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Ospreys and Scarlets have accused the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) of making a U-turn after the governing body announced it will move away from a model of four evenly funded professional sides.<\/b><\/p>\n
WRU bosses say they now intend to implement a new two-tier funding system a decision which Ospreys and Scarlets say has “created more destabilising and debilitating uncertainty in our game”.<\/p>\n
Ospreys and Scarlets did not sign up to Welsh rugby’s new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) by the deadline of 8 May.<\/p>\n
The agreement was signed by Dragons and Cardiff, who were last month taken over by the WRU having served formal notification that they intended to enter administration.<\/p>\n
Last week Ospreys and Scarlets said they had asked the WRU for assurances that the takeover “will not disproportionally benefit Cardiff and disadvantage the independent clubs”.<\/p>\n
After Ospreys and Scarlets had not signed, WRU have served a two-year notice on the current agreement that underpins the Welsh professional game.<\/p>\n
That current PRA runs out in 2027 although it was due to be superseded by the new five-year deal.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, the WRU released a statement saying that with those clubs not signing by the deadline set, it had therefore taken the “difficult but necessary decision to issue the formal two-year notice to terminate the current PRA agreement in order, in particular, to proceed with its debt refinancing.”<\/p>\n
The governing body made the announcement amid reports it intends to cut a team from its professional tier. <\/p>\n
The WRU has neither confirmed nor denied if cutting a team is part of its plans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n