Regions In Jeopardy Unless Wru Deal Is Signed

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has told Scarlets, Ospreys and Dragons that they person until Thursday to motion a caller Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) aliases consequence a two-year announcement play being imposed which could jeopardise nan regions' futures.

The WRU has written to nan 3 teams aft a gathering pinch them connected Tuesday, pinch nan early of master rugby successful Wales facing awesome alteration should nan woody beryllium near unsigned.

In February, it was announced nan parties had agreed successful rule to a five-year deal - but that was earlier Cardiff went into impermanent management and were taken complete by nan WRU.

Scarlets, Ospreys and Dragons had concerns astir what Cardiff's alteration successful ownership would mean and nan WRU initially gave them until 15 April to corroborate their volition to motion nan caller deal.

While Cardiff will motion nan caller deal, which includes accrued backing and a refinancing of each organisation's debt, nan WRU has now fixed nan different 3 sides a final, 8 May deadline to motion nan caller PRA.

The projected statement is meant to shape a cardinal constituent of nan WRU's semipermanent plan, which they person called nan 'One Wales' strategy.

BBC Sport Wales understands that if nan 3 independent regions neglect to sign, nan WRU will see options that could lead to lasting structural changes successful Welsh master rugby.

One imaginable result could spot nan number of Welsh master teams reduced, contempt main executive Abi Tierney many times expressing her committedness to retaining each 4 regions.

The WRU holds nan licences for nan Welsh sides competing successful nan United Rugby Championship (URC) and European competitions.

The national has nan authority to revoke those licences aft serving a two-year announcement period, though they would beryllium heavy penalised financially if they did not proceed to supply 4 sides for nan respective competitions.

The independent clubs person voiced concerns that, nether nan projected agreement, location would beryllium nary clear limit connected nan level of finance nan WRU could allocate to Cardiff, perchance placing nan different teams astatine a financial disadvantage.

The WRU's acquisition of nan business and assets of Cardiff costs £780,000, pinch nan nationalist governing assemblage besides committed to putting astir £1.2m into nan capital-city region until June 2026, meaning a full outlay of astir £2m.

WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood past period insisted it was nan WRU's volition "to supply nan different 3 master clubs pinch akin indebtedness relief".

The national has indicated Cardiff will beryllium connected nan aforesaid position arsenic nan different clubs nether nan caller PRA and that they will create a subsidiary to tally nan Arms Park outfit connected an independent basis.

The WRU assurances person yet to afloat appease nan Scarlets, Ospreys and Dragons pinch Thursday's deadline looming.

WRU main executive Abi Tierney said successful precocious April that location would beryllium nary circumstantial deadline for Wales' master clubs to motion a caller statement but added that they "need to move" quickly.

Collier-Keywood had antecedently fixed Scarlets, Ospreys and Dragons a deadline of 15 April to corroborate their volition to motion nan caller deal.

That deadline passed arsenic negotiations continued, pinch Tierney acknowledging that Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets had "some very valid questions" astir what nan national taking ownership of Cardiff "means for nan PRA and what it intends to nan different 3 clubs".

"We are getting location successful position of answering nan questions they've sewage and we will proceed to activity connected that. But we stay very affirmative that we will get there," she said past month.