Ospreys: “We were told they wouldn’t be there” – Swansea Board

Swansea Council said it would publish minutes of the meeting on 22 January, but claimed in its statement that they had not done so because the WRU, Y11 and Ospreys objected to it.

The meeting included officials from Swansea Council, WRU chief executive Abi Tierney and Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley.

In a statement, the Council listed a number of what it called “basic facts” that it claimed were said during the meeting.

The statement includes Ospreys CEO Lance Bradley confirming there will be no professional Ospreys team playing regional rugby after 2027 if Y11’s takeover of Cardiff goes through.

Mr Bradley also allegedly said a merger with Swansea RFC could follow, which would see a combined team compete in the semi-professional Super Rygbi Cymru rather than the United Rugby Championship (URC).

A council statement said: “Council representatives left the meeting with a clear understanding that the basis of the WRU and Y11’s proposals for the future, should the takeover of Cardiff Rugby by Y11 be completed, is that the Ospreys will not continue as a professional regional team beyond 2026-27.”

“The council expressed its deep frustration that, despite extensive and recent discussions about the redevelopment of St Helens, it was not informed earlier of these proposals. This lack of transparency and engagement is completely unacceptable.”

The Council claims that the WRU’s restructuring proposals would breach UK competition law and has issued introductory letters to the WRU and Y11 requesting that their plans be paused.

FIFA has proposed reducing one of its four men’s professional teams – Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets – to three.

The WRU said there would be one license in Cardiff, one in the west and one in the east, with these expected to be handed over to the Llanelli-based Scarlets, and the Newport-based Dragons.