At the end of the so-called “rebel season” in Welsh rugby, 26 years ago, Scott Gibbs was asked how Swansea had beaten Llanelli in the Welsh domestic cup final.
Like his movements on the field for Swansea, Wales and the British and Irish Lions, his response was direct, powerful, and compelling.
“They’ve been playing against boys all season – we’ve been playing against men,” he stated in typically forthright style.
Maybe, it’s now time for the Ospreys and the Scarlets to summon up the rebel spirit again, take on the men over the border once more, and leave the destructive childishness of the Welsh Rugby Union behind.
Not men against boys, but men instead of children.
They certainly have nothing to lose – and an awful lot to gain.
Back in 1998-99, Swansea and Cardiff earned their “rebel” status by leaving the Welsh National League – as was then – to go and play the leading English clubs, instead.
Neither the WRU, nor the RFU gave the matches official sanction, so the Welsh pair were not part of the English Premiership.
Instead, the games were “friendlies”, although they were generally full-bloodied affairs, often played in front of packed crowds, and were televised live on Saturday afternoons by BBC Wales.
When Cardiff hosted Saracens at the Arms Park, 10,000 turned up and disappointed fans were locked outside.
In the Welsh National League games that same weekend, an aggregate of 8,200 watched the four games.
What was true a quarter of a century ago, it still true now. Most fans who pay money to watch club rugby in Wales would far rather cough up plenty for games against Gloucester, Bath, Bristol, Leicester, Northampton and Saracens, than get in for free to watch Zebre, Connacht, Benetton or the Emirates Lions.
By independently declaring a U-turn on Sunday, the WRU have given the clearest possible indication their vision for the future is not a collaborative one.
Chief executive Abi Tierney and chairman Richard Collier-Keywood have spent a year claiming they had ushered in a new spirit of unity and co-operation with the regions.
READ MORE: Ospreys And Scarlets Accuse WRU Of Going Back On Promises To Fans After Massive U-Turn
But the reality is they have failed to build a consensus, failed to provide assurances, and failed to provide transparent intentions over the way ahead.
The regions are not without fault in this row, but the Union’s fall-back has been to tighten control and play tough guy negitiator, rather than ally.
The leaked threat to cut the number of regions, the declaration of a changed uneven funding model, and the issuing of a two-year notice period to the Ospreys and Scarlets, is a crude attempt to assert power.
The WRU has acted, serving formal notice that the Ospreys and Scarlets will not form part of the sanctioned professional structure beyond the 2026 season.
The precise mechanisms—whether through withdrawal of central funding, exclusion from United Rugby Championship (URC) eligibility, or loss of professional licence—remain to be detailed, but the intent is unmistakable.
That wouldn’t be so bad if they were willing to put their money on the table. But the Union now expect the benefactors to fund two secondary regions, while they pour more money into the other two they can own or influence.
It sounds like a toxic relationship and the Ospreys and Scarlets would be better off out of it.
An Anglo-Welsh League has been an attractive commercial proposition to English clubs in Premiership Rugby for years, but the numbers have never really stacked up.
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Even when three of their clubs went bust in the form of Wasps, Worcester and London Irish, taking on four Welsh regions was never really going to work as it would necessarily deny promotion to clubs from the Championship, or “Champ Rugby” as they have awkwardly tried to rebrand it for next season.
But only two new clubs – the Ospreys and the Scarlets – the two strongest and most successful teams throughout regional rugby – makes far more sense.
In the old days, the unions would have blocked such a move and found backing from World Rugby.
But times have changed and it’s unlikely the RFU would have the stomach for any legal fight if the 10 Premiership Rugby clubs decided a round dozen, that included two Welsh sides, was the way to go.
The WRU might try a legal fight, but it would be hard to argue in court that Cardiff should be allowed to fly down to Cape Town to take part in professional rugby, but the West Country should be out of bounds to teams from Swansea and Llanelli.
Back in 1998, the rebels eventually won – sort of. They didn’t get to play in the English Premiership, but they did shake up the old order that eventually led to a reduction in the number of pro teams in Wales four years later.
“If all we were doing was sustaining mediocrity, then I don’t think people would support us, but they do,” said Gareth Davies, back in 1998, the Cardiff chief executive, who would later become chairman of the WRU.
The same could be said of the Ospreys and Scarlets now – rebels with a cause.
