New WRU boss challenges 'incorrect' and 'misleading' claims made by regional rugby supporters

New Welsh Rugby Union CEO Abi Tierney has challenged "incorrect" claims made by supporters of the four regions in an open letter sent to her on her first day in the job.

The Joint Supporters Group (JSG) - an organisation which represents the supporters of Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys, and Scarlets - sent a public letter to Tierney two weeks ago, highlighting the areas of the game they felt the WRU needs to address. It also claimed the WRU had spent an additional £10m on the Dragons when it owned the region between 2017-2023, with it being implied the other three regions should be reciprocated. You can read full details of that letter here.

But in a letter Tierney has sent back to the JSG, she claims this figure is incorrect and says she hopes a closer working relationship will stop the organisation using the "tactic" in the future. Get the latest rugby news sent straight to your inbox for free with our daily newsletter.

She wrote: "I fully appreciate your letter was designed to call out a series on important concerns in the public arena and I can also fully understand why you would want to do this, but I hope that by working together and talking openly and transparently at our regular meetings we can build a working relationship where you no longer think this tactic is necessary.

"However, before we do meet, is important for me to point out that some of the figures quoted in the letter are not correct.

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"We would also say that some of the summaries and comparisons quoted in the letter in reference to past and future payments for the professional game in Wales are misleading."

The JSG had pointed out the £20m CLBILS loan the WRU negotiated during Covid which is being paid back at an interest rate of 8.25% is crippling the regions, and suggested the governing body take on this burden. It accused the Welsh Government of "profiteering", something officials strongly denied.

"To your points about the loan from Welsh Government, we need to add important context: that Welsh Government supported Welsh Rugby in refinancing a previous CLBILS loan and provided a combined £13.5m grant to the professional teams and the WRU as part of a post-Covid rescue package," wrote Tierney.

"We agree wholeheartedly that a review of the current terms would be advantageous to all parties but remain grateful to Welsh Government for providing the loan at a time of great need. With respect to the WRU’s investment in the Dragons, it is a matter of public record that a figure of £6.4m has been invested by the WRU, to take ownership in 2017 at a time when it seemed very likely that the rugby entity would not have continued and to provide much needed development of the facilities.

"We do not recognise the amount of £10 million that is referenced in the letter in relation to the funding that has been provided by the WRU to the Dragons."

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Dragons chair David Buttress has also recently hit back at this claim, telling the Dragons lair podcast: "I don't understand how they've got to that number. When we bought the club we did a net asset transaction. That is the liabilities of the club which included the Covid loan, plus the value of the assets it owned which was things like the stadium. That's how we bought the club.

"I genuinely don't recognise the number but equally I haven't spent hours digesting the last six-years of retrospective accounts either. To add some substance into that statement we had a £2m hole to fill at the Dragons in the 23/24 season."

In her letter Tierney was quick to assure supporters the WRU were working hard to make it possible to have four successful professional sides.

"All of this said, there is no doubt our professional game is currently under financial pressure as budgets are being re-set," she wrote. "It is important to remember that professional rugby in Wales needs to ensure it is financially viable.

"What has happened with professional clubs in England demonstrates that the professional game is under pressure, and it is essential that budgets are set accordingly and that there is close collaboration to deliver success for the whole of Welsh Rugby. With this in mind we can reassure supporters throughout Wales that the WRU is working as closely and collaboratively as ever with our professional sides, because we all agree that this area of our game is a keystone to future success for all of Welsh rugby."