WRU brands council statement “inaccurate” as Ospreys insist no decision made on club’s future

The Ospreys have also released a statement, stressing that no decision has been made about the club’s long‑term future beyond 2026/27, as hundreds of supporters gather at the Brangwyn Hall tonight for an emergency public meeting.

Swansea Council earlier accused the WRU and Ospreys owners Y11 of secretive and anti‑competitive behaviour, claiming the region was being lined up to lose its professional status after the 2026/27 season. The authority said it was prepared to go to court to stop that happening.

WRU: “Council statement is inaccurate”

The WRU confirmed it has received the council’s pre‑action legal letter but disputed the authority’s public account of the 22 January meeting, saying it contained inaccuracies.

The union said it would be taking legal advice and could not comment further on the specifics, but insisted its board had acted “in good faith” while trying to address the financial and performance challenges facing Welsh rugby.

WRU statement in full

“We can confirm that we have received a pre-action letter from Swansea Council, alongside a public statement which is inaccurate in reference to a recent meeting we attended. As you will understand we will be taking our own advice and so cannot comment on this at this time. This WRU Board has worked in good faith since it took office some two years ago to create a new way forward for Welsh rugby given the significant financial and performance issues we are all facing. We appreciate that these are difficult issues for everyone concerned, but we have conducted ourselves with future long term success in mind.”

Ospreys: “No decisions have been made”

The Ospreys’ response was more measured, emphasising that the club continues to operate as a professional URC side and that no decisions have been taken about its future beyond the 2026/27 season.

The region rejected any suggestion that Chief Executive Lance Bradley had confirmed the Ospreys were set to drop out of top‑tier rugby, and said it would not comment on “interpretations of meetings, unfinalised proposals, or legal correspondence”.

Ospreys statement in full

“Ospreys Rugby notes today’s statement from Swansea Council regarding discussions on the future of regional rugby in Wales. As has been stated previously, Ospreys Rugby continues to operate as a professional club and is focused on supporting its players, staff, and supporters while competing in the URC under existing agreements. No decisions have been made regarding Ospreys’ future past the 2026/27 season, and no statements have been made by Lance Bradley or anyone else associated with Ospreys which contradict that. Given the sensitivity of these matters, and the fact that they involve multiple parties and ongoing discussions, it would be inappropriate for Ospreys Rugby to comment on interpretations of meetings, unfinalised proposals, or legal correspondence. Ospreys Rugby remains committed to constructive engagement with all stakeholders and will communicate directly and transparently when there is confirmed information to share.”

Public meeting underway at Brangwyn Hall

Meanwhile, the Brangwyn Hall is packed tonight as supporters, community clubs and local representatives gather to demand clarity on the future of the Ospreys and the wider regional structure.

More reaction from the meeting will follow as the situation develops.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

WRU board digs in over Y11 deal as pressure mounts from clubs
Clubs across Wales demanded clarity as concerns grew over the future of regional rugby.

Ospreys at risk as Plaid Cymru demands Welsh Government step in over WRU cuts
Political pressure intensified as fears grew that the Ospreys could be axed.

Public meeting called as fight to save the Ospreys intensifies
Hundreds of supporters gathered to challenge the WRU’s restructuring plans.

Supporters’ groups unite to launch petition against WRU restructure
Fans from three regions joined forces to oppose the WRU’s proposals.

Swansea Council threatens legal action as Ospreys saga explodes
The council accused the WRU and Y11 of secretive and anti‑competitive behaviour.

Swansea Council threatens legal action as Ospreys saga explodes

In a blistering pre‑action letter sent to both organisations — and released publicly “in the interests of the people of Swansea” — the council says it is prepared to take the WRU and Y11 to court to stop the Ospreys being wiped out as a top‑tier regional team.

The move marks the most dramatic escalation yet in the battle over the future of Welsh rugby, following weeks of anger, protests, petitions and political pressure.

“Shocking prospect” of losing pro rugby from Wales’ second city

According to the council’s Chief Legal Officer Lucy Moore, the authority believes the WRU’s restructuring plans — which would cut the number of professional men’s teams from four to three — have been carried out in a way that is “unfair, secretive and unlawful”.

The council says it was left stunned after a meeting on 22 January, where WRU Chief Executive Abi Tierney and Ospreys boss Lance Bradley allegedly confirmed that:

• The Ospreys would not play professional regional rugby at St Helen’s after the 2026/27 season
• The team could merge with Swansea RFC and drop into the semi‑pro Super Rygbi Cymru
• Y11, already owners of the Ospreys, are the WRU’s preferred bidders for Cardiff Rugby

Council officials say they left the meeting with a “clear understanding” that the Ospreys would cease to exist as a URC regional side if the Y11 takeover of Cardiff goes ahead.

The council calls this the “shocking prospect” of losing professional rugby from Swansea entirely — something it says would devastate the city’s economy, identity and sporting heritage.

Council accuses WRU of conflicts, secrecy and “distorting competition”

In its legal letter, the council sets out a series of concerns about how the WRU has handled the restructuring process. It argues that cutting the number of regions from four to three is, by its nature, a restriction of competition, and that the way the WRU has gone about it has been neither fair nor transparent.

The authority says the process for allocating regional licences created an uneven playing field that effectively protected Cardiff and Dragons while placing the Ospreys at a disadvantage. It also claims the WRU had a clear conflict of interest because it owned Cardiff Rugby at the time it was making decisions about the future shape of the professional game.

The council goes further, suggesting that allowing Y11 to buy Cardiff while already owning the Ospreys undermines the spirit of World Rugby rules designed to prevent one entity controlling multiple clubs. It says the arrangement appears to rely on an understanding that the Ospreys would withdraw from competing for a regional licence — something the council describes as both anti‑competitive and unlawful.

£1.5m of public money at risk

The council says it has already committed around £1.5 million to preparatory work at St Helen’s, including relocating cricket to make way for the Ospreys’ proposed return. That investment, it warns, is now at risk of being wasted.

Beyond that, the authority says the loss of the Ospreys as a professional team would cause significant economic harm to Swansea, pointing to independent analysis showing the region generates up to £12 million a year in direct and indirect economic activity.

WRU under mounting pressure as deadline looms

The legal threat comes after weeks of escalating tension across Welsh rugby. Clubs have demanded clarity over the Y11 deal, Plaid Cymru has called for Welsh Government intervention, supporters have packed public meetings, and fans from Ospreys, Dragons and Cardiff have united to launch a petition against the restructure.

Swansea Council has now given the WRU and Y11 until 13 February to respond — and has not ruled out seeking an injunction to block the Cardiff takeover if its concerns are ignored.

Full legal letter released by Swansea Council is published below in the public interest

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

WRU board digs in over Y11 deal as pressure mounts from clubs
Clubs across Wales demanded clarity as concerns grew over the future of regional rugby.

Ospreys at risk as Plaid Cymru demands Welsh Government step in over WRU cuts
Political pressure intensified as fears grew that the Ospreys could be axed.

Public meeting called as fight to save the Ospreys intensifies
Hundreds of supporters gathered to challenge the WRU’s restructuring plans.

Supporters’ groups unite to launch petition against WRU restructure
Fans from three regions joined forces to oppose the WRU’s proposals.

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