RugbyRebels

BUSINESS REVOLT: Former Principality COO mobilizes ‘independent’ group to challenge WRU leadership as rugby crisis deepens
A SENIOR Welsh business leader is mobilizing a group of "credible, capable, intelligent" independents to challenge the Welsh Rugby Union's handling of the regional rugby crisis.
WRU Chairman Richard Collier-Keywood and CEO Abi Tierney at press conference alongside Rob Regan former Principality Building Society COO challenging Welsh Rugby Union leadership
Left: WRU Chairman Richard Collier-Keywood, Director of Rugby and Elite Performance Dave Reddin, and CEO Abi Tierney at a press conference. Right: Rob Regan, former Chief Operating Officer of Principality Building Society, who is mobilizing an independent group to challenge the WRU's handling of the regional rugby crisis.
Rob Regan, former Chief Operating Officer of Principality Building Society and current Chief Lending Officer, has issued a public call for change, declaring: “Time for change. Time for a better way. Time for Transparency.”

The move comes as criticism of the WRU’s leadership intensifies following a parliamentary hearing that prominent Welsh academic Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE described as “another failure of leadership in Welsh rugby.”

Mr Regan’s intervention marks the latest in a growing business community backlash against the WRU, following warnings from entrepreneur Hayley Parsons MBE that Welsh rugby is at a “point of no return.”

‘Call Already Gaining Traction’
Mr Regan’s LinkedIn post has attracted significant support, with business leaders and rugby figures offering to join his independent group.

Andrew Williams commented:

“Rob, I completely agree that transparency and independent oversight are essential if we’re going to move forward in the right way. Happy to get on board and contribute in any way that helps move things forward positively.”

Martin Newbury offered a detailed alternative vision, calling for “a growth strategy not a contraction strategy” with 15-year regional licenses to provide certainty.

Gareth Hardacre FCIPD directly contradicted the WRU’s “unsustainable” narrative, stating: “The whole move to 3 regions is flawed—the money is there to fund 4—just has to be reprioritised.”

‘No Doubt We Have Difficult Decisions Ahead’
In his LinkedIn post, Mr Regan outlined his vision for a more transparent approach to the future of Welsh rugby, emphasizing the need for independent oversight of decisions that could have “profound and irreversible impact on Welsh communities.”

Rob Regan said:

“I’m mobilising a group of Credible, Capable, Intelligent passionate independents to create a much more positive set of options for Welsh Rugby. No doubt we have some difficult decisions ahead, no doubt not all choices will be palatable but they need to be clear, transparent, well articulated to all Stakeholders of Welsh rugby. Communicated with humility, empathy and clarity.”

He added:

“Any decisions that have the potential to have such profound and irreversible impact on Welsh communities need independent oversight and challenge. They need scrutiny from those impacted by them.”

‘A Missed Chance’
The intervention follows a bruising appearance by WRU Chair Richard Collier-Keywood and CEO Abi Tierney before MPs, which Professor Jones-Evans said felt like “a missed chance” to rebuild trust.

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE said:

“A parliamentary hearing is rarely the moment when ‘the truth comes out’ but it can show how an organisation thinks and behaves under pressure. The appearance of the chair and CEO of the WRU in front of MPs yesterday felt like a missed chance because when trust is already low, you don’t get to treat accountability as a formality. You either use the moment to bring people with you or, as happened, confirm that decisions are being made behind closed doors.”

He added:

“Both treated scrutiny as something to survive and by holding firm, they may think they looked strong and decisive. However, there is a difference between explaining hard choices and protecting a storyline and if the aim was to create a narrative to outlast the criticism, it failed.”

‘Hiding Behind Management Speak’
Professor Jones-Evans was particularly critical of the WRU’s use of jargon and process language, arguing that phrases such as “consent phase,” “exclusivity,” and “if consent fails, a tender” create uncertainty for those who depend on the system—players, staff, sponsors, and fans.

Professor Jones-Evans said:

“If you say the model is ‘unsustainable’ or you talk about investment, people want the basics such as where the money comes from, what it replaces, what it will be spent on, how you will measure success, what you will report publicly, and how often. Saying ‘we have a plan’ without showing the workings and people assume you’re selling them a decision not making a case.”

‘Rugby Is About Identity and Place’
He also warned that the WRU leadership appears to misunderstand the bond between supporters and their regional teams, treating fans “like customers who will simply switch brands.”

Professor Jones-Evans said:

“Rugby is about identity and place and if a region loses its pro team that isn’t a simple restructure but a break in a long-standing bond. If leaders don’t speak to that honestly, then anger and frustration grows.”

‘Decide, Announce, Defend, Outlast’
Professor Jones-Evans argued that the WRU has adopted a failing change model of “decide, announce, defend, outlast,” which destroys trust in the long term.

Professor Jones-Evans said:

“The better model is to be clear about the problem, show the options considered, explain why you rejected some, set dates for decisions, publish the financial logic and report progress publicly even when it’s uncomfortable. Right now the WRU’s leadership is asking Welsh rugby to accept huge uncertainty on the basis of reassurance rather than evidence and to believe in outcomes without being shown the workings. That is not leadership but control.”

‘Where Is Wally?’
Commenters on Mr Regan’s post also questioned the absence of WRU leadership from difficult public appearances.

Michael Edwards asked:

“Why is a Director and Dewi Lake left to answer the difficult questions? Where are the Chairman and the CEO when those questions are asked on live TV? It isn’t the job of the captain (whilst he did admirably) to face this. Where is Wally?”

The Crisis So Far
The intervention by Mr Regan and Professor Jones-Evans comes amid an escalating crisis over the future of the Ospreys, with Swansea Council launching legal action to block a proposed merger with Cardiff.

The council has sought an urgent injunction to stop a deal between the WRU and private equity firm Y11 Sports & Media, and has also called in the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate the proposed takeover.

Council Leader Rob Stewart has accused the WRU of operating in secrecy, while thousands of Welsh supporters have stayed away from recent international matches in protest at the governing body’s handling of the crisis.

https://swanseabaynews.com/business-rev ... s-deepens/

I prefer growth to contraction. Let’s hope the EGM can alter direction.

normanski wrote: ↑Fri Feb 20, 2026 9:27 am I prefer growth to contraction. Let’s hope the EGM can alter direction.

That's a pretty damning article and does posit growth of the game as a necessity( though doesnt say how the money would be redistributed)

Untimately we're in the shit following a decade and more of national success, and a regional model which if not having a dominant period like English French and Irish clubs they were at least competitive for much of that decade. It would be good to have a real explanation of how it all got fucked up so badly, so quickly. Welsh rugby recoverd after 20 years in the doldrums stating in.the eighties . We might not be so lucky in future if we dont improve things now.

I suggest there are a number of reasons and a number of culprits. As usual.

Regions have been financially struggling for some time, even when the national team was doing well.
Shutting down the national academy must feature in any analysis.
Covid and the loan situation.
Spending sponsorship money on a hotel.
Poor business decisions by both regions and the WRU.
And of course the never ending civil war over control. Its never really gone away, at best there has been a ceasefire. But no one really trusts anyone and the power structures in the WRU are from a byegone age and just not suited to managing a professional game.
Everyone is just interested in their little area and sod the rest.

The decision not to join the English leagues might also feature. Hard to know whether turnstile revenue would have been consistently higher over the period but its fair to assume that some travelling fans would have rocked up.

I'd also propose the insular nature of Welsh rugby - we seem to delight in bringing our own people onto the gravy train rather than actively seeking people who might be good at their job. You could argue that the current CEO and Chair weren't part of the blazer brigade, but their achievements thus far have been to made a bad situation worse.