'Step backwards' looms for Welsh rugby, warns WRU chair

The chair of the Welsh Rugby Union has warned the Welsh Parliament that proposals to remove him and change the sport's governance would be a "step backwards" for the game.

An Extraordinary General Meeting of the WRU was called by member clubs on Sunday amid turmoil over plans to cut the number of professional sides from four to three.

Richard Collier-Keywood also admitted that the WRU had struggled to bring the professional sides on board.

He said there was no "plan B" for professional rugby if he were to lose the proposed vote of confidence in his leadership, maintaining that moving to three teams was the only way to ensure rugby in Wales is sustainable.

Collier-Keywood, senior independent director Alison Thorne and director of the community game Geraint John appeared before the Senedd's sport and culture committee on Thursday.

In robust exchanges Collier-Keywood defended the union's plans, and suggested no decision had yet been made on which team would play in west Wales.

"I was brought in as an independent chair on a mandate of change," he told the committee.

"Change is never easy, we recognise, and we are in the midst of significant change.

"My mandate was change and I think we are in the course of delivering that change.

"We recognise that is very painful but we are committed to delivering that change. You didn't ask me to retain the status quo."

On the union's plans he added: "Am I inclined to throw that away two months into its implementation?

"Honestly, probably not, because I think you asked me to bring this change so that Welsh rugby would have a strong, proud sustainable future, and we've just started that process."

Asked by committee chair Delyth Jewell what message he had for fans if the EGM proposals were to be voted through, Collier-Keywood said "it really feels like a step backwards".

He added: "We have professionalised governance, and it would be a totally backward step if you effectively reverse the changes that took place in March 2023", a time at which the WRU made changes to its board."

Central Glamorgan Rugby Union, the Welsh district that have been the drivers behind the EGM, have previously stated they are not trying to reverse the governance changes from three years ago.

Collier-Keywood also suggested that "no decisions" had been made as to which team would play in the west of Wales, although supporters and players at Ospreys feel their side is most likely to be cut, especially as Ospreys owners Y11 are in talks with the WRU to buy rivals Cardiff.

He told the committee: "The assumption was that Ospreys was going to be the club that was killed off.

"That is not the case in terms of what will necessarily happen as a result of Y11 owning two clubs.

"There is a totally separate process the WRU are going through of how we decide to award the licences.

"There is one west licence.

"Going forward I expect that we will carry out a fair and transparent process to determine who gets that licence. We have not done that yet.

"We will carry out that process because there may be some conditions we will put into that licence about where rugby needs to be played."

Supporters of the side - based in Swansea, but playing this season in Bridgend - have demonstrated against the plans.

He was accused by committee member Alun Davies of living in a "parallel universe" if he thought Scarlets supporters would cross the river Loughor to watch their rugby, or that people in Bridgend or Swansea would watch the Scarlets play in Swansea.

Later in the session he admitted that it was a "fair reflection" that the WRU had "really struggled to bring the professional clubs with us on this journey."

Thorne accepted that some people were angry, but told the committtee: "there's also a very strong number of clubs who don't feel like that. And so when we're in the districts, we hear both sides of those elements."

The WRU maintains that the only way for Welsh professional rugby to remain competitive and to be able to fund other parts of the sport such as a national academy and coach development programmes is to cut the number of teams.

Collier-Keywood said that the WRU and the current sides were did not have the finances to be competitive because the cash and the player-base was spread too thinly.

A date for the EGM is yet to be confirmed.

Wales' next Six Nations match is in Dublin against Ireland a week on Friday.

Gareth Griffiths, BBC Sport Wales rugby reporter

This was the second successive month we have seen Richard Collier-Keywood in front of Welsh politicians after his appearance at Parliament in January with WRU chief executive Abi Tierney.

The message today was clear from him. The WRU are not considering a change in the controversial policy of cutting a Welsh men's professional side.

He stated they have no plan B with the emphasis over the hour they are continuing to double down on plan A as Collier-Keywood proved robust in his defence of the three-team policy.

He insisted he had been brought in create change and not maintain the status quo.

The language about the impending EGM has softened slightly with Collier-Keywood calling it today "a step backwards" if the motions were passed, including the vote of no-confidence in himself. Compared with it being described as a "nuclear option" last month.

He also tried to reassure Ospreys fans a decision has not been made on its future as the professional team being culled, although they should still be concerned.

The WRU are trying to put out fires to get to their end goal.

Collier-Keywood was not present at the Senedd today and appeared via video link because he is involved in London with the WRU's case with the Scarlets, who have taken legal action against Welsh rugby's governing body over the handling of their takeover of Cardiff in April 2025.

Then there is the battle with Swansea Council, who were rarely mentioned today.

They have sought a High Court injunction to stop the WRU doing a deal with Ospreys owners Y11 taking over Cardiff.

So there are some winners in Welsh rugby at the moment. The lawyers.

Collier-Keywood not being present allowed him off the hook at times, with WRU community director Geraint John and board member Alison Thorne in the room in Cardiff Bay and some questions from politicians dragging on.

So we did not learn that much new today. It promises to be another few weeks, maybe months of twists and turns in the turbulent world of Welsh rugby.