood said the row represented a "failure" of governance and leadership by the union and the "crisis" could have been avoided. Advertisement Head coach Cunningham and executive director of rugby Walker both departed to be effectively replaced by Lynn and Reddin. Cardiff chaos The WRU launched its "One Wales" strategy in the summer of 2024, with the new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) promised to follow soon after to form an integral part of the long-term strategy. That has not transpired. The WRU had to cope with Cardiff going into administration in April before the governing body bailed them out. That event has led to the dispute between the WRU and Ospreys and Scarlets over the new PRA. Ospreys and Scarlets did not sign up to Welsh rugby's new agreement by the deadline of 8 May, despite the document being signed by Dragons and Cardiff. Advertisement Ospreys and Scarlets say they asked the WRU for assurances the takeover "will not disproportionally benefit Cardiff and disadvantage the independent clubs" but claim they were not given guarantees. After the deadline was missed, the WRU announced it will move away from a model of four evenly funded professional sides and intend to implement a new two-tier funding system. It is a decision which Ospreys and Scarlets say has "created more destabilising and debilitating uncertainty in our game". The WRU has now served a two-year notice on the current agreement that underpins the Welsh professional game. That current PRA runs out in 2027 although it was due to be superseded by the new five-year deal. Advertisement Will four become three? Tierney had continually talked about four equal regions being the way forward but the goalposts have moved with the governing body also having to refinance its debt with the bank. It has been mooted the cash-strapped WRU intends to cut a team from its professional tier with the governing body neither confirming or denying this prospect. They hope to have a long-term decision made by September but currently Ospreys and Scarlets, who are Wales' Champions Cup representatives next season, will be on inferior terms than their east Wales rivals. These events have caused another rift in Welsh rugby that has seen Ospreys and Scarlets' local politicians get involved and could ultimately end up with lawyers. Advertisement The latest saga has caused more uncertainty among players and supporters about what the future holds, with little transparency across the game in Wales and teams fighting for survival. There are no winners with Welsh rugby's reputation again publicly dragged through the dirt. Not many dull days in Welsh rugby then with more upheaval to come, which some argue is essential for an upturn in the flagging fortunes. We wait to see what chaos the 2025-26 circus will bring.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
No domestic bliss for ongoing Welsh rugby soap opera
So there we have it. Scarlets' defeat by Leinster in the United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-finals represented the end of the domestic season in Wales and another tumultuous campaign on and off the administration, wooden spoons, caretaker coaches, contract controversies and more Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) disputes with the the latest edition in the chaotic world of the soap opera that is Welsh the four professional sides kicked off the campaign last September we wondered how much lower Welsh rugby could sink on the international and domestic there has been a slight improvement from the regions, the dire Dragons apart, the latest campaign has been a disaster on the international stage and in the boardroom with influential figures like Warren Gatland and Nigel Walker two national sides won only one out of 16 internationals while the men's side are without a permanent head coach before a two-Test tour of Japan in has been more off-field controversy involving the WRU who were forced to apologise to Wales women over player Cardiff going into administration and being taken over by the WRU, the governing body find itself in dispute with Ospreys and Scarlets with question marks over whether a region will be cut. Never a dull day in Welsh rugby. National woes Played 10, lost 10. That was the dismal record of Wales' two national sides in the 2025 Six Nations in the space of 86 difficult the 43-0 Friday night Paris mauling dished out to Wales' men's side in January to the 44-12 hammering inflicted by Italy's women in late April, it proved a miserable three months as both sides finished rock men have lost all eight matches this season to take the international record losing sequence to 17 following another clean sweep of Six Nations there was no surprise when there was a record low of two players, captain Jac Morgan and scrum-half Tomos Williams, named in the British and Irish Lions touring party to departed in February, Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt taking charge for the rest of the Six Nations which finished with the record 68-14 home loss to England in remains in charge for Japan, with new performance director Dave Reddin - who might wonder what he has let himself in for - leading the process for Gatland's permanent women have also gained a new coach after Ioan Cunningham paid the price for the contracts dispute at the back-end of 2024. Ironically, Cunningham was the only Wales national coach to gain a victory in the regular season with a 19-10 win against Japan in the WXV2 tournament in South Gloucester-Hartpury boss Sean Lynn came in just a week before the Six Nations started after guiding his club to a third successive league was