Welsh Rugby Crunch: Crunch WRU EGM vote to be held in April

Although it may require a noticeable turn of events in the coming months, it is not impossible.

The WRU’s 12-member board voted “unanimously” to reduce the number of professional teams.

Of the four professional regions, Swansea-based Ospreys are seen as the team most under threat of withdrawal.

This is because the Y11 team’s owners are now in talks with the WRU to buy Cardiff and only one of the three future clubs will be based in West Wales.

WRU Director of Rugby Dave Redden reiterated on Saturday, after Wales’ win over Italy, that the governing body was moving forward with its proposals and there was no “Plan B”.

But can the rebel clubs – led by the CGRU area within the Ospreys region – stop the proposals?

They want to change the selection process for council members who sit on the WRU board and hold new elections within the next 14 days.

This could result in all four region members occupying all places – perhaps from the same region – instead of the current two regions and nationals.

If this resolution is approved and with two new independent chairs appointed for both the WRU and PRB, it would likely result in a change of half – six – of the WRU’s board, and with it enough influence to thwart any proposals.

Unsurprisingly, the WRU Board rejected these recommendations, saying: “It is essential that we move forward with the decision we have taken which is:

“To reduce the number of professional clubs to three which will enable improved sustainability of funding for these clubs; and that we invest £28 million over the next five years in our SRC (Super Rugby Cymru Second Division) teams, our community game pathways, player development centres, and improving coaching and development of our domestic and international women’s game.”