In a rare moment of cross‑party solidarity, councillors from Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Uplands Party and the Conservatives backed a motion calling on the WRU to “urgently rethink” plans that could leave Swansea without a professional rugby team for the first time in decades.
The vote follows confirmation from the WRU that it has entered a 60‑day exclusive due‑diligence period with Y11 — the owners of Ospreys Rugby — after naming the company as the preferred bidder to take over Cardiff Rugby. Councillors said they were concerned the development could trigger a restructuring that sidelines the Ospreys entirely.
A chamber lit up in protest
To underline the seriousness of the moment — and to mirror protests seen at recent Ospreys matches — councillors dimmed the lights inside Swansea’s Guildhall chamber at 5.11pm, the 11th minute of the meeting.
The gesture echoed supporters who have been switching on their phone torches in the 11th minute of games, a protest fans say symbolises how they have been “kept in the dark” over the region’s fate.
Councillors raised their own phone lights in solidarity, filling the chamber with a sea of white beams. A photograph taken moments later shows all party leaders and the council’s chief executive standing together holding Ospreys signs.
(Image: Swansea Council)
Cross‑party coalition backs emergency motion
The motion was brought forward by Labour councillors Rob Stewart, Andrea Williams, David Hopkins, Cyril Anderson, Alyson Anthony, Rebecca Fogarty, Louise Gibbard, Hayley Gwilliam, Elliott King, Robert Smith, Andrew Stevens and Andrew Williams; Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Holley; Uplands Party councillor Peter May; and Conservative councillor Lyndon Jones.
Councillors challenged claims — attributed to WRU leadership in recent public statements — that Wales lacks the funding or talent to sustain four regions. They pointed to WRU‑published financial figures showing the governing body receives more than £20 million more annually than the Irish Rugby Football Union, which continues to operate four professional teams.
‘The Ospreys are part of who we are’ — Council Leader
Council Leader Cllr Rob Stewart (Labour) said the message from Swansea was “loud and clear”.
“The Ospreys are part of who we are as a city and a region,” he said. “Losing them would hit our economy, our wellbeing and our sense of identity — and it would deprive our children and future generations of something truly special.”
Cllr Stewart said the strength of public feeling had been “inspiring”, adding that former players, fans, businesses and residents had united behind the region.
“That collective voice is powerful, and today the council has added its voice loud and clear,” he said.
Council sets out its next steps
Councillors agreed that Swansea Council will support any reasonable actions needed to ensure the Ospreys remain a Swansea‑based professional side. The authority said this could include exploring appropriate legal options, if required, to protect the region’s future.
The council also reaffirmed its commitment to redeveloping St Helens into a modern rugby venue, aligned with the Ospreys’ stated long‑term ambition — confirmed publicly by the club last year — to return to the ground.
Councillors stressed that support for the development of women’s rugby in Swansea must be delivered in addition to, not instead of, retaining the Ospreys as a professional men’s side.
The authority will now write formally to the WRU, the Ospreys, Y11, World Rugby and other relevant bodies to set out Swansea’s position and request assistance in safeguarding regional rugby in the city.
‘A critical 60‑day window’
Councillors said the WRU’s 60‑day due‑diligence period represents a “critical opportunity” to influence the future direction of Welsh rugby. They warned that decisions made in the coming weeks could determine whether the Ospreys remain a cornerstone of sport, identity and economic activity in Swansea Bay.
The vote marks the latest escalation in a fast‑moving saga that has already seen political leaders, Ospreys legends, MPs, actors and thousands of supporters rally behind the region.
