MEET THE 12 WHO ARE SET TO MAKE HUGE CALL ON WELSH GAME'S FUTURE

WELSH rugby's future is currently up in the air, but the long-term future of the professional game will be decided by the end of October.

- STEFFAN THOMAS

The Welsh Rugby Union will shortly enter into a formal consultation process with a number of key stakeholders, but the executive will have a strong view on what it thinks the optimal structure for the professional game should look like.

Before the formal consultation can begin, the executive must present what it views as the optimal structure to the main WRU board who will either give the go-ahead, ask for amendments or reject it outright.

WRU CEO Abi Tierney and new director of rugby and elite performance Dave Reddin will be the key authors of the new structure.

Sources say a reduction of professional clubs from four to two is highly likely, while changes to the ownership model will also be considered.

If the WRU board agree on the executive's optimal structure, the consultation process with the four professional clubs - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - along with the four supporters' group which includes a panel of 100 fans and the Welsh Rugby Players' Association will start.

While the WRU executive will have a view on what it wants Welsh rugby's future to look like, it could change during the consultation process.

But before we get to that, the WRU board - who are the real decision-makers - must agree on whether to back the executives’ plan. There are the people involved.

RICHARD COLLIER-KEYWOOD

Described by many within the game as the most powerful figure in Welsh rugby, Collier-Keywood is the WRU's first independent chair.

He has previously been a UK managing partner and global vice-chair of PwC, while he has also been a senior advisor to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

With Tierney set to take time off work because of ill-health, Collier-Keywood's power will grow.