WRU EGM Set to Be Cancelled as Major Statement Issued

The extraordinary general meeting that threatened to plunge Welsh rugby into another bitter internal battle now looks set to be cancelled after Central Glamorgan Rugby Union confirmed it is withdrawing all three of its motions.

In a major statement sent to member clubs, the district said its “voice has been heard” following last week’s announcement that WRU chairman Richard Collier‑Keywood will step down when his three‑year term ends in July. Former Professional Rugby Board chair Malcolm Wall has also already departed.

Central Glamorgan said these departures meant the key aims of its campaign had been achieved.

“With the exits of the WRU chairman and the chairman of the PRB, along with future engagement with the WRU Board on our governance proposals, we have achieved the key objectives of our campaign and feel there is no requirement now for an EGM,” the statement said.

The group has now written to the WRU’s legal team to formally withdraw all motions, meaning the April 13 showdown meeting is unlikely to proceed in its current form.

A dramatic de‑escalation in a major governance row

The EGM had originally been called to:

- Remove Collier‑Keywood  

- Challenge the WRU’s controversial plan to reduce the professional game from four regions to three  

- Push through governance changes affecting how council members are elected to the WRU board  

But with the chairman already set to leave and Wall gone, Central Glamorgan says it now wants to move towards “constructive engagement” with the WRU board.

Calls to pause professional rugby cuts

Significantly, the district renewed its call for the WRU to pause any decisions on the future of the professional game — including the fate of the Ospreys — until alternative proposals are properly considered.

It urged the board to engage with former Principality Building Society COO Rob Regan, who has put forward a model aimed at retaining four professional teams.

Push for greater transparency

The statement also called for improved “openness, respect and transparency” between the WRU board and elected council members, saying clubs should take confidence that their collective pressure had already forced meaningful change.

Big issues still unresolved

While the withdrawal of the motions removes the immediate threat of a bruising EGM battle, the wider questions around the future structure of Welsh professional rugby remain far from settled.