Ospreys sign new WRU deal as Scarlets hold out 

Mark Mansfield

The Ospreys have signed a new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) with the Welsh Rugby Union, ending a lengthy stand-off.

The deal makes the Ospreys the third Welsh professional side to agree terms with the WRU, following Cardiff and Dragons RFC, leaving the Scarlets remain the only region yet to sign the agreement.

The announcement comes despite continuing uncertainty over the long-term structure of professional rugby in Wales, with the WRU still intending to reduce the number of professional teams from four to three by 2028.

In a statement, the Ospreys said the agreement, which runs until the end of the 2027-28 season, would provide a period of stability and allow closer collaboration with the WRU, particularly in player development and performance pathways.

The region said: “With work now underway at Ospreys’ new stadium at St Helen’s, and now the signing of the PRA, the region is looking forward to continuing its proud history as a key player in Welsh rugby.”

The agreement has been signed in the same week that the Ospreys revealed a £1.8 million loss for the most recent financial year.

WRU chief executive Abi Tierney confirmed that discussions with the Scarlets were continuing.

“I am very pleased that constructive discussions with Y11 Sport & Media have led to the Ospreys signing the agreement,” she said.

“Three out of four of our regional men’s clubs are now on PRA25 and due diligence work with the Scarlets is continuing.”

The new agreement follows months of uncertainty after the WRU announced plans to reduce the number of Welsh professional sides last October, prompting fears among Ospreys supporters that their region could be at risk.

Those concerns intensified after Ospreys owners Y11 Sport & Media were named as preferred bidders to purchase Cardiff Rugby from the WRU. However, that proposed takeover collapsed in April, after which the governing body confirmed that all four regions would continue in their current form until at least the end of the 2027-28 season.

The signing of the PRA is also significant for plans to relocate the Ospreys permanently to St Helen’s in Swansea.

Swansea Council and the Ospreys are proposing to invest around £7.6 million in redeveloping the historic ground into a multi-use stadium and community sports hub.

The council is expected to commit £5.1 million towards the scheme, with the Ospreys contributing an estimated £2.5 million.

Contractors have already begun work on the site, removing much of the existing playing surface ahead of the installation of an all-weather pitch, new stands and a fan zone.

Under the proposed arrangements, the Ospreys would receive a 50-year lease on the venue, which would also host Swansea RFC matches and be available to schools, colleges, grassroots clubs and the Ospreys Academy.

A report due before Swansea Council next week says the new PRA offers “a level of short to medium-term stability” but notes that the agreement includes a break clause linked to the WRU’s plan to reduce the number of regional licences after 2027-28.

The report adds that the redevelopment of St Helen’s strengthens the Ospreys’ position in any future licensing process and represents a significant improvement in certainty compared with the position earlier this year.

The Ospreys are hoping to play their first competitive fixture at the redeveloped ground when they host Dragons RFC on October 24.