News

WRU unveils radical plan to halve professional teams in Wales

Published

10 months ago

August 20, 2025

Union launches consultation on two-club model with new national campus and funding shake-up

THE WELSH RUGBY UNION has gone public with a bold plan to slash the number of professional teams in Wales from four to two, in what it describes as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to reshape the game.

At a press conference held at the Principality Stadium on Wednesday (Aug 20), WRU leaders set out their vision for the future of Welsh rugby, unveiling proposals to merge the professional structure into just two clubs — each running a men’s and a women’s team — backed by a new national performance campus and a radically altered funding model.

Chief executive Abi Tierney said: “We know how emotional rugby is and that people will be hurting when thinking about what this could mean for their team. Not everyone is going to be happy but I don’t think carrying on as we are is the right thing for fans either. We had to do something radically different to get us to a better place.”

Two-team model

Under the optimal scenario presented, Wales would be left with two fully professional clubs, each running a men’s squad of 50 and a women’s squad of 40. Playing budgets for the men’s teams would be set at between £7.8m and £8m, with a strict focus on developing Welsh-qualified talent. Only four overseas players would be permitted across the two sides.

Director of Rugby and Elite Performance Dave Reddin said the move was designed to put Wales back at the top of the international game. “This is unashamedly about trying to take Welsh rugby back to the top. It’s about designing for elite performance and making talent outperform its capacity,” he said. “Why shouldn’t we believe Wales could be wildcard World Cup winners with the right system?”

Five pillars of reform

The WRU’s restructuring is built around five pillars:

Two professional clubs (one men’s, one women’s at each location) designed to compete at the highest level.
A new national performance campus to centralise training for elite players and staff.
Replacement of the Professional Rugby Agreement with a unified management structure to cut friction and speed up decision-making.
A central funding model, with the WRU paying rugby costs while private investors run clubs commercially under licence.
Major investment in player pathways, including an expanded women’s domestic league, enhanced academies and improved coaching opportunities.

The union confirmed that existing academies will be scrapped and replaced by a single men’s national academy, alongside a new development system for women.

Consultation begins

The consultation period will begin on September 1 and close on September 26, with the WRU engaging Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets, the Welsh Rugby Players Association, former and current players, and official supporter groups. An online survey will also open to the wider public.

Chairman Richard Collier-Keywood said: “Every player and fan story starts somewhere. We will be listening to views from grassroots through pathways to elite level. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get this right and create an exciting future for our game.”

A recommendations report will go before the WRU board in mid-October, with a final decision expected at the end of that month.

Ospreys respond

The Ospreys, one of the four current professional clubs, have already issued a statement in response, acknowledging that some of the ideas outlined by the WRU hold “real potential”.

Women’s game overhaul

The plans also include a major expansion of the women’s game, with the two professional women’s teams backed by a national academy, new player development centres, and the creation of a domestic league to strengthen the Celtic Challenge.

Financial shake-up

Perhaps the most radical shift lies in the financial model. The WRU would directly fund all rugby operations in the two professional clubs, while commercial operations would be handled by private owners and investors under licence. The union believes this will improve alignment and stability across the game.

The road ahead

While the two-team model is the WRU’s preferred solution, other scenarios remain under discussion, including a three-team structure or retaining four sides with unequal funding. The union insists no final decision has been made until the consultation is complete.

As Tierney summed up: “This consultation is about listening. Every voice matters. We must work together if we are to create the future Welsh rugby deserves.”

Community

Swiss granddaughter returns to Pembroke Dock to honour wartime heroine

Published

3 minutes ago

June 21, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A SWISS woman has returned to Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre to see a special display celebrating her grandmother’s remarkable wartime work helping Allied servicemen who escaped into neutral Switzerland.

Therese Burckhardt, from Zurich, is the granddaughter of Mrs Beryl Schaerer Morse, a former Pembroke Dock woman who was awarded the King’s Medal in 1952 for her service during the Second World War.

The rare medal, one of only around 2,500 awarded, is now on display at the Heritage Centre alongside photographs, family records and an information panel telling Mrs Schaerer Morse’s story.

Beryl Schaerer Morse was born in Pembroke Dock in 1887, the daughter of Mr and Mrs Thomas Harrison Morse, who lived in Pembroke Dock and later Tenby.