quickly exposed to the harsh realities as his side became the first Wales women's team to lose all five matches in a Six Nations tournament. He will expect more during the World Cup in England later this is some hope. Wales captain Morgan has been a stoic figure in adversity, while Scarlets and Wales full-back Blair Murray has been the find of the Under-20s provided arguably the performance and occasion of the Whiffin's side defeated defending world champions England in the final Six Nations game at a raucous Arms Park to deny the visitors another Grand Slam. Wales will travel to Italy this summer for the Junior World Championship. Domestic duties In terms of results, the Welsh sides matched the previous campaign with one team reaching the Challenge Cup quarter-finals and the URC play-off last eight. In 2023-24, it was Ospreys who achieved both those feats under the guidance of Toby Booth. This season - with Booth departing just before Christmas and replaced by Mark Jones - Ospreys managed the European knockout stages again but it was Scarlets who reached the league play-offs with a storming finish to the regular campaign before a last-eight defeat at paper there was a slight improvement in results, despite the salary cap reducing to £4.5m. In the 2024-25 URC season, Welsh teams won 25 games compared to 22 in the previous (nine) and Cardiff (eight) were the most improved with their win totals improving by four victories each, while Ospreys had three fewer wins than in were again the major disappointment as they equalled the record for the worst URC league season with just nine points, finishing bottom in a nightmare campaign which also saw Filo Tiatia replace Dai Flanagan as head Welsh side lost 17 successive league games after defeating Ospreys on the opening weekend in September 2024 for a sole dip in interest has also seen Welsh rugby's Judgement Day shelved for next season after a crowd of only 28,000 attended this season's event in April, compared to the 50,000 that turned up for the Bath v Bristol English Premiership match staged a month later at the same Principality Stadium venue. More of the WRU same Welsh rugby has made as many negative off-the-field headlines this season as they have on it. Those hoping fresh faces at the top would signify no more controversies will be change in personnel with chair Richard Collier-Keywood and chief executive Abi Tierney at the helm has so far not resulted in an alteration in headlines or produced an improvement in the dreadful state of the Welsh game. Old behaviours reared its head as Wales women's players were threatened with withdrawal from the WXV2 international competition and, subsequently, this summer's World Cup as contract talks broke were issued with a "final offer" ultimatum on 2 August, saying if they did not sign within a three-hour deadline, planned matches against New Zealand, Scotland and Australia would not go ahead and the contracts would be WRU later apologised for their behaviour but refuted allegations of sexism. Collier-Keywood said the row represented a "failure" of governance and leadership by the union and the "crisis" could have been coach Cunningham and executive director of rugby Walker both departed to be effectively replaced by Lynn and Reddin. Cardiff chaos The WRU launched its "One Wales" strategy in the summer of 2024, with the new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) promised to follow soon after to form an integral part of the long-term has not transpired. The WRU had to cope with Cardiff going into administration in April before the governing body bailed them out. That event has led to the dispute between the WRU and Ospreys and Scarlets over the new and Scarlets did not sign up to Welsh rugby's new agreement by the deadline of 8 May, despite the document being signed by Dragons and and Scarlets say they asked the WRU for assurances the takeover "will not disproportionally benefit Cardiff and disadvantage the independent clubs" but claim they were not given the deadline was missed, the WRU announced it will move away from a model of four evenly funded professional sides and intend to implement a new two-tier funding is a decision which Ospreys and Scarlets say has "created more destabilising and debilitating uncertainty in our game".The WRU has now served a two-year notice on the current agreement that underpins the Welsh professional game. That current PRA runs out in 2027 although it was due to be superseded by the new five-year deal. Will four become three? Tierney had continually talked about four equal regions being the way forward but the goalposts have moved with the governing body also having to refinance its debt with the has been mooted the cash-strapped WRU intends to cut a team from its professional tier with the governing body neither confirming or denying this prospect. They hope to have a long-term decision made by September but currently Ospreys and Scarlets, who are Wales' Champions Cup representatives next season, will be on inferior terms than their east Wales rivals. These events have caused another rift in Welsh rugby that has seen Ospreys and Scarlets' local politicians get involved and could ultimately end up with latest saga has caused more uncertainty among players and supporters about what the future holds, with little transparency across the game in Wales and teams fighting for are no winners with Welsh rugby's reputation again publicly dragged through the many dull days in Welsh rugby then with more upheaval to come, which some argue is essential for an upturn in the flagging fortunes. We wait to see what chaos the 2025-26 circus will bring.
