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#Rugby

53 posts29 participants8 posts today

Mañana viernes comienza el Mundial femenino de #Rugby, que se va a disputar en Inglaterra.
El rugby femenino se juega con idénticas reglas que el masculino, y está teniendo un importante auge de popularidad. Es la primera vez que participarán 16 equipos.
Los mundiales se empezaron a jugar en los 90, aunque solo a partir de 1998 cuentan con el apoyo oficial de la World Rugby (la FIFA de ellos).
El actual campeón es Nueva Zelanda, país que domina con diferencia el palmarés.
España, que se sitúa en el grupo 4, junto a Nueva Zelanda, Irlanda y Japón, hará su debut contra las oceánicas el domingo.

WRU sets out four futures for Welsh rugby as month‑long consultation begins

The consultation, running from 1 to 29 September, aims to tackle what the WRU calls “systemic challenges” holding back performance and long‑term sustainability. The board will make its final decision in October, with any changes potentially in place by the 2027‑28 season.

Under the union’s favoured Option D, two equally funded professional clubs would each run a men’s and a women’s side, backed by a new national training campus, enhanced academy systems and investment in the Super Rygbi Cymru league.

WRU chief executive Abi Tierney said: “No decisions have been made, and it’s crucial that we work together. Every voice matters… everyone must have a seat at the table to help shape the future of rugby in Wales.”

A choice between four models

While Option D is the WRU’s preferred route, three other configurations will also be consulted upon — from retaining four men’s sides with unequal funding to cutting back to three teams on equal or unequal budgets.

WRU Director of Rugby and Elite Performance Dave Reddin described the process as “genuine”, urging stakeholders to test and challenge the proposals before the board decides.

WRU consultation: The four models on the table

Model A
Four professional men’s clubs with unequal funding.

Model B
Three professional men’s clubs with equal funding.

Model C
Three professional men’s clubs with unequal funding.

Model D (WRU preferred)
Two professional clubs — each with men’s and women’s teams — with equal funding.

Regional reaction

The WRU has not confirmed which, if any, existing regions would survive in their current form, leaving Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets all facing uncertainty.

Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley said there were “some interesting ideas within it, including options that we feel hold real potential, alongside others that present more challenges,” adding the club will hold a supporters’ meeting.

Dame Nia Griffith MP, Llanelli’s Member of Parliament, said the town’s rugby heritage, facilities and player pathway made it “an essential part of the sport’s future” — warning that decisions taken in the coming months “will shape the game for decades”.

Next steps

Formal talks will take place with the professional clubs, the Welsh Rugby Players Association, the Professional Rugby Board, senior internationals, supporters’ groups, WRU member clubs and the United Rugby Championship. Fans, community clubs, partners and sponsors will also be invited to contribute.

From 20 August, the One Wales strategy website will publish the full proposal and an interview with Tierney and Reddin. An online survey will open on 1 September.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

WRU expected to push for halving pro teams in seismic shake‑up of Welsh rugby
Background on the radical restructure under consideration, including funding, facilities and player pathway plans.

Ospreys respond to WRU shake‑up plans with pledge to engage constructively
Region says it will work with WRU and hold a supporters’ meeting to hear fans’ views.

Dame Nia Griffith MP responds to WRU consultation launch
Llanelli MP sets out why the town’s rugby heritage and pathway must be safeguarded.

Ospreys respond to WRU shake‑up plans with pledge to ‘engage constructively’

In a statement, the region said it had reviewed the WRU’s consultation document and “welcomed the opportunity to engage constructively in this process”.

“There are some interesting ideas within it, including options that we feel hold real potential, alongside others that present more challenges,” the Ospreys said. “We look forward to working closely with the WRU and all stakeholders to help shape a system that serves the best interests of the Ospreys, our supporters, and the wider Welsh game.”

The Swansea‑based side confirmed it will shortly announce details of a supporters’ evening to share its views and hear directly from fans.

