I CAN'T SEE HOW MERGER WORKS, SAYS OSPREYS BOSS

OSPREYS boss Lance Bradley insists he finds it hard to see a merger with the Scarlets.

- STEFFAN THOMAS Rugby Correspondent

The Welsh Rugby Union board will meet on a number of occasions this month before arriving at a decision on the future structure of the professional game.

In August, the WRU’s director of rugby Dave Reddin proposed what he deemed to be the optimal solution, which included a reduction of four professional teams to two, with significant central control.

After a consultation period with key stakeholders, Reddin has handed in his findings to the WRU board.

A reduction to two or three teams could be achieved through mergers, but Ospreys CEO Bradley cannot see the Ospreys and Scarlets coming together.

“I credit myself as a rather imaginative person but even I can’t imagine that,” Bradley told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

“I can’t see how it could work.

“It was proposed a few years ago but there would be so many barriers to it now, that I find it very hard to imagine.