It’s a huge month for Welsh rugby and The Welsh Rugby Union’s new director of rugby and elite performance has been strident in his viewsWRU DOR Dave Reddin addresses the media (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)

Dave Reddin has doubled down on his view there needs to be radical change to how the game in Wales is structured which in his eyes includes a reduction from four to two professional sides.

The Welsh Rugby Union’s new director of rugby and elite performance put forward his ‘optimal system’ last month which includes dropping from four to two sides with huge central control.

Both the WRU and the current four professional clubs – Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets – has entered a formal consultation process, along with other key stakeholders, which ends on September 26 with the new structure set to get announced in October.

Reddin’s plans have been met with widespread disapproval, mainly from disgruntled supporters, with the Dragons also releasing a strongly-worded statement on Thursday saying the WRU’s plans were unacceptable to them.

But Reddin remains steadfast in his view Welsh rugby needs radical change. Join WalesOnline Rugby’s WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free

“For me and the team here, it is clear that the elite Welsh rugby system is no longer achieving its aims, despite the unmistakable passion and enthusiasm for the game in Wales,” said Reddin, who described the current landscape as an “unwelcome perfect storm”.

“We can’t stand by and hope that changes, we need to act now if we are to come out of this difficult period ahead of the pack – and let’s be clear, we won’t be the only Union sitting down and taking stock.

“That is why now is the right time to look again at how rugby is structured in Wales and that is why now is the right time to consult and engage on how we can get this right.

“This work was about imagining the future, raising our ambitions and finding what the best approach would look like not just on the field but in all the supporting functions as well.

“We believe Wales has the capability to win consistently again, but doing so requires a system designed not just to exist, but to succeed.”

The proposed structural change is a reaction to the poor state of the men’s national side who have finished the previous two Six Nations with a Wooden Spoon and only recently broken an 18-Test losing streak.

On top of this, the four professional clubs have struggled to be competitive which undoubtedly needs to change. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.

“That’s why the model we’re putting forward for consultation is an interconnected system, one where every element works together to be greater than the sum of its parts,” said Reddin.

“A key part of this proposal is the number of professional clubs. We’re suggesting a structure built around two men’s professional teams and two women’s professional teams.

“We believe that by focusing resources on two clubs, we can elevate their funding, staffing, and squad depth to a level where they can genuinely compete for domestic and European honours.

“At the same time, this approach would free up investment for the wider game. Instead of spreading resources too thinly, we can build a strategic ecosystem that strengthens the sport for the medium and long term and ensures that we create sustainable success and opportunities at every level of the game – for me, that is where the value lies.

“But, as I have said before this is a proposal, no decisions have been made, but we wanted to be open about what we feel is the way forward so we could have an informed conversation and focus your feedback, not on a blank sheet of paper, but on the proposed optimal system and what that means for Welsh rugby.” Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.