Ospreys Agree St Helen's Lease As Bridgend Host 2025-26 Games

Ospreys person agreed to finalise a semipermanent lease astatine St Helen's successful Swansea pinch location games for nan upcoming play being played successful Bridgend.

In July 2024, Ospreys announced they would move from nan Swansea.com Stadium to nan smaller St Helen's crushed during nan 2025–26 season.

The Swansea rugby venue needs redevelopment and nan first scheme was to play nan first location crippled astatine St Helen's successful December 2025.

Ospreys person now decided to play 11 scheduled location matches astatine nan Brewery Field successful Bridgend for nan caller season, pinch nan first crippled staged successful Swansea astatine nan commencement of nan 2026-27 campaign.

The announcement comes arsenic nan Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is considering cutting nan number of master sides from 4 to two.

Ospreys main executive Lance Bradley says nan determination to move games to Bridgend for 1 play is because of a alteration successful St Helen's redevelopment plans and a caller imperishable guidelines alternatively than Welsh rugby uncertainty.

He stresses fans should beryllium reassured St Helen's remains nan region's caller imperishable location and that they will commencement nan 2026-27 play successful Swansea.

"We person agreed to finalise nan lease astatine St Helen's, which intends we tin move location successful September," said Bradley.

"We scheme to beryllium location for nan foreseeable future. Our scheme is to still commencement nan redevelopment successful September and group will beryllium capable to spot activity is going on.

"We wouldn't commencement that activity if we weren't assured we were going to beryllium playing there."

Bradley outlined why nan original scheme had altered.

"We've looked astatine nan [St Helens] redevelopment and plans person changed arsenic we've been doing them, principally astir nan imperishable southbound stand," said Bradley.

"When we looked astatine nan timing of really agelong that would take, it's six to 8 months.

"We had a prime of being successful for December pinch a partially vanished crushed aliases leaving it for nan opening of nan pursuing season. We person opted to do that 2nd option.

"You get 1 chance to make a first impression. Our first belief will now beryllium 2 stands, a terrace pinch a tile and imperishable southbound guidelines pinch awesome facilities."

Bradley explained why they were relocating location games to Bridgend for nan play alternatively than playing matches successful Swansea.

"We looked astatine staying astatine nan Swansea.com Stadium but unluckily astir half of our fixtures conflict pinch Swansea City," said Bradley.

"Even if we had wanted to do that, it would person meant playing half our games location and half location else.

"We person taken nan determination it's amended to person certainty of playing them successful 1 spot and Bridgend person been fantastically accommodating."

Bradley hopes Ospreys supporters backmost nan determination for 1 play successful Bridgend pinch play tickets now available.

"I dream location won't beryllium a backlash and fans understand what we are trying to do is create a awesome acquisition for them erstwhile they travel to St Helen's," said Bradley.

"It's going to beryllium 2 thirds of a play later than we had hoped, but hopefully it will dress up for that by being truthful bully erstwhile they arrive.

"Before that, we dream fans get down america and support america astatine nan Brewery Field."

Bridgend person antecedently hosted individual Ospreys matches alternatively than a afloat run and accommodation will request to beryllium upgraded pinch much seating and abnormal provisions improved.

"There's a large quality betwixt one-off games and readying to beryllium location for nan full season," said Bradley.

"We've had conversations pinch nan Bridgend guidance and what we want to do is time off a legacy.

"Rather than conscionable salary rent, we'd for illustration to thief amended nan accommodation for rugby successful Bridgend for nan foreseeable future."

Plans to redevelop St Helen's were officially approved earlier this period erstwhile Swansea council's readying committee voted unanimously successful favour.

Phase 1 includes a caller 3G pitch, instrumentality area and stands to accommodate up to 8,000 spectators, while shape 2 will adhd a training installation and gym.

Bradley says Swansea Council person backed nan determination to hold their first crippled astatine St Helen's and are alert Welsh rugby's situation, pinch astir £4m needed to redevelop nan ground.

"They person been astonishing and their support has made this possible," said Bradley.

"The assembly person made it clear we are talking astir nationalist money and location are safeguards you person to person successful place.

"We work together and person had those conversations pinch them but nan conversations we person been focusing connected is nan St Helen's redevelopment and agleam early we dream we person sewage here.

"It's an unthinkable spot and each clip you travel present you tin consciousness nan history of nan place. We consciousness humbled to beryllium taking a starring domiciled successful nan adjacent part."

Ospreys and Scarlets person some announced eager plans astatine a clip erstwhile location are awesome questions complete their early existence.

Ospreys' proposals for their caller crushed was followed by Scarlets revealing caller investors.

The WRU will supply their "optimal solution" successful nan adjacent week which will beryllium followed by a six-week consultation earlier a last determination which is expected successful October.

"We will beryllium moving pinch them [WRU] to effort and activity retired what nan champion measurement guardant for Welsh rugby is," said Bradley.

"That's nan large privilege and our privilege is what is champion for Ospreys."

Ospreys and Scarlets could beryllium battling to beryllium nan westbound Wales broadside successful nan caller bid pinch Bradley remaining upbeat astir nan future.

"We are nan astir successful region and our finance successful St Helen's is simply a connection of genuine intent," said Bradley.

"It's 1 of nan things that is ever nan case, group moving clubs ever cognize a small spot much astir what is going on.

"I'm not implying I cognize what nan reply is going to be, but I do consciousness assured astir our future.

"Having master rugby continuing successful Swansea is our plan."

Scarlets fans and section politicians objected to Swansea assembly passing nan St Helen's plans contempt nan matter being successful a different section authority.

When asked whether it was a conflict for endurance betwixt Ospreys and Scarlets, Bradley responded: "We effort to power nan controllables.

"My occupation is to make nan Ospreys arsenic bully arsenic I tin and put america successful nan champion imaginable position for a semipermanent early astatine St Helen's successful Swansea."

WRU main executive Abi Tierney suggested if an Ospreys and Scarlets merger could not beryllium agreed, nan determination could beryllium put retired to tender.

"There are 2 cardinal things for us, and we person to carnivore successful mind nan oculus connected nan prize is making Welsh rugby better," said Bradley.

"How you execute that pinch a squad successful nan westbound of Wales, if that's what it ends up being, is somewhat secondary to doing what is champion for nationalist and nine teams.

"The intends by which it happens isn't arsenic important arsenic nan extremity result. As agelong arsenic it's us, of course!"