Tierney vows to carry on with WRU three-team plan

Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Abi Tierney says she will not quit her role and wants to see through controversial proposals for the professional game in Wales.

The union's plan to cut from four to three men's sides has been criticised by supporters and politicians.

Swansea Council has initiated legal action over the perceived threat to the Ospreys' existence, while an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) has been called by at least 50 clubs who have asked for a vote of no confidence in Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chair Richard Collier-Keywood.

Tierney, who took time off work at the end of 2025 for cancer treatment, has also been subjected to personal abuse and calls for her to step down.

She says she will not leave and has faith in the WRU's planned changes.

"I ask myself every day am I doing the right thing?" said Tierney. "I have Welsh rugby in my blood and love it, and the privilege of this job still outweighs anything.

"I believe we are doing the right thing for Welsh rugby, now, to put it on a sustainable footing.

"If I was to go and they brought somebody else in, you end up with that delay.

"I look at myself and ask are we doing the right thing for the right reasons, even though it's difficult and do I have the courage to keep doing it? I do."

Tierney, who became the first woman to be appointed as WRU chief executive in January 2024, was asked whether she regretted taking the role.

"There are times I think that, but it doesn't last long because something inspiring will happen and you remember why you do it," said Tierney.

"I'd be a hard-nosed person if I said there hasn't been times where I ask myself whether it was the right decision.

"I'm somebody who is open and lead from my heart as well as my head."

Tierney revealed some abuse she received earlier this month when she stated she did not feel safe in the role.

"You know people care passionately about rugby in Wales and if you take on the job at a time when things are difficult, you're going to have to make difficult decisions," she added.

"I know that's part of my job. I accept challenge, but when it goes as far as it has, then it's not acceptable."

Tierney says she was asked, if she was having to sell the job to someone else, what kind of person would do it?

"One of the hardest bits is you have to be thick-skinned," she said.

"To sum it up I'm going to use an analogy, and I'm not trying to be flippant here, have you ever watched that programme on an assault course over water?

"They are climbing up some inflatables but when they get to the top a lot of oil gets poured on and you fall off it.

"You walk across planks and somebody comes and pours oil over you.

"Every day feels like I am on that gameshow. They are fighting on a lot of different fronts which is tiring.

"You need to be resilient, after a day where you've been whacked, metaphorically, to get up the next morning and go again.

"I care so much, that's why I do the job and what gets me up in the morning."

She says she underestimated parts of the role, including how many different factors were involved.

"There are so many complex stakeholders," she added. "You've got politicians, players, participants, sponsors and fans.

"Trying to move, manage and engage with them is hard because they've all got different agendas, which I mean in a positive way.

"They all care and want different things and all have so much passion."

At the heart of the controversial plans is the WRU's decision to cut a professional side, which was finalised in October 2025.

The WRU had, six months earlier, stated they would stick with four equally-funded sides before the governing body took over Cardiff in April 2025 after the region went into administration.

Having only two sides was mooted in August before opting to cut only one region was agreed, with the WRU board unanimously voting for the three-team proposals with licences for a team in the west, east and Cardiff.

"I am committed to that being the right thing to do," said Tierney.

Opponents want to keep four teams and are unconvinced by the chief executive's argument Welsh rugby does not have the funding to maintain the status quo.

"The alternative would be keeping four teams where you don't have the money to fund them at the level enabling them to be competitive and produce players we need for a strong national team," said Tierney.

"Having been here for two years now and developed the plan we have, through one of the biggest consultations in Wales, I believe it is the best one.

"It's hard and has impacts people are upset about, but it's the best plan for Welsh rugby.

"If it was delayed now, we'd be back doing it in two or three years and continue to see a deterioration in performance over that time.

"The current way isn't sustainable. We can see that in terms of performance on the pitch, nationally and our regional teams.

"The other bit is none of the vocal minority have come up with an alternative. So that feels like just continuing as we are, which I didn't think was the right answer."

Tierney says if they do not cut a side they would not be able to invest sufficiently in Welsh rugby's pathway.

"The £28million of investment we've talked about in the pathways and national academy, we wouldn't be able to afford to do that," said Tierney.

Collier-Keywood told a committee of Welsh politicians there was no plan B for Welsh rugby, with the Union committed to their policy.

"That has got headlines and it was at the end of an hour-and-a-half's discussion," said Tierney.

"We've got a plan A, which is four to three teams, but we constantly look at risks involved in that and think about contingency plans.

"What we're saying is we're not running parallel plans, we're focused and determined on plan A.

"We've got a risk register and look at the different things, so there's 20 or 30 scenarios we work through."

The WRU are currently committed to providing four sides to the United Rugby Championship (URC).

Tierney admitted they have not reached a long-term agreement to reduce that deal to three.

