Inside Welsh Rugby

Inside Welsh Rugby

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Inside Welsh Rugby
Inside Welsh Rugby
What's going on behind the scenes as direction of travel now clear

What's going on behind the scenes as direction of travel now clear

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Steffan Thomas
Jun 23, 2025
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Inside Welsh Rugby
Inside Welsh Rugby
What's going on behind the scenes as direction of travel now clear
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As Wales prepare for a summer Test series in Japan and the British & Irish Lions jet off to Australia, high level talks continue between the Welsh Rugby Union and its four professional clubs - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets.

The Professional Rugby Board (PRB) met last Wednesday to discuss the future direction of the professional game in Wales. WalesOnline understands no consensus was reached, with the WRU outlining the potential scenarios facing the professional game in Wales.

The three options are a reduction to three or two teams and a tiered funding model where two clubs receive significantly higher funding than the other two. Due to the Ospreys and Scarlets refusing to sign PRA25 because of concerns the WRU would turn Cardiff into a "super region" after acquiring the capital city club, there will be a tiered funding system for the 2025/26 season.

But this is not a long-term solution and WalesOnline understands there is a desire within the upper echelons of Welsh rugby to reduce the number of professional clubs, with two actually looking more likely than three at this moment in time.

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