The future of Welsh football has been thrown into uncertainty by proposals by the country’s rugby federation to scrap one of its four professional men’s regional teams – Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets.
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On Thursday, the Welsh Rugby Union announced that Ospreys owners Y11 Sport and Media had been chosen as the preferred option to buy Cardiff, which went into administration, a form of bankruptcy protection, in April last year.
While the WRU said the Ospreys will continue to play in domestic and European competitions “at least until the end of the 26-27 season”, there are concerns over the long-term future of a team that includes Wales captain Jac Morgan.
The Welsh Rugby Players’ Association, the organization representing Welsh players, said in a statement that there has been “unacceptable strain on players, staff and their families” during the process. It is now demanding “significant clarity on arrangements for next season” by February 6.
That’s a day before Wales’ first game of the Six Nations, in England.
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“This deadline is essential to avoid further disruption, provide stability and allow players and clubs to make informed decisions,” the players’ union said. “If certainty cannot be provided at this stage, players will inevitably have to consider their position and next steps.”
A strike wasn’t specifically mentioned, but it could be a possible course of action for disgruntled players, and there is precedent.
Wales players threatened not to play a Six Nations match against England in February 2023 due to a dispute over player contracts. The strike was only averted at the last minute after a compromise was reached between the WRU and the Welsh players on certain issues.
Having to cancel that match would have cost the WRU around £9 million ($10.8 million at the time) and, three years on, Welsh rugby is still under financial pressure, despite recently managing to stabilize its finances.
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It has been a harrowing few years for one of the world’s proudest rugby nations.
Wales went on an 18-match losing streak, the longest in men’s tier one history, before beating Japan in July.
Their last international match was a 73-0 home thrashing in November at the hands of South Africa, consigning Wales to their worst home defeat and second-worst overall.
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