Horsman Urges Wru To Act Quickly On Potential Team Cull

Former Wales prop Chris Horsman says beardown activity and a speedy determination is needed by nan Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) aft it announced it was considering cutting up to 2 of its 4 master location teams.

Welsh rugby's governing assemblage says it is entering a general consultation pinch nan Professional Rugby Board (PRB) - which represents some nan WRU and Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - saying nan existent strategy is failing and unsustainable.

The WRU says it wants a "more radical" strategy to beryllium completed by October.

Horsman played for Celtic Warriors - 1 of nan original 5 teams created erstwhile Wales switched from nine to location sides arsenic nan apical level of nan home crippled - who were disbanded aft conscionable 1 play successful 2004.

"What nan crippled needs much than thing astatine nan infinitesimal is stability," said Horsman, 47, who won 14 caps and has coached Wales Under-20s and Wales Women.

"For me, if they're [the WRU] going to make nan trim they've sewage to conscionable travel guardant they've sewage to springiness america immoderate beardown leadership."

The existent master rugby statement (PRA) that underpins nan Welsh master crippled runs retired successful 2027.

It was owed to beryllium superseded by a caller five-year woody agreed by WRU-owned Cardiff and privately-owned Dragons, but has still not been signed by either Ospreys aliases Scarlets who opportunity "key issues" person not been resolved.

The 4 sides are expected to proceed to beryllium successful their existent shape until astatine slightest June 2027 but their futures are now uncertain.

"Potentially they person sewage a twelvemonth near of their contract," Horsman told Radio Wales Drive.

"They [the regions] want financial stability. Are you going to bargain a play ticket? If you're a business are you going to sponsor nan region, because you don't cognize successful three, 4 month's time, you mightiness beryllium told it's not going to beryllium location anymore?

"So location are truthful galore things resting connected this determination and again we've sewage to wait.

"I cognize it's not going to beryllium straightforward but we've heard that things were going to hap 18 months agone and they haven't, truthful I don't put a batch of banal successful it's going to hap fast. I dream it does for nan players' liking and for Welsh rugby's sake.

"One point I will opportunity is erstwhile we were astatine nan Celtic Warriors, it happened complete a weekend, beautiful much, and arsenic achy arsenic it was astatine slightest it was done and past location was a determination made that nan players were divvied up, beautiful arsenic betwixt nan 4 regions and nan crippled moved connected quickly.

"I deliberation that's what's needed now."