Scarlets vow to remain at heart of west Wales

Scarlets say they intend to remain "at the heart of west Wales" after being plunged into in a battle for survival with Ospreys by Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) plans.

Welsh rugby's governing body has given the timeframe for their plans to cut its four professional teams to three by 2028, and confirmed on Wednesday that Cardiff and Dragons will be given licences.

That leaves Llanelli-based Scarlets and Swansea-based Ospreys fighting to be the side in the west, unless there is to be a merger.

"It is our mission, as it has always been, to be at the forefront of a strong, meaningful and sustainable future for rugby in west Wales. Our focus remains unchanged and unhindered," said Scarlets in a message to supporters.

"We head towards an exciting new season with confidence and purpose. We have made significant progress on and off the field and that momentum will continue at pace."

Scarlets endured a tough 2025-26 season in which they finished 14th in the United Rugby Championship (URC), just sneaking above Dragons, and had a change at the top with Nigel Davies taking over from Dwayne Peel.

Davies has been confirmed as director of rugby for the next two seasons and has spearheaded a recruitment drive that includes Wales internationals Corey Domachowski and Gareth Anscombe plus New Zealanders Cullen Grace, Tom Allen and Isaac Murray-Macgregor.

"We are bolstered by the support and engagement we consistently receive from an established and growing network of supporters, partners and stakeholders both at home and across global rugby nations," continued the statement.

"People who share in our passion for our region and unite in our vision to ensure the Scarlets remain at the heart of west Wales."

WRU chiefs have stated the process to decide the framework for the final decision will begin in December and finish before the end of the 2026-27 season.

Meanwhile, Swansea Council is poised to resume its legal proceedings with the WRU.

The council has been given advice by Blackstone Chambers and Nick De Marco KC, a leading sports lawyer who recently represented Middlesbrough in the Spygate football scandal in which Southampton were thrown out of the Championship play-offs.

Swansea Council said in a statement that the "prospect of a single professional licence in west Wales has not been adequately justified and that key questions remain unanswered".

The stay in legal proceedings - a temporary pause - was set to end this week and Welsh rugby's governing body's defence is due in a fortnight.

"We were given assurances by the WRU during our on-going legal case that this would be a fair and transparent process, which is why we agreed to pause our legal case," said Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart.

In February the council called on the United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate the proposed takeover of Cardiff by Ospreys owners Y11, a deal that collapsed in April.

Swansea Council is helping Ospreys redevelop St Helen's with a £5.2m investment, with their first home game scheduled for Saturday, 24 October against Dragons.

Ospreys finished 11th in the URC last season and were knocked out in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup.

Mark Jones' side were impacted by uncertainty, with fans protesting against the WRU and Y11 at fixtures in Bridgend.

The unsettling situation was a factor in Wales captains Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan opting to join Gloucester for the coming season.

Signing the Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) with the governing body offers some level of security until 2028, but the latest development will provide more challenges for both Scarlets and Ospreys.

"Is it really a surprise? We just had a little bit of a break from the debacle," said former Ospreys and Wales wing Shane Williams on Radio Wales Breakfast.

"The conversation has always been that everyone believes there will be a region cut, that players' welfare and jobs will be put on the line again.

"It's no real shock to me, we just have to start the conversation again and the uncertainty hits us again."

There is the prospect of a tender process to be the western club, or the possibility of reviving the merger that almost happened in 2019.

"It's easier said than done," said Williams, who is from Carmarthenshire. "There is huge rivalry and the Ospreys are in the process of rebuilding St Helen's and there is Parc y Scarlets, which is barely used by anyone else.

"For the fans, there has been a huge rivalry and it would take some job to get those two sets of supporters together to support one entity."