The latest headlines from Wales and around the world
These are your evening rugby headlines on Tuesday, April 22.
WRU chief issues ‘much worse’ warning to regions
Welsh Rugby Union chair Richard Collier-Keywood has warned the regions they will be “much worse” off if they fail to sign the new Professional Rugby Agreement.
The Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets are yet to agree to the new deal, despite Collier-Keywood setting a deadline of last Tuesday for the three clubs to confirm their intention to sign.
All four of Wales’ professional clubs had agreed on terms on a new PRA in February but the WRU’s takeover of Cardiff Rugby earlier this month put a spanner in the works, with the three other sides having concerns.
The current PRA expires at the end of the 2025/26 season, but the WRU are desperate to get the new version over the line that would result in a financial upswing. However, with the latest deadline now passed, WalesOnline understands that talks are likely to continue for some time yet.
But Collier-Keywood has warned of a “much worse” alternative for the regions if a new PRA deal isn’t concluded. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
“If they don’t sign we are back under PRA mark one with a sharing in the upside and downside of the trading performance of the WRU,” he told BusinessLive. “In the last couple of years there has been quite a bit of downside, so it is a much worse financial deal for them.
“It also puts the risk back on them as businesses. The new deal is fixed for them for a period of three years and then it rolls, so they know with absolute certainty what they are going to get from the WRU and that is hugely different to what we have seen in the past and the picking up as owners (private clubs) of the delta on whatever happens, and that was often negative and having to put their hands in their pockets.
“That is why we have fixed it. And we are having the same philosophy on the debt by trying to fix it for them over the medium-term, so that we are better able to take the up and downside in the market and making it relatively stable for them.”
On pressing the regions to sign off on the deal before Easter, Collier-Keywood added: “All I was saying was that Cardiff is an interruption to where we are going, but I am confident that we will get there. They are asking totally fair questions.
“We now sit as the owner of Cardiff and they want to know from that perspective what we are going to contribute. And we are saying we are going to deliver what we should do in Cardiff, as opposed to the previous owners (Helford).
“We are in the middle of talks with people about refinancing our debt and these numbers have been given, so if ‘one of you is going to blow up’ this deal because of Cardiff, and we get why you want to understand what we have done, then I really do need to know that sooner rather than later because I we don’t want to waste anyone’s time around the refinancing.
“The whole basis of the new PRA is fixing things for the clubs as much as possible and we are effectively taking the equity risk on Welsh rugby. That makes sense to us and the clubs as we are the bigger entity and the ones generating the revenues for the most part in Welsh rugby. And we are looking to pass the benefits of any refinancing onto the clubs.
“We have made an offer to the regions to swap approximately £3m of debt each into equity or a preference position. On the balance (lent by the WRU) refinancing helps them repay it over a longer period of time.”
England great announces retirement
By PA Sport Staff
England’s most capped men’s player Ben Youngs is to retire at the end of the season.
The 35-year-old scrum-half, who racked up his 332nd appearance for Leicester at the weekend, made his senior debut in 2007 and went on to win five Premiership titles.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling really. Obviously, I’m sad at the thought it’s coming to an end but I’m excited about the rest of this season, excited about what this group can do,” said Youngs.
“That’s the strange part, I’m using the ‘r’ word (retirement) but it isn’t over today, there is still plenty of rugby left this season and that’s what is at the front of my mind.
“I’m not done, let’s not write the obituary just yet. I have spent two decades of my life here at the club and I have been lucky to be a part of some incredible moments along the way, enjoyed so much success and made memories that will last a lifetime.”
Youngs is England’s most-capped player, having made his debut in March 2010 and played at four World Cups – in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 – before retiring two years ago after a third-place finish in France. He played in 127 Tests for his country and won four Six Nations titles.
But now he is focused on securing a sixth Premiership title with Leicester, who are currently second to Bath, as he brings to an end his one-club career.
“It’s all I have known in club rugby, the green, red and white, and all I’ve wanted to know,” said Youngs, who last year had heart surgery after being diagnosed with an irregular and abnormally fast heartbeat.
“The idea of playing against this club wasn’t ever an option for me and so, for me to be able to finish a one-club player will be one of my greatest achievements.
“The time will come to thank everybody who have helped me achieve what I have but, that’s for when it comes to an end. For now, it’s about finishing this chapter of my life with some more success. I’m not done just yet.”
Cardiff ready to ‘make history’
Cardiff Rugby can close in on qualifying for the URC playoffs against Munster on Friday evening, with Ben Thomas predicting a “special day” at the Arms Park.
Cardiff go into the clash in sixth place, one place above their Irish opponents, with just one point separating the two sides.
Describing Munster as “a different test to what we had on Judgement Day, but hopefully a test we’re up to,” the Wales international said: “When you look at historically any big games here, any knockout games, our supporters tend to come out in force, and I expect Friday to be something similar.
With the backdrop of Cardiff’s off-field turmoil and rumours around potential departures at the club, the significance of the occasion isn’t lost on the centre.
“It’s about making history for this club, but we’ve got a pretty special group of boys here who’ve done a lot for the club, so it will be important for us to send them off in the right way,” said Thomas.
Since the system was introduced to the URC during the 2009-10 season, which at the time was the Celtic League, Cardiff have never qualified for the playoffs.
A win at the Arms Park this Friday would go a long way to achieving the feat for the first time, a prospect Cardiff stalwart James Botham is excited by.
“I’ve been here for nearly 10 years now and to have a chance of getting any sort of silverware would be amazing so I can’t wait for the game and can’t wait to see how it pans out,” the backrower said.
“It’ll be massive for fans; they’ve been great all year. But to finish on a high for the season, to give ourselves the best shot of the playoffs and also to finish for the fans will be massive”.
