EGM prospect, Cardiff question and power of three

Welsh rugby may be in the new year, but the issues still exist.

Players and coaches will be busy in January as they compete in European and domestic competitions.

When the Six Nations begin in February, Wales head coach Steve Tandy will then train his squad for the big game.

The administrators of the game will find a way to fix Welsh rugby’s growing problems, which will turn out to be just as difficult.

Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM) held in 2014, 2020, and 2023 appear to be a key component of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).

Less than three years after the first one, there is now the possibility of a new emergency gathering.

Central Glamorgan Rugby Union, a district in Wales, is urging clubs to hold an EGM and vote in favor of PRB chair Malcolm Wall and PRB chair Richard Collier-Keywood.

Clubs looking to receive the 10% of support in a letter from the district have written a copy of the letter.

We’ll need to support the plans from about 30 of Wales’ close to 300 clubs, so we’ll have to wait and see if the process gains any momentum.

The end of November saw the annual general meeting (AGM), which was held in Cardiff on the day Wales record 73-0 defeat to South Africa.

Even considering that as a call for change, there was little dissention on Collier-Keywood that day. Some areas have experienced changes after five weeks.

We see the meandering between various plans, causing chaos, confusion, and uncertainty, paying extortionate amounts of money to external consultants, and the current board’s inability to formulate and implement a coherent strategy for rugby in Wales, according to Central Glamorgan’s call to arms.

The WRU is pushing to overcome its fundamental changes to the domestic game at a time when all of this is happening.

In October, the WRU announced a plan to reduce one of the men’s professional sides from four to three.

One team’s licence would be given, one for Cardiff, one for the west, and one for the east, according to the governing body.

Ospreys, Scarlets, Cardiff, and Dragons have continued to negotiate, but nothing has changed since 2025.

A six-month tender process could be in place to choose the successful trio if an agreement is not reached in January.

The professional sides have recently received more information about the licenses, who have expressed reservations about some of the document’s terms. We anticipate further discussions.

The WRU asks backers to contribute money to the initiatives while maintaining control over the remaining three sides’ rugby operations.

The Dragons raised the issue in November, which also stifled the negotiations and caused significant delays.

The sale of Cardiff, a WRU-owned entity, could play a significant role in the drop in numbers.

After Cardiff temporarily went into administration in April 2025, Welsh rugby’s governing body took control of the Arms Park outfit.

Since then, the WRU has been looking for new investors, with Y11 Sports and Media and Ospreys owners interested in purchasing Cardiff. This could lead to the WRU’s triple-digit success.

Fans of the Ospreys have expressed concern about the team’s survival on social media, but the WRU and Y11 have both declined to comment.

The Cardiff club and its supporters have continued to work toward a long-term, sustainable future, according to the WRU.

This decision will be carefully considered and evaluated accordingly.

With former Cardiff director Martyn Ryan joining a group made up of three American-based television and film producers, a new consortium is looming.

The WRU will make the decision as to whether Cardiff’s final plans are beneficial or not.

It has been suggested that the waning uncertainty in Welsh rugby is a cause of the departures, and convincing other players to stay is becoming challenging.

On Saturday, February 7, Tandy’s side takes on England in the opening match of his first Six Nations campaign.

Wales’ bid to avoid a third consecutive Six Nations wooden spoon and win a game of the tournament for the first time since 2023 won’t be what Tandy and his squad want.

Because there is no predictable outcome, it seems inevitable that Welsh rugby will continue to suffer. Whatever outcome is decided, there will be outcry from the general public, and legal and financial issues may arise.

These issues are still centered on money-related issues. Collier-Keywood has just made it clear that Wales’ four rival rival sides do not have enough money to pay for them, but that has not dissuaded the doubters about this assertion.

People agree that things must change. Particularly now that the Wales men’s team has lost to record numbers against Argentina, England, and South Africa, and the women’s side has failed to win a World Cup game.

Welsh fans are unsure about how that change will take place and do not want their own small, subpar aspect of Welsh rugby to be offended.

The number of people who watch Six Nations games at home against France, Scotland, and Italy in February and March will be able to tell how much this constant drama is testing the patience of the average fan, along with the nation’s subpar form.

With more than 50% of WRU’s revenue coming from the men’s home games, poor attendance will have an even greater negative impact.