Ospreys

Swansea Council had said it would publish the minutes of the meeting, which took place on 22 January, but in its statement claimed they had not done so because the WRU, Y11, and Ospreys objected to it.

The meeting included officials from Swansea Council, the WRU chief executive Abi Tierney, and Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley.

In a statement, the council listed a number of what it called “key facts” that it claims were said at the meeting.

The statement includes that the Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley confirmed that there would not be a professional Ospreys team playing regional rugby after 2027 if the takeover of Cardiff by Y11 went through.

It is claimed that Mr Bradley also said a merger with Swansea RFC could follow, which would see a merged team competing in the semi professional Super Rygbi Cymru instead of the United Rugby Championship (URC).

The council statement said: “Council representatives left the meeting with a clear understanding that the basis of the WRU’s and Y11’s proposals for the future, if the acquisition of Cardiff Rugby by Y11 is completed, was that the Ospreys would not continue as a professional regional team after 2026-27.”

“The council expressed deep frustration that, despite extensive and recent discussions about the redevelopment of St Helen’s, it had not been informed earlier of these proposals. This lack of transparency and engagement is wholly unacceptable.”

The council claim that the WRU’s restructuring proposals would breach UK competition law and has issued pre-action letters to the WRU and Y11 requesting that they pause their plans.

The WRU has proposed cutting one of its four men’s professional sides – Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets – to three.

The WRU has stated there will be one licence in Cardiff, one in the west and one in the east, with Llanelli-based Scarlets, and Dragons in Newport, expected to be handed those.

Ospreys were boosted by Wales releasing Morgan-Williams and loose-head prop Gareth Thomas, who made his first appearance since suffering a calf injury at the start of December.

The hosts were without six members of Steve Tandy’s squad and the visitors were denied the services of two.

Dragons then suffered a huge blow in just the second minute with the loss of influential South African tight-head Rob Hunt, who was carried off after injuring his left hamstring when cleared out of a ruck.

The Rodney Parade club’s former Wales loose-head Wyn Jones did not last much longer – he went off in the 12th minute with the game still scoreless.

That meant replacements Jordan Morris and Cebo Dlamini were in for long shifts on a draining surface, and the injuries turned out to be critical.

Ferocious defence was the winner in the opening quarter with both sides failing to get off the mark after kicking penalties to the corner.

Dragons eventually made pressure count in the 18th minute when hard carrying by big ball carriers was followed by tenacious fly-half De Beer going through a gap for a try that Angus O’Brien converted.

The visitors failed to extend their lead despite being on top and paid the price on 32 minutes when the alert Morgan-Williams sniped under the posts from a ruck, Jack Walsh levelling from the tee.

In-form wing Rio Dyer, who missed out on the Six Nations squad, was twice denied down the left corner as Dragons tried to respond and it remained level at the break.

O’Brien knocked over a pair of penalties either side of a bout of defence to put the visitors 13-7 up approaching the hour.

Ospreys opted against calling for the tee from penalties, but found Dragons, with strong defence and the big clearing boot of O’Brien, a tough nut to crack as the rain lashed down.

Dragons were reduced to 14 men for the finish when Dlamini was yellow-carded for a high tackle on Harri Houston in the 73rd minute.

Ospreys kicked to the corner and Lloyd went over from the driving line-out only for Walsh to pull the conversion.

Dragons lost another man with four minutes to play due to needing to play with uncontested scrums.

That proved to be crucial as Ospreys hit the front for the first time when it mattered by working Giles clear and his pace from close-range did the rest.