The Ospreys Supporters Club (OSC), CF10 Rugby Trust representing Cardiff Rugby supporters, and the Dragons Official Supporters Club (DOSC) have jointly backed the petition, warning that cutting the number of elite teams from four to three would cause “serious consequences” for Welsh rugby and the communities that sustain it.
The petition comes after weeks of escalating anger across Swansea Bay and beyond, with supporters, former players and political leaders condemning the WRU’s direction. Two Swansea MPs have already called for a change of leadership at the governing body, while Alun Wyn Jones, Michael Sheen and Swansea Council have all urged the WRU to rethink.
In a joint statement, the three supporters’ groups said they were “deeply concerned” about the WRU’s plans.
“We are passionate supporters of Welsh rugby and deeply concerned about the direction being proposed,” they said. “Reducing the number of elite teams from four to three would have serious consequences for our national sport and the communities that sustain it.”
The groups said they did not believe the restructure would deliver the “stability or success” the WRU hopes for, warning that “rushing through such a fundamental change without proper consensus risks lasting harm”.
They are calling for the WRU to pause the process and adopt a more collaborative approach, giving greater weight to the views of supporters, communities, the four regions and former players.
“Welsh rugby belongs to its communities as much as its administrators,” the statement added. “We are asking the WRU to listen, to reflect, and to work with supporters to build a model that secures the future of the game for generations to come.”
The petition states that supporters “call on the WRU to halt the planned restructuring” and warns that reducing the number of elite teams “will have detrimental consequences for the future of our national sport”. It urges the union to “stop these current proposals now” to ensure Welsh rugby remains sustainable.
‘Fans across Wales are united’ — Swansea MP
Torsten Bell, MP for Swansea West, said the petition showed the scale of opposition to the WRU’s plans.
“Opposition to the WRU’s attempt to impose a top‑down, badly thought through, and chaotically implemented hatchet job on professional rugby has unified rugby fans right across Wales,” he said. “Supporters are saying loud and clear that the WRU needs to think again.”
A growing revolt — and a petition now at its centre
The petition marks the latest flashpoint in a crisis that has already seen senior players, Hollywood actors, council leaders and MPs line up to challenge the WRU’s direction. What began as quiet concern has hardened into a rare, united front across Swansea Bay and beyond, with supporters warning that the future of the professional game in Wales is now at stake.
While the WRU insists no final decision has been made, the possibility of losing the Ospreys has ignited a level of public mobilisation not seen in Welsh rugby for years. The three supporters’ groups say the petition is the clearest way for fans to show the strength of feeling before the union moves any further.
They are urging supporters across Wales to add their names and make their voices heard, arguing that the WRU must not push ahead without the backing of the communities the game depends on.
The petition is available at: https://www.change.org/p/oppose-the-wru-s-proposed-reduction-in-elite-teams
