WRU reveals five-year ambition to save Welsh rugby

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has outlined its five-year scheme for nan early of nan crippled successful Wales.

Fittingly during a wide election, nan governing assemblage has unveiled what is, successful effect, its manifesto for rebuilding nan nationalist sport.

New main executive Abi Tierney said nan WRU intends to amended nan men's and women's nationalist teams arsenic good arsenic nan regions, expanding information successful nan organization and women's crippled and improving nan game's finances.

However nan nonstop item of conscionable really it will execute their "ambitious mission" is not expected until October.

At a Principality Stadium briefing connected nan 25th day of nan first crippled astatine nan venue, Tierney and Chair Richard Collier-Keywood spelt retired nan WRU's financial difficulties.

They said nan national has been operating good beyond its ain intends pinch an yearly shortage of £15m arsenic it struggles to salary disconnected £20m of debt, mostly blamed connected Covid.

There was a emotion of regret that nan WRU had sold immoderate of its stock of United Rugby Championship (URC) and Six Nations media rights.

They besides confirmed location is simply a £35m backing spread for nan regions complete nan adjacent 5 years, putting nan early of each 4 regions successful doubt.

"When I came in, it struck maine that we're not moving rugby arsenic a business," said Tierney, who took complete her domiciled successful January.

"We are spending excessively overmuch money and we can't past pinch nan measurement we are going now

"So we are going to person to make immoderate difficult decisions to get immoderate sound financial foundations."

Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets saw their backing slashed by £2m each past play and will spot it trim further to £4.5m for 2024-25.

But nan WRU anticipates each squad requires a further £2m each twelvemonth to beryllium competitive.

"The level of finance required to make 4 regions important and we person a important spread to close," said Tierney.

"There are ways to reside that, by increasing income and restructuring nan indebtedness because nan liking is expensive. But if we can't do that, past possibly we request to look astatine nan location structure.

"That could impact looking astatine different backing models, of 2 having much money than nan different two, aliases 3 and one, but nan privilege is closing nan gap."

Tierney's assignment was prompted by nan ungraded of a BBC Wales investigation into allegations of intersexual misconduct.

An independent reappraisal later recovered aspects of nan WRU's civilization were sexist, misogynistic, racist and homophobic.

On nan pitch, Welsh rugby has besides endured its worst play successful decades pinch some nan men's and women's nationalist teams bottommost of their respective Six Nations and nan regions struggling to compete successful nan URC pinch only Ospreys making nan playoffs.

Saturday's conclusion by South Africa was nan seventh successive nonaccomplishment for Warren Gatland's side, his worst tally arsenic Wales caput coach.

"At nan bosom of this strategy is occurrence connected nan field," said Tierney.

"That drives summons sales, brings sponsorships and that money costs nan remainder of nan game, which provides nan instauration for nan master game.

"Every constituent of this strategy needs to activity for occurrence connected nan pitch."