Sky News
3 days ago
- Business
- Sky News
Fears for future of Welsh rugby amid cuts to grassroots scheme
There are fears for the future of Welsh rugby amid cuts to grassroots funding and a record string of defeats for the men's senior national team. The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) recently confirmed it would stop funding a scheme created to develop the game at grassroots level. Its rugby hub officers have been employed in schools across Wales since 2014, with match funding from the WRU. Their main purpose has been to engage young people in rugby and encourage them to pursue their interest in the sport in local clubs. The governing body for rugby union in Wales says the aim would be for a "restructured programme" with "100% coverage" across the country. The change in approach comes at a difficult time for the WRU, which reported a loss of £7.5m last year. A petition calling for the WRU to reconsider its decision to discontinue the scheme has been signed nearly 5,000 times, describing the hub officers as the "backbone of grassroots rugby". Some areas who have felt the benefit of the officers are fearing for the future of the grassroots game. Einion Davies is the chairman of Bro Gwernant Rugby Club in Llangollen, Denbighshire. This weekend, he is embarking on a sponsored walk to raise funds to secure the role for the next two years. Mr Davies told Sky News he was "shocked" to learn the hub officer scheme was coming to an end. "We were informed school that he works at, that the funding has been withdrawn," he said. "And the work that he's done there, as a club, we were keen to keep it all going, so we decided as a club to try and raise some of that money ourselves so we can keep him in his role." 'Big mistake' There was "hardly any rugby" played in the "predominantly football-orientated" area before a hub officer was appointed for the area, Mr Davies said. But he acknowledged that money was "tight" and that difficult decisions had to be made. "I would imagine, they've got to make cuts and whatever in some places. But, in my opinion, to cut the grassroots, an investment in grassroots, is a big mistake," he added. He hopes his 54-mile trek, split over three days, will help secure the role and help Bro Gwernant find the next generation of Welsh rugby stars. "As a club, we did put some of the money towards it as well, because obviously the cost, the National Insurance and everything's gone up, so the cost of the wages has gone up," he said. "So we were doing the fundraising anyway, but since this funding's been withdrawn from the WRU, it's made it a lot harder for the club. "We're striving to do our best to keep him, but it's made it a lot more difficult." The WRU said schools and educational establishments, who part-fund the programme, are "free to reconsider how they re-allocate their investment in rugby" as a result of its decision. Geraint John, the WRU's community director said: "Due to an internal consultation process we are unable to expand on our future plans for community further than the statement published last month.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Welsh rugby: MPs press WRU for equal treatment for regions
A group of MPs is urging the Welsh Rugby Union to pledge to treat all four of its regions equally, amid splits over WRU plans for a two-tier funding and Ospreys did not join Cardiff and Dragons in signing the new Professional Rugby meeting WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood and chief executive Abi Tierney on Friday, nine Welsh MPs issued a statement saying it was "imperative" no club is "handed an advantage at the expense of others".WRU bosses have served a two-year notice on the current deal underpinning the professional game, but say they will "work closely" with all four clubs on a way forward with an "open mind" to "constructive and realistic proposals". Wales has four professional regional rugby teams: Cardiff, Newport-based Dragons, the Ospreys in Swansea and the Scarlets in Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) deal runs out in 2027, but was due to be superseded by a new five-year deal that Ospreys and Scarlets have not four regions were given a deadline to sign the new PRA by 8 May, but only WRU-owned Cardiff and privately-owned Dragons did week, Ospreys and Scarlets said they had asked the governing body for assurances the takeover "will not disproportionally benefit Cardiff and disadvantage the independent clubs".The four sides are expected to continue to exist in their current