WRU proposes two Welsh professional rugby clubs

The Welsh Rugby Union has unveiled a radical plan to reshape the country’s professional game, proposing to halve the number of Welsh clubs from four to two, each operating a men’s and a women’s side. The proposal, described by the WRU as the “optimal” model among several options, will be considered in a six-week consultation period before a final decision is taken by the end of October. If implemented, the two organisations would initially run teams across two sites, with a later move to a single national campus that would house national teams, academies and both professional squads.

Key elements of the plan include centralising funding and operations under the WRU while licensing the two professional bodies to manage commercial activities. Each men’s squad would comprise about 50 players with a budget of roughly 7.8 million, and each women’s squad about 40 players. The intention is for the two clubs to be predominantly Welsh-qualified in their player pipelines, with a rethinking of how non-Welsh-qualified players are used. The WRU emphasises that the proposal is designed to secure long-term sustainability and deliver a higher level of performance for both the national team and...