Cardiff takeover: The WRU are looking to the Ospreys owners to buy Cardiff

If a deal is reached with Y11, Ospreys fans will fear they could eventually disappear as a professional outfit.

This will not happen before the WRU is able to strike a deal with the United Rugby Championship (URC) to reduce the number of Welsh teams in the league, with a replacement currently being sought.

It is possible that the four professional teams, including the Scarlets and Dragons, will still be around for the 2026-27 season.

If the deal is confirmed, the issue of ownership of Y11 will have to be considered because World Rugby regulations prohibit organizations from owning two teams in the same competition.

Regulation 14 states: “No individual, body corporate, partnership, credit union or other entity shall own or control, directly or indirectly, more than one club except with the prior written consent of the association concerned, or, if clubs from different associations are involved, the written consent of the associations concerned and World Rugby.”

It remains to be seen what will happen with the proposed redevelopment of Swansea’s St Helens Stadium which has been earmarked as a new stadium for the Ospreys.

Swansea Council had supported the scheme but was awaiting news of the regeneration of Welsh rugby before releasing more than £4 million in funds for the project.