The Welsh Rugby Union has issued a powerful criticism of the coalition trying to oust the board, accusing them of damaging the game in Wales.
The union's response comes as it emerged the Welsh Government is set to meet Welsh rugby legend Jonathan Davies and GoCompare founder Hayley Parsons after receiving a letter from Parsons criticising the board.
Parsons letter details concerns
In her letter, Parsons says that people across the world are heartbroken by the state of the game in Wales and the damage being done to Wales' economy and reputation globally.
In response, the WRU have accused their critics of undermining them, claiming their attacks are "unsubstantiated, inappropriate and wholly unhelpful to the long-term health and success of the game in Wales".
Both Davies and Parsons have spoken out against the Welsh Rugby Union recently, with both calling on the WRU's board to step down. Former Principality chief operating officer Rob Regan has also joined those calls as part of a concerted effort to put pressure on the governing body.
Meeting with Welsh Government
And now, after going public with their frustrations in recent weeks, Welsh rugby legend Davies and businesswoman Parsons have now looked to the Welsh Government for help.
The problem all stems from the WRU's ongoing plans to reduce the number of professional teams from four to three, with their plan to get rid of a team in the west by 2028.
In a letter sent by Parsons to the First Minister, she called upon Rhun ap Iorwerth to meet to discuss a number of concerns she has with the Union and their plans.
In the letter, Parsons says that she and Davies wish "to share, in confidence, the themes emerging from the messages we have received and discuss what practical role the Welsh Government could play in restoring trust, accountability and unity to Welsh rugby".
A spokesperson for the First Minister confirmed that the letter had been received and a meeting was in the process of being organised - although it was not specified who would attend that meeting on behalf of the government.
Parsons said in her letter she was already due to meet Welsh Government officials in September, but she now believes the "situation has now moved beyond what that meeting was intended to address".
The WRU are also understood to have sent a letter to the Welsh Government, offering a full response to Parsons' correspondence.
Five key discussion points
There are five key discussion points that Parsons and Davies want to discuss with the Welsh Government - many of which centre on alleged cultural issues they claim to have learned about recently.
The first revolves around unsubstantiated claims in Parsons' letter that there are people within Welsh rugby that "fear professional or personal repercussions" for challenging the WRU's current plan.
As such, Parsons has called for an "independent, confidential and anonymous mechanism" that would sit outside of the WRU for current and former employees, players, coaches, volunteers and other people connected to the governing body to share their experiences.
The second point calls for the Welsh Government to commission an independent assessment on whether the WRU has created a safe and effective disclosure culture since the previous review.
The third discussion point is calling for the Welsh Government to convene an independently-chaired Welsh rugby forum, that would consist of the WRU, the regions, the community game and all other stakeholders.
The fourth asks for the Welsh Government to request an independently verified comparison of the WRU's plans for the professional game before any decision to cut a professional side is made.
And the final point said that there should be a transparent route for qualified people to offer their expertise in rebuilding Welsh rugby, with Parsons saying she has been contacted by a number of people with "exceptional experience in business, finance, law, governance and high-performance sport".
WRU response
The WRU's letter to the Welsh Government is understood to respond to all of the points raised in Parsons' own letter.
In a statement, the governing body once again hit out at the "concerted attack" that they feel is currently taking place against the WRU.
"The Welsh Rugby Union is in ongoing dialogue with Welsh Government, Sport Wales and others, including the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the independent Oversight Group chaired by Dame Anne Rafferty, and has been throughout the tenure of its Board since its governance structure was modernised in 2023," read the statement.
"This year's independent Board Effectiveness Review, conducted by the Good Governance Institute, concluded that substantial progress had been made, and that the WRU's response had been approached 'seriously and thoughtfully, not as a compliance exercise'.
"The Union is aware of a concerted attack on individuals, both on the WRU Board and its executive staff, which seeks to undermine their expertise, integrity and decision-making abilities, of which this most recent letter to Welsh Government is an example."
The WRU rejects the criticisms and observations contained in the letter as unsubstantiated, inappropriate and wholly unhelpful to the long-term health and success of the game in Wales.