"We've got to go through the process but they are being supportive and constructive," said Tierney.

"They are looking at different ways they would support us to put in an alternative team.

"We are committed to having four sides for next season and it may be until 2028, because it may take that long."

Tierney says conversations are ongoing with the current professional sides about the three professional licences.

Issues remain about how much rugby-control the WRU want over the three sides.

Plan A has not proved popular with politicians with Parliament and Senedd urging the WRU to stay with four teams.

After Tierney and Collier-Keywood gave evidence in front of a parliamentary committee in January, the politicians said the WRU had an immense disconnect with fans.

After the Senedd session, the Welsh-based politicians stated the governing body 'had lost the argument'.

"This was always going to be difficult," said Tierney. "Everybody said as part of the consultation we couldn't keep doing what we were doing.

"There was a view going to three teams was the best answer as part of that.

"At the point when people start to realise what that might mean for their team and location, that's when it gets difficult.

"It doesn't mean it's not the right answer."

The WRU are also undergoing the process of selling Cardiff with Ospreys owners, Y11 Sport and Media, named as the preferred bidder.

That has raised concerns from Swansea Council about the future of professional rugby in Swansea, with the Ospreys due to move into a redeveloped St Helen's ground.

They have begun formal legal proceedings against the WRU in a bid to stop the proposed sale of Cardiff Rugby, claiming the deal would breach UK competition law and undermine the governing body's restructuring process for the professional men's game.

Tierney says the deal with Y11 and Cardiff has not been completed yet with the "period of exclusivity" continuing.

She also says Y11 buying Cardiff does not mean the Ospreys will necessarily cease as a professional entity to help go to three sides.

Supporters fear this scenario and Swansea Council claim they have been told this will happen.

"Those two processes are separate," says Tierney.

"We did an open, transparent process for Cardiff and Y11 was the best bid we received.

"When the process is completed, we will either recommend to the board we proceed with Y11 buying Cardiff, or say we don't.

"At that point, we'll make a decision on what happens next, but there'll be a separate process. So just by Y11 buying Cardiff, doesn't mean Ospreys go."

Tierney declined to comment when asked whether she felt politicians were electioneering with Wales going to the polls in two months.

The WRU is also facing legal action from Scarlets over the governing body's handling of the takeover of Cardiff.

That process was revealed by Llanelli politician Lee Waters in the Senedd hearing, with Tierney refusing to comment.

She acknowledged there is a lot of money being spend on legal battles.

"I'm a historian by training and I look at the past 20 years in Welsh rugby and the fighting that's gone on," said Tierney.

"I think we risk destroying ourselves. If we could put that energy and money into pulling together and being a stronger union, all that passion, hurt and anger could go into making rugby better.

"It is damaging, and it's money, but also time and energy.

"While we're doing that, we're not focusing on rugby.

"I won't comment on the exact costs, you'll see them in the annual report.

"They're very significant and that money is not going into rugby."

The WRU is also facing an EGM, probably in April, where the headline act is a no-confidence vote in Collier-Keywood, but it could also have ramifications for the WRU plans and future of some bosses.

"We are talking about going to four to three over a period of time," said Tierney.

"We are not doing it overnight so if a new chair comes in, we still wouldn't be at a point where we've completed the restructuring.

"If the EGM motion was to be carried, and you get a new chair as a result and they don't support this plan, you'd have to come up with an alternative plan.

"So they still would have the ability to stop it at that stage.

"Also, because the board voted unanimously for it, I would imagine some of them would consider their positions also."

The WRU make-up means that 30 clubs can force a vote of a no confidence in a professional governing body with a turnover of more than £100m.

Tierney says the WRU respect the EGM process and will use the platform to try and convince people their plan was right.

"It is important our shareholders, our clubs, have the ability to challenge us," said Tierney.

"When I meet and talk to the clubs they are passionate and care about Welsh rugby.

"We've got to listen but I'm confident we can go through the process and use it as a chance to reiterate why this plan will work.

"I welcome the opportunity because we want to respond to those motions and criticisms.

"We can get a vote of confidence and keep going."

Tierney accepts a major issue the WRU face is some people do not believe the organisation can enact change and says they need to secure the trust of the Welsh rugby public.

"It is something I think a lot about," said Tierney.

"As a governing body if you don't have the trust to deliver, that's difficult so how do you go about rebuilding it?

"You keep being honest, talking to people, answering challenges and front up.

"We need to remind people why we are doing this by having the difficult conversations.

"Not just with people who agree with what you are doing, but people who disagree.

"There will be an opportunity at some point where we can win some hearts and minds to try to win back some of that trust.

"It is going to be painful but we will come through the other side in a much stronger place as a result.

"Let's get some stability because that's the thing Welsh rugby needs."