Seismic proposals

The WRU’s preferred “optimal system” would see just two elite professional clubs — each with men’s and women’s teams — operating under a centralised structure. Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets are all fighting for survival during the six‑week consultation, with a final decision expected by the end of October.

The Union says the move is aimed at improving performances on the field and creating financially sustainable teams, with larger squads and increased funding. Critics, including veteran journalists and former players, have branded the idea “nonsensical” and “total idiocy”.

Regional reactions

Scarlets managing director Jon Daniels has already met Llanelli MP Dame Nia Griffith, who pledged to fight for top‑level rugby to remain in the town, warning that the club’s history and role in West Wales must be protected.

The Dragons have also issued a statement insisting “elite rugby must remain in Gwent” and highlighting recent progress under private ownership.

The Ospreys, meanwhile, are pressing ahead with plans to move into a redeveloped St Helen’s in Swansea for the 2026‑27 season, having agreed a long‑term lease. Home games for 2025‑26 will be played at Bridgend’s Brewery Field during construction.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

WRU expected to push for halving pro teams in seismic shake‑up of Welsh rugby
Background on the WRU’s preferred “optimal system” and how it could reshape the professional game in Wales.

Llanelli MP: Parc y Scarlets must be central to Welsh rugby’s future
Dame Nia Griffith pledges to fight for top‑level rugby to remain in Llanelli amid WRU shake‑up proposals.

Done deal: Ospreys finalise lease to make St Helen’s their new home
Region confirms long‑term move to Swansea’s St Helen’s Ground from the 2026‑27 season.

Llanelli MP: Parc y Scarlets must be central to Welsh rugby’s future

Dame Nia Griffith says the town’s rugby heritage, facilities and player pathway make it an essential part of the sport’s future — warning that decisions taken in the coming months will shape the game for decades.

As Swansea Bay News reported earlier this week, the WRU’s “optimal solution” would see only two professional organisations remain — each running a men’s and a women’s side — in a centralised system designed to concentrate talent, funding and facilities. The six‑week consultation is due to begin imminently, with a final decision expected by the end of October.

‘Confident, passionate and positive case’

Against that backdrop, Dame Nia said Llanelli must “continue to put forward a confident, passionate and positive case to retain first‑class regional rugby at Parc y Scarlets”, highlighting the stadium’s capacity, corporate facilities and transport links.

She described Parc y Scarlets as “the best regional rugby stadium in Wales” and said its hospitality and events offer could help attract new business and investment into the game. The site’s surrounding land, she added, could be used for further rugby‑related development.

The MP pointed to the Scarlets’ record in developing youth talent, expanding the women’s and girls’ game, and acting as a “gateway” for West Wales’ playing and coaching expertise. She argued that keeping a strong regional presence west of the Loughor bridge would be “essential” if that production line is to survive.

Investment and ambition

Her intervention comes just weeks after Scarlets secured a landmark deal with US‑based House of Luxury LLC, which will take a 55% controlling stake and lead the club’s non‑rugby operations. The Montana‑registered agency — fronted by former WRU chief David Moffett, ex‑Wales fly‑half Dan Biggar and CEO Kirsti Jane — has promised to safeguard the club’s identity while investing in commercial growth, fan experience and player pathways.

That announcement followed the revelation that Kirsti Jane had publicly criticised WRU leadership weeks before the deal was confirmed, describing Welsh rugby as “in crisis” and accusing the union of lacking vision. While the comments split opinion among supporters, they underlined the tensions between privately‑backed regions and the WRU’s drive for greater central control.

Champions Cup pedigree

Scarlets are the only Welsh club in this season’s Investec Champions Cup and will host English Premiership side Bristol Bears and reigning champions Bordeaux Bègles. The region, Dame Nia noted, has been a “flag‑bearer for Welsh rugby” with a 150‑year heritage.

