Chris Horsman urges WRU to act quickly on potential team cull

The current professional rugby agreement (PRA) that underpins the Welsh professional game runs out in 2027.

It was due to be superseded by a new five-year deal agreed by WRU-owned Cardiff and privately-owned Dragons, but has still not been signed by either Ospreys or Scarlets who say “key issues” have not been resolved.

The four sides are expected to continue to exist in their current form until at least June 2027 but their futures are now uncertain.

“Potentially they have got a year left of their contract,” Horsman told Radio Wales Drive.

“They [the regions] want financial stability. Are you going to buy a season ticket? If you’re a business are you going to sponsor the region, because you don’t know in three, four month’s time, you might be told it’s not going to be there anymore?

“So there are so many things resting on this decision and again we’ve got to wait.

“I know it’s not going to be straightforward but we’ve heard that things were going to happen 18 months ago and they haven’t, so I don’t put a lot of stock in it’s going to happen fast. I hope it does for the players’ sake and for Welsh rugby’s sake.

“One thing I will say is when we were at the Celtic Warriors, it happened over a weekend, pretty much, and as painful as it was at least it was done and then there was a decision made that the players were divvied up, pretty equally between the four regions and the game moved on quickly.

“I think that’s what’s needed now.”