The head coaches of Cardiff and Ospreys have responded to reports that the Welsh Rugby Union has shown interest in creating an Anglo-Welsh league, with both saying they have not been officially informed of any such move.
On Wednesday, WalesOnline reported that the WRU were in negotiations with the Rugby Football Union and Gallagher Premiership bosses over the possibility of getting Welsh sides into the league. The English bodies subsequently issued a statement, confirming they were concentrating on bringing further English sides into the league.
Coaches remain focused on URC
An Anglo-Welsh competition has long been suggested as something that would improve the fortunes of Welsh rugby, but after more than a quarter of a century of talk, nothing has materialised. The latest development has raised hopes in some quarters that the prospect is now considerably more likely, even if there appears to be little appetite across the border.
For now, those in charge of Welsh sides remain tasked with focusing on the United Rugby Championship, the league to which Welsh rugby is committed until at least the end of the 2027/28 season. Representatives of the clubs were told of the WRU's desire to join up with England on Wednesday at a Professional Rugby Board meeting, but that message had not filtered directly to the clubs' coaches by the following day.
Ospreys boss: 'Committed to URC'
Ospreys head coach Mark Jones, speaking ahead of Saturday's Welsh derby against Cardiff, said: “Well, I haven't been told anything that I haven't heard second-hand from other people. All I know is we're committed to the URC like every other region for the foreseeable future, so until somebody tells me you know we need to start preparing for anything other than URC teams that's what we're going to continue to do.”
Jones added: “I love the versatility of the URC, you know I love the fact we play South African teams, Scottish teams, Irish and Italian teams, and we still have the derbies. So I love the make-up of the URC, but obviously I understand 100% the excitement around playing the old enemy across the bridge, which we get in Europe at certain times as well, so I get it, I understand the excitement around the potential of that, but look, we're committed to the URC and that's what we're focusing on.”
Cardiff boss: 'Not for me to worry about'
Cardiff boss Corniel van Zyl, Jones' opponent on Saturday night, said he has not been told anything yet. "To me, no personally," he said. "I just saw it in the media. It's probably not for me to worry about or comment about. There's always a few rumours about. It's probably better for me to stick to what's just on paper."