form until at least June 2027 when the PRA runs WRU posted a loss of £7.5m for the year ending June statement, issued by Labour MPs Stephen Kinnock, Tonia Antoniazzi, Torsten Bell, Nia Griffith, Henry Tufnell, Carolyn Harris and Chris Elmore as well as Plaid Cymru MPs Ann Davies and Ben Lake, says it is "imperative that the WRU treats each of Wales' professional clubs with respect and fairness and that no club is handed an advantage at the expense of others". "Without our professional clubs everyone – schools, local rugby clubs and the wider community – suffers," the statement continues."The uncertainty that the WRU's actions and announcements have caused is leading to further destabilisation of Welsh rugby and everything which relies upon it."Both clubs have both assured us they remain committed to working collaboratively with the WRU to reach an agreement that gives fair treatment to all."We urge the WRU to return to the discussion table to provide the assurances of fairness and equality for all clubs that Ospreys and Scarlets have requested in the best interests of Welsh rugby." What does the WRU say? The Welsh Rugby Union said its latest position is represented in its statement on the agreement on 18 May, in which it said it will "work closely with all four professional clubs to agree the way forward beyond June 2027, with an open mind to all constructive and realistic proposals".Within that statement, WRU chief executive Abi Tierney said the governing body was "continuing to talk to all four clubs about what the future will hold".'We recognise this will be time of uncertainty and are committed to treating all the clubs, players, and supporters with respect and fairness throughout this process," she said."We acknowledge the continued commitment of each club to Welsh rugby and will formulate a new plan with the best interests of the whole game in Wales at the forefront of our thinking."Ms Tierney added that the "continued aim is to build a resilient and world-class structure that will support Welsh rugby's next generation and beyond".The WRU had continually insisted maintaining four professional sides on an equal footing was at the heart of its long-term strategy launched in governing body says that was the preference from the outset, but the system will not return to the model "given seismic changes in the rugby landscape".The WRU now says it has taken "the difficult but necessary decision" to issue the formal two-year notice to terminate the current PRA agreement, in particular, to proceed with its debt refinancing with its bank NatWest.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Welsh rugby needs 'full shake-up'
Paul Thorburn feels Welsh rugby needs a "full shake-up" amid major issues around the Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA).The country's four regions are currently split following confirmation that Scarlets and Ospreys opted against joining Cardiff and Dragons in signing the new Wales captain Thorburn, 62, believes the WRU needs to be in control of the regions to help the national side thrive again."Personally, I'm for a full shake-up. I think the regions, however many there are, need to be totally owned and controlled by the governing body," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast. "I think the governing body needs a bit of a shake-up as well in terms of how it manages the professional game, but I think now is the time. "If we don't sort it out and bring those clubs into control of the governing body where the money is directed centrally, we're only going to be having the same conversation in 10 years' time." Wales bid to end a run of 17 successive Test defeats, the country's worst run in its history, when they face Japan on 5 July and 12 regional game has also struggled this season, with Scarlets being the only Welsh side to make the United Rugby Championship former Wales full-back Thorburn, who won 37 caps between 1985 and 1991, says axing a region must be considered - providing that doing so benefits the game in Wales."Ultimately, if that's what is needed (cutting a region) for the future and sustainability of international rugby and the game in general then so be it," said added: "To me, a blank sheet of paper, let's put all of these parochialisms to one side and let's work out what's going to be the best to sustain international rugby and grow that pathway. "We also have to look after the community game because it's not looking great. If you don't have players coming through, you haven't got an international game."
