On Friday a group of MPs whose constituencies have strong links to Ospreys Rugby and Scarlets met with the Chair and CEO of the Welsh Rugby Union to express our serious concerns about recent developments. Statement here:
On Friday (May 23) we met as a group of MPs with the Chair and Group Chief Executive of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) to discuss our concerns over recent developments around the Professional Rugby Agreement as representatives of the constituencies linked with Ospreys and Scarlets regions.
Both Ospreys and Scarlets had committed to signing the new PRA before the collapse of Cardiff Rugby and its subsequent rescue by the WRU. Following that event the clubs requested assurances of fairness and equality for all clubs. The request from clubs was not with a mind to gaining an advantage for themselves, but to help ensure a positive future for the whole of Welsh rugby.
Rugby is central to our communities, not just at a professional level, but in schools, local clubs, and grassroots settings across the country. Wales’ professional clubs understand that they play a critical role in supporting the rugby ecosystem as well as the social and economic fabric of Welsh communities.
Rugby is a game that is built on respect. It is imperative that the WRU treats each of Wales’ professional clubs with respect and fairness and that no club is handed an advantage at the expense of others. Without our professional clubs everyone – schools, local rugby clubs and the wider community – suffers.
The uncertainty that the WRU’s actions and announcements have caused is leading to further destabilisation of Welsh rugby and everything which relies upon it.
Both clubs have both assured us they remain committed to working collaboratively with the WRU to reach an agreement that gives fair treatment to all.
We urge the WRU to return to the discussion table to provide the assurances of fairness and equality for all clubs that Ospreys and Scarlets have requested in the best interests of Welsh rugby.
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Ddydd Gwener (Mai 23) fe wnaethom fel grŵp o ASau o’r etholaethau sy’n gysylltiedig â rhanbarthau’r Gweilch a’r Scarlets gyfarfod â Chadeirydd a Phrif Weithredwr Grŵp Undeb Rygbi Cymru (URC) i drafod ein pryderon ynghylch y datblygiadau diweddar yn ymwneud â’r Cytundeb Rygbi Proffesiynol.
Roedd y Gweilch a’r Scarlets wedi ymrwymo i arwyddo’r Cytundeb newydd cyn trafferthion Rhanbarth Caerdydd a’i achubiaeth gan URC. Yn dilyn y digwyddiad hwnnw gofynwyd am sicrwydd o degwch a chydraddoldeb i bob clwb. Nid er mantais bersonol y daw’r cais hwn gan y clybiau, ond er budd y gêm ledled y wlad.
Mae rygbi yn ganolog i’n cymunedau, nid yn unig ar lefel broffesiynol, ond mewn ysgolion, clybiau lleol, ac ar lawr gwlad ledled Cymru. Mae Rhanbarthau proffesiynol Cymru yn deall eu bod yn chwarae rhan hanfodol wrth gefnogi’r ecosystem rygbi yn ogystal â gwead cymdeithasol ac economaidd cymunedau Cymru.
Mae rygbi yn gêm sy’n cael ei hadeiladu ar barch. Mae’n hanfodol bod URC yn trin pob un o ranbarthau proffesiynol Cymru gyda pharch a thegwch, ac nad oes unrhyw glwb yn cael mantais ar draul eraill. Heb ein Rhanbarthau Proffesiynol mae pawb – ysgolion, clybiau rygbi lleol a’r gymuned ehangach – yn dioddef.
Mae’r ansicrwydd y mae gweithredoedd a chyhoeddiadau URC wedi’i achosi yn arwain at ansefydlogi rygbi Cymru a phopeth sy’n dibynnu arno.
Mae’r ddau ranbarth wedi ymrwymo, ac wedi ein sicrhau eu bod yn parhau i weithio ar y cyd â’r Undeb i arwyddo cytundeb sy’n rhoi triniaeth deg i bawb.
Rydym yn annog URC i ddychwelyd at y bwrdd i drafod, er mwyn darparu’r sicrwydd o degwch a chydraddoldeb – yr hyn y mae’r Gweilch a’r Scarlets wedi bod yn galw amdano – i bob rhanbarth, er budd rygbi Cymru.
Issued by: Stephen Kinnock MP, Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Torsten Bell MP, Nia Griffith MP, Henry Tufnell MP, Ann Davies MP, Ben Lake MP, Carolyn Harris MP and Chris Elmore MP