“Rugby has long been central to life in Llanelli and West Wales but change is coming. How we react to it now is vital,” she said, adding that she remained confident the Scarlets and the town could “continue to be at the forefront of Welsh and European rugby for many years to come”.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

WRU expected to push for halving pro teams in seismic shake‑up of Welsh rugby
Union’s preferred plan would cut the men’s game from four teams to two, each with a women’s side, under a centralised structure.

Scarlets secure landmark US investment deal as Welsh rugby faces crossroads
Llanelli region partners with House of Luxury LLC in a 55% stake deal to safeguard its future and boost commercial growth.

Scarlets investor slammed WRU leadership weeks before deal announced
House of Luxury CEO Kirsti Jane accused the union of lacking vision in a forthright LinkedIn post ahead of takeover news.

WRU expected to push for halving pro teams in seismic shake‑up of Welsh rugby

The WRU has not yet formally confirmed its preferred option, but senior figures are preparing to launch a six‑week consultation that will decide the future of the sport at elite level. A final decision is expected by the end of October, with the new structure potentially in place by the 2027‑28 season.

If the “optimal solution” being discussed goes ahead, two professional organisations would remain — each running a men’s and a women’s side — in a centralised system designed to concentrate talent, funding and facilities.

What’s on the table

Under the proposals being prepared for consultation:

  • Men’s game: Two squads of 50 players, each with a £7.8 million playing budget, focused on Welsh‑qualified talent and with fewer overseas signings.
  • Women’s game: Two squads of 40 players, backed by a new national academy and a network of player development centres.
  • Academies: Individual club academies scrapped in favour of centralised men’s and women’s national academies, linked to Super Rygbi Cymru clubs and schools.
  • Facilities: A new national campus, initially split across two sites before moving to a single base housing up to 400 players and staff, including national teams, professional squads and academy operations.
  • Funding model: WRU to directly fund all rugby costs for the two professional clubs, which would operate under licence, with owners or investors responsible for commercial operations.

The WRU also wants to strengthen the Super Rygbi Cymru competition, raise its salary cap, improve coaching standards and create a senior women’s domestic league to sit below the Celtic Challenge.

Regions on alert

Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets are all under threat in their current form. The WRU has not said whether any of the existing sides would survive or if two entirely new entities would be created.

The uncertainty comes despite major developments at regional level. Ospreys are pressing ahead with a move to a redeveloped St Helen’s in Swansea from 2026‑27. Scarlets have secured significant US investment. Dragons’ owners have vowed: “Elite rugby must remain in Gwent and Dragons RFC has every reason to continue proudly in its current form.” Cardiff remain under WRU ownership following their collapse into administration in April.

Why now?

The WRU has warned the current system is “failing and unsustainable” after a torrid run for the national men’s side — including a record 18 consecutive defeats — and years of underperformance by the regions in the United Rugby Championship and Europe.

A new Professional Rugby Agreement, intended to stabilise the game, collapsed earlier this year when Cardiff’s financial crisis derailed negotiations. The WRU has since abandoned equal funding for four men’s teams, opening the door to a radical restructure.

The last time the professional game was cut back was in 2004, when the Celtic Warriors folded after a single season. That followed the 2003 shift from a club‑based professional model to the current regional system.

What happens next

The consultation will involve the four regions, supporter groups, a panel of 100 fans and the Welsh Rugby Players Association. Each side will make its case to survive, with the WRU aiming to settle on a final plan by late October.

The stakes are high: the outcome will decide not just which badges remain on the professional map, but the shape of the entire player pathway from grassroots to Test rugby.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

WRU chief executive Abi Tierney to step away after cancer diagnosis
Union confirms Tierney will take leave from role following treatment news.

Scarlets secure landmark US investment deal as Welsh rugby faces crossroads
Llanelli region agrees major funding boost amid uncertainty over pro game’s future.

Scarlets investor slammed WRU leadership weeks before deal announced
Public criticism of Union’s direction surfaces ahead of high‑profile investment.

Council leader welcomes approval for Ospreys’ St Helen’s stadium revamp
Swansea project clears planning hurdle for 2026‑27 move.