The WRU has come under renewed pressure over plans to cut the number of professional teams after Wales’ sports minister raised concerns about a growing “disconnect” between the governing body and supporters.

Heledd Fychan, the Welsh Government’s cabinet minister for culture and sport, met WRU chief executive Abi Tierney last week amid mounting opposition to proposals to reduce the professional game from four teams to three by 2028.
The WRU has insisted there is “no realistic prospect” of Welsh rugby generating enough revenue to fund four competitive professional sides beyond that point and ...