'Decision-makers deserve credit for taking the leap'

WALES legend Alun Wyn Jones says those making the decisions at the top of Welsh rugby deserve some credit for “taking the leap” and announcing dramatic changes to the professional game, while also voicing his frustration over how the saga has been drawn out.

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After confirming plans to reduce the number of Welsh regions from four to three, the Welsh Rugby Union has given Wales’ professional sides until the end of the calendar year to agree upon their futures. While the governing body is hoping for consensus to be reached by the time 2026 begins, if it is not, a tender process will immediately begin to whittle four down to three.

The WRU hopes to reach a decision on who the three teams will be by the end of the current campaign, but director of rugby and elite performance Dave Reddin has admitted the timeline will be “challenging” and suggested that a “more realistic” date to get to three teams may be the end of the following season.