Tierney Has 'fire' To Help Welsh Rugby Transform

Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) main executive Abi Tierney says she still has "fire successful her belly" successful nan domiciled and wants to thief nan Wales men's squad return to nan elite of world rugby.

Steve Tandy has been installed arsenic nan caller men's caput coach arsenic he takes complete a broadside who suffered a grounds 18 Test defeats earlier a first triumph successful 21 months erstwhile they hit Japan earlier this month.

Wales person slipped to 12th successful nan world rankings aft Tierney launched a caller strategy successful June 2024 wherever nan purpose was for Wales to beryllium successful nan apical 5 successful 2029.

"It was ever an aspiration but it's getting harder to execute that since we published that," said Tierney.

"It doesn't mean we're giving up connected it. I've sewage occurrence successful my belly to get up there."

It has been a tumultuous clip successful Welsh rugby since Tierney took complete successful January successful 2024 but she says she will not locomotion away.

"I person nan occurrence to enactment successful nan role, absolutely," said Tierney.

"I'm not considering doing thing different. I don't springiness up easily."

Tierney is presently successful Australia wherever she is watching nan British and Irish Lions circuit and attending World Rugby meetings.

When asked if suggestions that she would time off her station upon her return had immoderate truth successful them, she replied: "Categorically false."

It remains a reliable clip pinch nan WRU considering halving nan number of regions successful Wales arsenic portion of a caller home building by nan 2027-28 season.

The governing assemblage says it is entering a general consultation and could trim nan number of regions from 4 to 3 aliases moreover two, pinch a last determination expected by October.

"So 1 of nan options is to support 4 but money them differently," said Tierney.

"Another action is to spell to 3 aliases you could money them otherwise again. You could person a 3 connected adjacent backing aliases a 2 positive one.

"Other action is to spell to two. From a capacity level you tin make them work. I deliberation they've each sewage trade-offs."

Mergers betwixt sides person been mooted.

"Everything is connected nan table," said Tierney.

"In nan general consultation will beryllium a guidance of recreation successful position of number of clubs and past conversations statesman successful earnest to spot really clubs tin make that work."

The play 2027-28 has been highlighted for nan clip for alteration pinch Tierney stating nan early day of 2026-27 could only achieved if location an statement was successful place.

Tierney says they person spoken to nan United Rugby Championship (URC) astir reducing teams.

"They person been arsenic supportive arsenic they tin beryllium and understand we request to do something," said Tierney.

"Their penchant is we enactment pinch 4 teams but understand we whitethorn request to do thing truthful it is astir moving pinch them."

Tierney besides stated nan WRU's attraction was connected nan URC alternatively than trying to spell into an Anglo-Welsh league.

Earlier this year, nan WRU had antecedently stated location was capable money to money 4 master sides equally.

Tierney says things changed erstwhile Cardiff went into management successful April and was taken complete by nan WRU.

The existent master rugby statement (PRA) that underpins nan Welsh master crippled runs retired successful June 2027 and was owed to beryllium superseded by a caller five-year deal.

The woody has been agreed by Cardiff and Dragons, but has still not been signed by either Ospreys aliases Scarlets, who opportunity "key issues" person not been resolved.

"When Cardiff happened, that showed conscionable really challenged nan strategy is," said Tierney.

"It made america each pause, including nan regions. That meant we weren't capable to springiness capable reassurances to 2 of nan regions for them to sign.

"So erstwhile you don't person a deal, it's clip to deliberation astir what to do different."

Tierney opportunity a driblet successful finances has affected their erstwhile forecasts.

"When we modelled nan original offer, it was based connected nan numbers astatine nan clip but numbers person gone nan incorrect measurement since then," said Tierney.

"We should person done a tougher downside but nan headwinds that person affected rugby globally since were not reflected, particularly title income and media rights, while costs person besides gone up pinch nationalist insurance, subordinate wages and costs of moving a stadium.

"We've seen gross going down and costs going up. It intends nan spread to dress up is larger for nan regions. There's only truthful acold nan money goes."

Ospreys and Scarlets are considering ineligible action against nan WRU astir their handling of nan Cardiff situation.

"That's ever a concern," said Tierney.

"They are each still talking to maine astir what's successful champion liking for Welsh rugby and want to find a measurement forward.

"I stay optimistic we will find a measurement done this and tin debar ineligible action because that's nan worst point that tin hap for Welsh rugby pinch delays and costs involved."

Tierney accepts nan existent uncertainty successful Welsh rugby is troubling.

"It is simply a immense load erstwhile you perceive astir players worried astir their jobs," said Tierney.

"It is not conscionable nan players, but each labor pinch nan 4 clubs and nan WRU because we are looking astatine changing nan full system.

"This is not conscionable astir nan number of clubs but it's astir really we toggle shape master rugby and our pathways.

"You return that earnestly and we person committed to honouring players contracts.

"Hopefully group will spot we behaved pinch integrity astir nan Cardiff situation.

"We will proceed to effort and make judge group get certainty arsenic quickly arsenic possible, dainty group pinch respect and are arsenic transparent and unfastened arsenic we can."

Tierney says alteration is required.

"We request to now put thing successful spot that mightiness beryllium difficult but put america connected a sustainable footing going guardant and won't require early change," said Tierney.

"We each opportunity we request to do thing different and nan connection from clubs and players is to do that quickly and region uncertainty."