WRU's relationship with regions and need for transparency

For relations to improve it needs total buy-in from all parties

WRU CEO Abi Tierney and WRU chairman Richard Collier-Keywood. Pic: Huw Evans Picture Agency

In last week’s newsletter, I assured readers despite the eerie silence of the off-season there was movement off the field as the Welsh Rugby Union and its four professional clubs - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - try to find a way of bridging a £29m funding gap over the next five years.

Well, there has been movement over the last week or so, with the Professional Rugby Board (PRB) having met on Thursday to consider the WRU's latest proposal. It's my understanding the WRU will have suggested a debt-for-equity swap which will entail the governing body taking the burden of the Welsh Government loan (CLBILS), negotiated by former CEO Steve Phillips during Covid, away from the pro clubs and onto its own balance sheet. While the intricate details remain unclear, the WRU absorbing the Welsh Government debt would significantly ease the financial burdens on its professional clubs. In exchange, the WRU want an equity stake at all four sides, which would give them certain rights which have not yet been disclosed or determined. Now this suggestion may well get rejected, but we can probably guess what sort of rights they'll want, with things like a say in the appointment of coaches.

Clearly improving the financial position of the professional clubs - the plan is to get to a budget of £6.5m with fixed payments - would be a step in the right direction. But the WRU potentially having a say in key decisions at the regions will go down like a lead balloon with supporters, as was evidenced by the reaction to my original piece on social media.