After marrying a Swiss banker in 1913, she settled in Switzerland for the rest of her life, but always regarded Pembrokeshire as home. She returned for many summers to the family’s house in Tenby, which her grandparents had built in the 1930s.

During the Second World War, Mrs Schaerer Morse led an organisation assisting Allied servicemen who had escaped into neutral Switzerland. Her work was later recognised with the award of the King’s Medal.

Therese first visited the Heritage Centre last summer with childhood friend Penny Tighe, of Pembroke, bringing the medal and family records with her. She has now returned with further documents and family photographs to add to the centre’s archive.

Joining her again was Penny Tighe, along with Ruth Waddington, who now lives in the Tenby house where Therese spent many happy childhood holidays with her brother Roland, known affectionately to his grandmother as “Chips”.

Mrs Schaerer Morse died in 1967 and had expressly wished to be buried near her father at Llanion Cemetery, Pembroke Dock.

Therese said: “I am very pleased with how my grandmother’s medal and her story are displayed at the Heritage Centre, and also pleased to bring more records to add to the archive there.”

Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre is based at the Royal Dockyard Chapel and tells the story of the town’s maritime, aviation, military, social and community heritage.

Pembroke Dock was Wales’ only Royal Dockyard, a major garrison town, and during the Second World War was home to the largest flying boat station in the world.

The centre is currently open Monday to Friday, from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Therese Burckhardt shows the King’s Medal, awarded to her grandmother, to Ruth Waddington at Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre (Pic: PDHC).

Community

Pirates take over Pembroke Dock maritime museum

Published

40 minutes ago

June 21, 2026

Tom Sinclair

VOLUNTEERS at West Wales Maritime Museum were praised after another successful Pirates Party brought crowds to Pembroke Dock.

The family event was held at Hancock’s Yard, Front Street, on Saturday (Jun 20), with visitors enjoying a day of maritime-themed entertainment, stalls, refreshments and fancy dress.

The museum, run by the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society, hosted the event with the help of volunteers, with activities including a tombola, raffle, barbecue, face painting, children’s games and a prize for the best-dressed pirate.

There was also live entertainment from the Cantabile Singers and the Barti Waves.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was a musket firing display by the H.M.S Wales Re-enactment Group, which drew strong interest from those attending.

County councillor Jonathan Grimes, who represents Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, was among those who visited the event.

He said it had been “a fantastic afternoon” and praised the volunteers who had worked hard to put on “another brilliant event”.

Cllr Grimes said: “There was plenty to see and enjoy, but my personal highlight had to be the musket firing display from the H.M.S Wales Re-enactment Group — a real crowd-pleaser with live firing.

“It was wonderful to see so many people coming along and supporting yet another successful event at the museum.”

He also thanked Peter Kraus and everyone involved for their dedication in bringing the event to life.

The West Wales Maritime Museum is based at the historic Hancock’s Yard and is run by volunteers who work to preserve Pembroke Dock’s maritime heritage.

The society restores and maintains classic boats, operates a museum of maritime artefacts and offers visitors a chance to learn more about the town’s long connection with the sea.

The museum has become an increasingly popular community venue, with events such as the Pirates Party helping to bring families into the town while celebrating Pembroke Dock’s seafaring past.

News

Father and son lifeboat volunteers answer emergency call off Broadhaven South

Published

2 hours ago

June 21, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FATHER’S DAY celebrations were interrupted for several Tenby RNLI crew members on Sunday afternoon (Jun 21) after a five-metre RIB suffered engine failure off Broadhaven South and began drifting dangerously towards rocks.

The casualty vessel issued a Pan Pan call, prompting a Coastguard tasking to Tenby Lifeboats.

Among those responding were Coxswain Gary and his son Eddie, who still managed to spend part of Father’s Day together — although not quite in the way they may have planned.

The lifeboat was quickly launched and made best speed to the reported position, around nine miles west of Tenby Lifeboat Station.

When the crew arrived on scene, the engine of the casualty vessel had been restarted. However, with those on board concerned it could fail again, the Coxswain decided to escort the RIB back towards the entrance of the Milford Haven Waterway.

Once at the mouth of the waterway, the occupants were confident they could safely continue to their mooring without further assistance.

The lifeboat was then stood down and returned to station, arriving back at 5:50pm.