Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Abi Tierney has defended a contentious proposal to reduce the country's four men's domestic teams to three, warning that failure to act could lead to "cataclysmic collapse."
Tierney dismissed criticism and what she termed "toxic tactics" aimed at derailing the plan, asserting that the decision is based on extensive evidence and analysis for the long-term health of Welsh rugby. The WRU reiterated its proposal in July to move to three sides from the 2028 season, with the Dragons and Cardiff, both owned by the governing body, slated to receive licenses. This leaves the Ospreys and Scarlets competing for the single remaining spot in west Wales.
The proposed reduction stems from over three years of underperformance on the field and significant financial challenges. In 2019, Wales celebrated a Six Nations Grand Slam, reached the World Cup semi-finals, and briefly held the No. 1 world ranking. However, the national game has since struggled, with Wales currently ranked tenth globally. Tierney expressed concern that a continued decline could see Wales drop out of the world's top 12, which would be "cataclysmic" given the potential introduction of promotion and relegation in the Nations Championship by 2031.
"There are two choices – we either continue to struggle, we'll see further decline and we could see Wales drop out of the world’s top 12," Tierney stated in an interview with the Daily Mail. "The other choice is the plan to go from four to three and none of that has changed."
Tierney acknowledged the personal attacks she has faced but stressed that her motivation is the survival of Welsh rugby. She noted that previous regimes had conducted similar reviews but shied away from making the difficult decision. "I'm not doing this to be popular. I'm doing it because based on all the evidence and analysis, I genuinely believe this is the best thing for Welsh rugby," she said.
Critics, including Hayley Parsons, founder of GoCompare and a former Cardiff board member, have called for Tierney and the WRU executive board to resign. Tierney countered that the criticism is damaging the brand, impacting ticket sales and sponsorship. "That trust is being eroded every single day by those small minority of very loud critics," she argued. "That's what's eroding our ability to sell tickets and to secure sponsorship because it's damaging the brand so much."
Funding remains a critical issue. Tierney explained that the WRU's annual turnover of just over £100 million leaves approximately £20 million for investment in the professional game after covering costs. This currently funds four teams at roughly £5 million each, a figure Tierney believes is insufficient compared to competitors in leagues such as the English Premiership and the United Rugby Championship. "If you compare that to teams in PREM Rugby and others in the United Rugby Championship, we’d be way behind them. We’ll see a continuing decline if we have clubs funded at that level," she said.
The WRU plans to release further independently assessed data to support the three-team proposal. However, the practicalities of the transition remain unclear, particularly as rivals Ospreys and Scarlets have stated no intention to merge. Tierney emphasized the need for careful consideration of the impacts on livelihoods during the transition, even as critics argue the process is taking too long.
Tierney, who previously worked on significant British government projects and underwent cancer treatment, described the WRU role as her most challenging yet. "The politics, passion and how much people care make it the best job in the world. It also makes it the hardest job in the world," she commented. "I wouldn't stay if I didn't think we could thrive again."