Reform accused of ‘political points-scoring exercise’ over regional rugby debate

Ella Groves, ICNN Senedd Reporter

Reform’s calls for the Welsh Government to ensure the Welsh Rugby Union protects the four regional teams has been dismissed as a “political points-scoring exercise”.

Plaid Cymru MS John Davies said it’s important to face “the reality”, highlighting that the WRU is an independent body responsible for its own governance.

He said: “A motion calling for the government to ensure that all four regions are retained is not much more than a political points-scoring exercise as it stands.”

Instead, Plaid Cymru tabled an amendment to the motion, which recognised the WRU’s position as an independent organisation but called for it to engage with supporters, communities, and clubs while it “considers the future shape of the professional game”.

Mr Davies acknowledged the importance of transparency from the WRU, and called for parties to work together to demand “meaningful accountability”.

The Gŵyr Abertawe MS said: “If the Welsh Rugby Union want us to believe that rugby is unprofitable, then show us the numbers, show us the reasons, show us the rationale that they base this on – it’s as simple as that.

“If there’s nothing to hide, why are they hiding? People across Wales, the rugby world, feel completely and totally in the dark. The fans feel alienated.”

He added: “They are cutting costs instead of continuing the game’s legacy. If we are to save the game, we need to act as one in this chamber today. It has to be cross-party.”

“Scrutiny”

Louise Emery, Reform’s shadow sport minister, clarified her party’s motion does not call for Welsh ministers to run the WRU.

She said: “It is and should be independent. But independence should not be immune from scrutiny.

“Where public money has gone in, the public is owed answers. And where a decision will hit jobs, businesses and communities, this Senedd is owed the evidence behind that decision.”

Ms Emery said the Welsh Government gave £13.5 million in survival funding to rugby in 2021 – £2.7 million each to the union and to all four regions – and a further £475,000 in 2022.

She called on the sport minister, Heledd Fychan, to ask the WRU to publish its business case for plans to reduce the number of regions from four to three, before licensing begins in December.

She concluded: “The WRU is independent, but it is not accountable to no-one – it answers to its clubs, its supporters, and, where public money is involved, to the people of Wales.

“This is a huge decision. If the WRU won’t protect the future of the four regions, if the WRU can’t protect the future of the four regions, then the communities around these clubs, the businesses that rely on these clubs, and the taxpayer that’s funded these regions needs to understand why.”

“Disagreement”

Ms Fychan stressed she shares the concerns expressed during the debate, but said the wording of the Reform motion is where the “disagreement lies”.

Noting it calls on the Welsh Government to “ensure the Welsh Rugby Union protects the future of Wales’s four rugby regions”, Ms Fychan said she cannot give that assurance.

She said: “We’re all insisting on transparency. We are also scrutinising, correctly, these decisions.

“But you’ll also be aware that I’m here as a minister and that many of the questions that have been raised today are questions for the WRU.”

Ms Fychan recognised the importance of rugby to communities across Wales and the “social, linguistic and economic impact” these changes will have if they occur.

Referencing comments made about Welsh Government investment into rugby, Ms Fychan clarified this was during Covid, and a commercial loan which was fully repaid in 2025.

She added: “The Welsh Government and Sport Wales do not provide funding for the professional game.”

Reiterating her sympathies with the spirit of the motion, the sport minister stressed she cannot “support a motion that asks the Welsh Government to guarantee an outcome that it doesn’t have legal authority to enforce”.

Both the original Reform motion and the Plaid Cymru amendment were rejected by the Senedd.

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