Ospreys-commissioned study backs four Welsh clubs

The report covers the 23 seasons since the four Welsh clubs were formed in 2003.

What the report says

“The independent analysis of the data does not logically lead to a conclusion that the removal of one professional team in Wales is a strategic move grounded in evidence,” write the four authors from Sheffield Hallam University’s SPARC research centre. According to the study, derbies between Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets accounted for 48% of league attendances at home games in Wales between 2012 and 2026. With three clubs, those derbies would fall from twelve to six a season.

The report also warns that losing a club would create a “bottleneck”, with fewer elite opportunities for Welsh players and more of them leaving the country. The Ospreys, who commissioned and paid for it, say the conclusions are the university’s own and that the fee was fixed in advance. The full report will be published by the end of November and sent to the WRU.

The WRU’s plan

The Welsh Rugby Union intends to drop to three clubs by 2028, with a decision expected next summer. Cardiff and Dragons are set to be granted the capital and east licences, leaving Ospreys and Scarlets competing for the west. The union, which has reported losses of £18m, wants to cut its spending on professional rugby from £26m to £20m by 2028. Each of the four clubs currently receives about £6.5m. The Ospreys’ report says little about finances.

“We want four clubs. This is not about one club’s record against another’s,” said Alun Wyn Jones, an Ospreys director, who chaired the working group behind the study.

Cardiff lead the way in the URC

After five rounds of the URC, Cardiff have three wins, Dragons two wins and a draw, Ospreys two wins and Scarlets one.