Rugby Football Union (RFU) chief executive Bill Sweeney has confirmed that the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has made a formal approach to join an Anglo-Welsh league, as the Premiership hopes to expand from 10 to 12 teams for the 2029-30 season.
Sweeney told BBC Radio Four that the RFU has received a formal request from the WRU. "We asked for that and we wanted it in writing. We wanted to understand a few points and that has been submitted to us," he said.
The Premiership, which was reduced to 10 teams after Worcester, Wasps and London Irish folded during the 2022-23 season, hopes to expand. Traditional promotion and relegation were scrapped from the start of the 2026-27 season; clubs will instead apply to join the top flight based on criteria including finances, fan base and infrastructure.
Sweeney emphasised that the RFU's primary focus is on expanding the English game. "Financial criteria, fan base, geographical location, ability on the field of play, will determine whether you can get into the Prem or not," he said. However, he acknowledged the WRU approach and said it is "responsible for us to go back and ask more questions."
Key questions centre on how the WRU would legally exit the United Rugby Championship (URC), which it is a member of and has committed to providing four teams until the end of the 2027-28 season. Sweeney said: "We don't yet have a clear understanding of how they would legally exit the URC which they are a member of, so that has to be clarified in some detail."
The WRU, when approached, referred to a statement made last week that said it was committed to providing four teams to the URC until 2027-28. The statement added that the WRU “keeps under review the competition opportunities which may be available across the game and could be in the best interests of Welsh rugby” and noted that it is pitching two women's teams for inclusion in Premiership Women's Rugby.
The WRU is currently in the process of reducing the number of its professional men's teams from four to three by 2028, with a decision on the west Wales licence expected by summer 2027. New WRU chair Lyndon Faulkner has indicated he is a fan of an Anglo-Welsh tournament and suggested he would review the plan to cut a side.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The potential creation of an Anglo-Welsh league would fundamentally reshape professional rugby in England and Wales, affecting club finances, player pathways, and fan allegiances.
- Welsh rugby is in a period of upheaval, with plans to cut one of four professional teams; joining a cross-border league could alter the financial viability of the remaining sides.
- The outcome will set a precedent for how rugby unions navigate competition structures and legal obligations in the professional era.
Background
Welsh professional teams currently compete in the 16-team United Rugby Championship alongside sides from Scotland, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The WRU has committed to providing four teams to the URC until 2027-28. The English Premiership was reduced to 10 teams after three clubs folded in 2022-23, and the RFU has since pushed for expansion, scrapping automatic promotion and relegation in favour of a licensing system. The WRU is also internally restructuring, with a plan to reduce its professional men's sides from four to three by 2028, though new chair Lyndon Faulkner has signalled a willingness to reconsider.
Key Perspectives
RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney: Confirmed the formal approach and said the RFU will ask questions about the WRU's ability to legally exit the URC and the complexities of a cross-border competition. He reaffirmed that the RFU's primary focus remains expanding the English game.
Welsh Rugby Union (statement): Reiterated its commitment to providing four teams to the URC until 2027-28 and said it keeps competition opportunities under review. It noted it is pitching two women's teams for inclusion in Premiership Women's Rugby.
What to Watch
- Whether the WRU can secure a legal exit from the URC, given its commitment until 2027-28.
- The outcome of the WRU's decision on cutting one of its professional men's teams, expected by summer 2027.
- Any formal talks between the RFU and WRU, which have not yet taken place.