Call for new Senedd to scrutinise WRU's Ospreys and Scarlets merger plan

Martin Shipton

The new Senedd elected on May 7 must scrutinise the Welsh Rugby Union’s proposal to have just one regional team for west Wales, according to Labour’s lead candidate for Sir Gaerfyrddin.

An emergency general meeting of the WRU held on April 13 was told by its chief executive Abi Tierney that the governing body was committed to cutting a professional men’s side.

A licence is due to be awarded for a regional team in the east, another in Cardiff and one in the west.

Ms Tierney told the EGM that so far as west Wales was concerned, that could involve a merger between the Ospreys and the Scarlets or the creation of a new entity.

The future of the two existing teams is only guaranteed until the summer of 2027 when their current deal with the WRU expires.

Calum Higgins, Labour’s lead candidate for Sir Gaerfyrddin, said he will prioritise scrutinising the WRUs proposals for the Scarlets and West Wales merger.

In a statement, Mr Higgins, a keen rugby fan from Tycroes in Carmarthenshire, said: “It’s vital for the Carmarthenshire economy and rugby heritage in Llanelli that we have professional rugby here. The Senedd should scrutinise the proposals and hold the WRU accountable for their actions.

“There are also lots of fans from the other regions in Carmarthenshire, mainly Ospreys fans who are understandably worried about their future. Any decent rugby fan would be supporting each other during these plans as we shouldn’t allow the WRU to divide the regional rugby fan base. If elected in May, a priority for me will be to scrutinise the proposals from a fan’s point of view. The rivalry between the Scarlets and Ospreys is something to protect and nurture for the future, and this proposal risks trashing rugby heritage in the south west.”

Mr Higgins’ views match those previously expressed by Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru’s lead candidate for Sir Gaerfyrddin, who backed a petition calling on the WRU to protect the Scarlets’ future during the union’s formal consultation period last September.

Writing on his website at the time, Mr Campbell said dissolving the Scarlets would be “disastrous news not only for Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, and the wider region, but also on a national level.

“The club has produced legendary players, from Phil Bennett, Delme Thomas and Ray Gravell to Stephen Jones and Ken Owens, to name but a few. And away from the pitch, the team contributes so much to the local economy, identity and culture. If this was lost it would leave a massive gap to fill and would lead to disillusionment for ordinary fans of the sport.

“We will be contributing to the formal consultation process as I hope thousands of others will as well, in order to send a clear message to the WRU that dissolution of the Scarlets is not the solution to the mismanagement of professional rugby in Wales over many years.”

Funding

The latest organisational crisis affecting Welsh rugby began in October 2025 when the WRU announced it would cut one of Wales’ four professional teams by 2027. At the time it said it would honour its current funding commitment to all four regions.

However, the number of teams being funded would be reduced to just three "as soon as possible".

The three teams would be equally funded, initially by £6.4m each per year and rising to £7.8m. If current regions were unable to come to a consensus on the way forward, the WRU would open a tender process for the three licences.