Bold future being planned for St Helen’s sports ground

SWANSEA council and the Ospreys are set to go ahead with new plans to redevelop St Helen’s in time for next season, in a dramatic Welsh rugby twist.

- STEFFAN THOMAS Rugby reporter steffan.thomas@reachplecom

The St Helen's ground in Swansea could become the Ospreys' new home

The move comes despite a lack of certainty surrounding the region's future and months of angry exchanges between Swansea council leader Rob Stewart and senior Ospreys and Y11 figures.

The redevelopment of St Helen's had initially been put on hold due to the Welsh Rugby Union's controversial plans to reduce the number of professional clubs in Wales from four to three, with the governing body refusing to give assurances the Ospreys would survive as they look to rubber-stamp Y11’s deal to buy Cardiff.

Up until this point the council has refused to release the full funding to redevelop the ground unless the Ospreys’ future is guaranteed, but an unexpected announcement yesterday evening has seen them join forces with the Ospreys with new plans to push ahead with work at the iconic ground.

A couple of weeks ago, minutes were released of a meeting between WRU CEO Abi Tierney, Ospreys CEO Lance Bradley and Cllr Stewart, which appeared to show Bradley suggesting the Ospreys would cease to exist as a professional rugby side beyond the end of next season if Y11's bid to buy Cardiff succeeded. The WRU and Bradley have insisted the claims are inaccurate.