Cardiff remain in WRU control as takeover deal with Ospreys owners collapses

The PRA is the deal negotiated between the WRU and the four regions.

It involves how the game will be run and includes details like how much money each side will have.

To emphasise the polarising nature of Welsh rugby, Ospreys and Scarlets currently are signed up to an old agreement which runs out in 2028, while Dragons and Cardiff put pen to paper in May 2025 on the new PRA25 deal which lasts until 2030.

The split occurred following the WRU’s acquisition of Cardiff in April 2025. Prior to this event, the WRU and regions announced in February proposals had been agreed.

Once Cardiff was taken over, Ospreys and Scarlets stalled on signing the new agreement because of concerns over the implications.

The pair voiced concerns there would be no clear limit on the level of investment the WRU could allocate to Cardiff, potentially placing the other teams at a financial disadvantage.

Dragons initially shared those concerns but changed tack and signed the deal, along with Cardiff, in early May.

With Scarlets and Ospreys waiting on a WRU response and missing deadlines, the governing body had an option to serve a two-year notice on its current PRA deal and the board agreed to this drastic measure.

The WRU formally told Ospreys and Scarlets of this intention and the decision not to have four equally funded businesses.

This started the process for the WRU to look at cutting teams, when previously Tierney had repeatedly committed to retaining all four regions.

A year later, the offer to sign PRA25 has been given back to Ospreys and Scarlets.

If both teams commit to the deal, all four sides will be on the same terms for the next four years, with the wage bill of each side forecasted to rise from £4.5m to £6.5m in the coming years.