Senedd Must Scrutinise WRU’s West Wales Proposals, Says Labour Candidate for Carmarthenshire

Calum Higgins, Welsh Labour’s lead candidate for Sir Gaerfyrddin (Carmarthenshire) in the upcoming Senedd elections, has called for parliamentary scrutiny of the Welsh Rugby Union’s plans to reduce professional rugby in West Wales to a single team, warning the proposals risk “trashing rugby heritage in the South West.”

Higgins, a keen rugby fan from Tycroes in Carmarthenshire, said in a statement: “It’s vital for the Carmarthenshire economy and rugby heritage in Llanelli that we have professional rugby here. The Senedd should scrutinise the proposals and hold the WRU accountable for their actions.

“There are also lots of fans from the other regions in Carmarthenshire, mainly Ospreys fans who are understandably worried about their future. Any decent rugby fan would be supporting each other during this, we shouldn’t allow the WRU to divide the regional rugby fan base.

“If elected in May, a priority for me will be to scrutinise the proposals from a fan’s point of view. The rivalry between the Scarlets and Ospreys is something to protect and nurture for the future, and this proposal risks trashing rugby heritage in the South West.”

His intervention follows the WRU’s Extraordinary General Meeting on 13 April, where the governing body confirmed it is pressing ahead with plans to reduce professional rugby in West Wales to one team, a position that has remained unchanged despite recent leadership changes at the union.

WRU’s Restructure Plans

The WRU’s proposals form part of its Professional Rugby Agreement 2025 (PRA25), which would reduce the number of professional men’s clubs in Wales from four to three by 2028. Under the new structure, one team would be based in Cardiff, with a single team serving all of West Wales, where the Scarlets and Ospreys currently operate as separate regions. The plans would also see the WRU take significantly increased control over rugby-related matters, including the contracting of players, coaches and support staff.

The proposals effectively pit the Scarlets against the Ospreys in a battle for survival, with the WRU acknowledging its preferred option for West Wales is a merger. Critics have been scathing. Llanelli town councillor Shaun Greaney described the plans as “a disaster drawn up on the back of a fag packet”, accusing the WRU of having “gone ahead and done what they wanted in the first place, destroy rugby in West Wales.”

The Scarlets’ Case

The Scarlets have made a detailed submission to the WRU setting out why they should be the surviving West Wales club. The club pointed to two league titles, 12 European quarter-finals and five European semi-finals, the strongest European record of any Welsh side, alongside the fact that over the past decade, 34% of Wales internationals have come through the Scarlets system.

The economic case is equally significant. The Scarlets contribute an estimated £17 million to the local economy each year, support over 330 jobs, and engage more than 40,000 young people annually through their Community Foundation. Parc y Scarlets, with its 15,400 capacity, 900 hospitality seats and elite training and broadcast facilities, has been presented as a national asset that no merged entity could easily replicate.

Political Opposition

Higgins is not alone in his concern. Llanelli MP Dame Nia Griffith has been among the most prominent voices defending professional rugby in the area, stating that nothing has changed her firm view that the Scarlets region still has an extremely important role to play in the future of Welsh rugby. She has argued that retaining a strong regional presence west of the Loughor Bridge is essential if the talent pipeline and community pathways are to survive.

The issue has already prompted formal questions in the Senedd. In February 2026, Plaid Cymru MS Sioned Williams called on the Welsh Government to set out what discussions it had held with the WRU about the full social and economic consequences of the proposals, pressing ministers to require a full impact assessment before any decision is taken. WRU chairman Richard Collier-Keywood has also been summoned to give evidence to a Senedd committee as scrutiny of the governing body’s governance and finances intensifies.

Plaid Cymru politicians in Carmarthenshire, including Cefin Campbell MS, Ann Davies MP and Adam Price MS, have also declared their fundamental opposition to any plan that risks professional rugby in the region, warning the proposals represent an obvious threat to the economy, identity and cultural life of Carmarthenshire.

Legal Action and a Fractured Relationship

The dispute has also spilled into the courts. The Scarlets and Ospreys are pursuing legal action against the WRU relating to its acquisition of Cardiff Rugby, arguing the union may be distorting competition by directly owning one of the professional clubs, potentially breaching UK and EU competition law principles.

With the Dragons having already walked away from negotiations, the only common ground among the remaining regions appears to be collective resistance to what the clubs regard as unwarranted interference from the governing body.

The Senedd elections in May will bring the future of Welsh rugby firmly into the political arena, with candidates across the affected regions expected to face sustained pressure from supporters over the WRU’s plans in the weeks ahead.