Written question WQ100048
- Asked by
- Gwyn WilliamsPlaid
- To be answered by
- Trefnydd, Chief Whip and Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 6 days
Question
What consideration has the Cabinet Minster given to intervening in the Welsh Rugby Union’s decision to reduce the four regions to three in light of the risk to the existence of the Ospreys which is vital for the economy and civic pride of the city of Swansea?
Answer
Answered by Trefnydd, Chief Whip and Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport (Heledd Fychan)
The Welsh Government recognises the important role that professional rugby plays in many communities across Wales, and the contribution the Ospreys make to Swansea’s economy, identity and civic pride.
However, decisions about the structure and future of the professional game are matters for the Welsh Rugby Union, working with the professional clubs and other relevant stakeholders. The Welsh Government has no powers to intervene in these commercial and governance decisions but we expect all parties to engage constructively and transparently to secure a sustainable and successful future for Welsh rugby, from grassroots to the international game. I will be meeting with WRU soon to reiterate that position, and encourage all interested parties to make their views known to the WRU directly in the meantime.