Potential region loss ‘another sad day’ – Thomas

Former Wales captain Gareth Thomas calls the possibility of losing another regional team a “sad day” for Welsh rugby.

After just one season in 2004, Thomas left the Celtic Warriors and was replaced by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).

After refusing to join Cardiff and Dragons in signing the WRU’s new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA), Scarlets and Ospreys could face a similar threat in two years.

Since then, their current agreement, which expires in 2027, has been given notice.

Both regions raised concerns that Cardiff, which had been taken over by the WRU last month, would “disproportionally benefit” from the new PRA.

Chief Executive Abi Tierney has stated on numerous occasions that the WRU was committed to preserving all four regions, and that they have not yet cut one, but they have not ruled out this possibility in the most recent saga.

Thomas told BBC Radio Wales, “This is just another sad day and another sad story in Welsh rugby.”

It’s important for us to comprehend that rugby is more than just a sport.

According to Thomas, the impact of Celtic Warriors’ demise was profound and had a significant impact on Bridgend, Pontypridd, and its environs.

He said, “It’s not just about the rugby players’ livelihoods; it’s also about the town itself, the area, the region they call home.”

Shops closed when Celtic Warriors lost regional rugby.

There is a real other narrative that, in my opinion, is a little bit more significant than the fate of Welsh rugby because people aren’t inspired anymore and children aren’t interested in playing. This is the state of inspiration for towns, cities, and regions.

“It’s very sad that this has the potential to occur again,” he said.

When the regions experienced a similar PRA crisis in 2023, Ken Owens served as the region’s captain.

Numerous players were in contract limbo after stalled negotiations, with a strike threatened prior to a Six Nations game against England.

The former Scarlets skipper told S4C, “We are still in the same place as we were two years ago.”

We knew something was going to happen, and this agreement needed to be signed, but it hasn’t.

We need to examine the details and how it looks, but the Union hasn’t stated that they will divide into three distinct regions.

Owens, who presided over the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association (WRPA) from 2015 to 2015), expressed disappointment that “we have no way forward for the game in Wales.”

We must consider the sponsors if we lose a region. Why would the sponsors invest in a project that won’t be operational in two years, he said.

“We must keep in mind the players, the staff, and the personal aspect across all four affected regions.”

“We need to have a strategy for moving forward,” he said. “Welsh rugby needs to change.