Ospreys battling to keep club alive
ALUN-WYN Jones starts another Grand Slam week caught in the crossfire of a major political row between his beloved Ospreys and the Welsh Rugby Union.
The Swansea-based region, incensed at having to spend the last week fighting attempts to close them down, are now asking the Union: “Why are you trying to kill us off ?’’
The Ospreys were on the verge of being put of business when they went into a meeting with the governing body at the country base used by the Wales squad.
The club refused to be sacrificed to make way for a new region in North Wales.
Jones, an Osprey since the region’s creation 16 years ago, referred to the dispute within minutes of leading Wales to their famous win over England, telling the BBC:
“There’s a lot on-going off the field which probably is not the prettiest but credit to the regional teams for preparing the boys.’’
Since then WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips has held emergency talks with Wales players and attack coach Rob Howley has spoken out about the ‘frustration of players wanting to know where they are going to be playing next year or in two years’.
The Union refuse to give an assurance that Ospreys will survive beyond the end of next season.
The WRU, adamant that one of the four current regions has to make room for the new one in the north, say: “What has not been decided upon is the final geographical location of these regions.”
The Ospreys, the only Welsh region to win two PRO12-14 finals, are furious that the country’s second city, Swansea, would be stripped of a fully professional club while Cardiff Blues, the Dragons and Scarlets continue.
“How can you liquidate the best rugby area in the country that’s produced more international players than any other?’’ an Ospreys source told The Rugby Paper.
“We keep asking them one question: ‘Why do you want to put us out of business?’ We haven’t had a reply.’’
Ospreys admit a ‘merger’ with Cardiff Blues had been discussed. “We tried to explore that possibility but we didn’t get anywhere,’’ the source said. “One idea was that we would play in Swansea while the Arms Park was being developed which would have been five years. And then we’d be out of business?
“The Union had made up their mind that there will be one team in the west and that’s the Scarlets. We are in a good position financially and have the means to keep going beyond the end of next season. We’re in business, as we always have been.
“The uncertainty puts us in a difficult position when it comes to keeping our best players.”
Meanwhile, Jones and his players have to rise above the politics to ensure Wales keep winning at Murrayfield on Saturday. Head coach Warren Gatland is expected to make one enforced change, Ospreys lock Adam Beard for the injured Cory Hill.