Ospreys fans ramp up protest against WRU and Y11

"WRU, shame on you" came the cry from hundreds of Ospreys fans protesting against moves that could see their region disappear as a professional side in little more than a year's time.

They gathered at the mural of legendary Bridgend, Wales and British and Irish Lions full-back JPR Williams before the United Rugby Championship (URC) 19-13 home derby win against Dragons at Bridgend's Brewery Field.

Fans and former Ospreys players spoke out against the region's owners, Y11 Sport and Media, who are the Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) preferred bidder to take over rivals Cardiff amid plans to cut the number of professional men's teams in Wales.

Ospreys Supporters Club (OSC) chair Sarah Collins-Davies said they wanted to show the rugby world how much the region meant to them.

"We're not going to go gently, we are not going down without a fight, we will fight to the end, we never give up," Collins-Davies told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

Meanwhile, Swansea council leader Rob Stewart told Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement the council will be pursuing legal action later this week.

"We had confirmation there are viable legal avenues available and we will be announcing and pursuing those this week," said.

"But also we're supportive of the actions the clubs may take themselves via an EGM to look at the leadership of the WRU itself."

Feelings having been running high for several weeks among Ospreys supporters who waved placards and banners at Saturday's protest.

Should Y11 Sport purchase Cardiff - saved by the WRU after going into administration in April 2025 - both clubs will initially continue as separate sides despite having the same owners.

However, the future looks bleak for Ospreys, who have only been given playing guarantees as a professional side until the end of the 2026-27 season.

The WRU are determined to reduce the number of men's regions from four to three and this presents the ideal opportunity to realise their ambition.

Welsh rugby bosses now say there is not the money available or playing base to keep four sides. Ospreys fans disagree.

OSC secretary Keith Collins said Welsh rugby without Ospreys was "inconceivable", having been the most successful side since regional rugby was established in 2003 with four league titles.

Former players Ian Gough and Shane Williams address supporters, many bordering on tears, have said they would walk away from Welsh rugby entirely if the Ospreys were culled.

Y11 were criticised with shouts for them to "get out of our club", while questions were raised about the visibility of South Asia-based owner James Davies Yandle.

Ospreys fans are trying to come to terms with what some see as their owners trying to buy a Welsh rival in order to effectively close down the side they already run.

WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood, chief executive Abi Tierney and director of rugby Dave Reddin were targeted, while board member Jamie Roberts, who was at the ground commentating on the game, also came in for stick.

Former Wales centre Roberts was part of the WRU board who agreed to cut the number of sides from four to three and then later rubber-stamped Y11 as the preferred Cardiff bidder.

Roberts was live on television when he stood alongside former Dragons and Wales lock Andrew Coombs who said it was "the worst possible decision to hand the Cardiff keys to Y11".

Roberts responded by saying "it is a really difficult situation for coaches, players and more importantly fans" and praised a pre-match interview given by Ospreys head coach Mark Jones, who stated "the reality is hitting home now how seismic this could be".

The crowd repeated the protest of putting on the lights on their camera phones in the 11th minute during a match played in front of 5,281 supporters, with a last-gasp match-winning try from Wales wing Keelan Giles sealing victory for the hosts.

Former players, including Alun Wyn Jones, Williams, James Hook, Gavin Henson and Ryan Jones, signed a letter last week, along with old coaches and staff members, insisting four regions must be protected.

Ex-Ospreys and Wales lock Gough said: "There have been some amazing players coming through the Ospreys and it holds a special place in my heart.

"We always fought in every game we went into, whether we won, lost or drew.

"That's what we need to do now. We need to fight for every inch to keep the region going.

"We believe there is capacity for four sides and and we need Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot and the Bridgend areas to be represented by a professional team."

Collins-Davies added: "That's the attitude from all the supporters and what has really galvanised everybody this week was all the backing of the ex-players. It's been invaluable."

There has also been a petition organised by the official supporters groups of Ospreys, Cardiff and Dragons calling on the WRU to stop its plans of cutting a side.

"This week is the resurgence of fans from all over Wales, the other regions joining as well as they realise how badly the Ospreys have been treated," said Gough.

"The transparency hasn't been there. Other fans have realised that could happen to them as easily and as quickly in the manner which it has been done to Ospreys.

"It has been the realisation of what was going on. We've been kept in the dark.

"There is unrest among Cardiff supporters, they're not happy about how this has been handled and the implications.

"That has brought a sense that none of us are safe."

Gough also highlighted the human element.

"This has been done in such a brutal manner, you have to think of people's families and livelihoods and their mental state," said Gough.

"It affects everything and galvanised people against the WRU. It's the Welsh village mentality that has brought us together with a common cause."

Not all Welsh fans have backed the petition, which has not been supported by "Crys 16", the self-styled official supporters trust of the Scarlets who have a seat on the board of the organisation.

Another fans body, calling themselves the Scarlets official supporters group, has urged people to sign the petition.

This highlights the divide between the Scarlets fans because if the Ospreys somehow survived but WRU still wanted to cut a team, it would likely to be a straight shootout between Ospreys and Scarlets for the west licence in a possible tender process.

So as Welsh rugby often encourages, even demands, self-preservation is the key.

If the Ospreys are preserved as a professional side beyond 2027, with the preferred option for the WRU they are not, remains to be seen.

At least the governing body now know the Ospreys fans will not go quietly. Whether that is enough to save their team, we will wait and see.