{"id":519408,"date":"2025-10-22T10:41:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T10:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/519408\/"},"modified":"2025-10-22T10:41:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T10:41:15","slug":"wales-boss-steve-tandy-wants-players-to-talk-about-turmoil-facing-domestic-game-the-irish-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/519408\/","title":{"rendered":"Wales boss Steve Tandy wants players to talk about turmoil facing domestic game \u2013 The Irish News"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Wales boss Steve Tandy says he can not avoid the \u201celephant in the room\u201d, with the domestic game facing turmoil and the threat of a players\u2019 strike remaining.<\/p>\n

Tandy takes charge of Wales for the first time next month amid a backdrop of uncertainty and potentially huge upheaval in Welsh rugby.<\/p>\n

The Welsh Rugby Union has proposed to halve the number of professional men\u2019s sides in Wales from four to two, with a decision imminent on the future structure of the game following a six-week consultation period with players, stakeholders, politicians and regional teams.<\/p>\n

\"WalesWales head coach Steve Tandy (centre) with WRU chief executive Abi Tierney and WRU director of rugby and elite performance Dave Reddin (Ben Birchall\/PA) <\/p>\n

The Welsh Rugby Players Association warned the WRU proposals would \u201cdrive talent to leave Wales\u201d and national team captain Jac Morgan has indicated he would leave to play club rugby outside the country if his Ospreys team disappeared.<\/p>\n

\"Partick<\/a>\"Will<\/a><\/p>\n

The Dragons have described the plans as \u201cunacceptable\u201d and on Wednesday former WRU chief executive David Moffett resigned from a United States-based company which promised new investment in Scarlets two months ago, although no reason has been given for the decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019ve got to be really empathetic to that situation,\u201d said Tandy, who is preparing for November Tests against Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve all got families, partners and children, but we can\u2019t avoid it either. It\u2019s something I\u2019m encouraging from the senior players.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to talk about it. You can\u2019t avoid the elephant in the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith uncertainty, that\u2019s the last thing you want to do. If they feel it\u2019s awkward, I\u2019d rather know.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt goes back to building connections so they can pick up the phone and have that conversation. It\u2019s about being very open and having dialogue, no matter what it is.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you speak to players, they\u2019re desperate to play for their country.<\/p>\n

\"WalesWales captain Jac Morgan has indicated he would play outside the country if his Ospreys team were culled by the Welsh Rugby Union (David Davies\/PA) <\/p>\n

\u201cUltimately, it\u2019s a slight distraction, but the more we move on through it and talk about it, the clearer we can be about producing performances.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wales players threatened strike action in February 2023 \u2013 just days before a Six Nations game against England in Cardiff \u2013 after many of them were left with uncertain futures because of a delay over a new financial agreement between the WRU and the four regions.<\/p>\n

Asked if he was concerned about players going on strike now, Tandy said: \u201cIt\u2019s something you have to talk about. But just having that dialogue, you never want that to happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cUltimately the way you avoid things like that is having constant dialogue and knowing boys have channels to voice their opinions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\ud83d\udde3\ufe0f “We are committed to securing a positive future for Welsh rugby and to elite rugby continuing in Gwent, but there is no way we can agree to the proposals as they currently are\u2026.”<\/p>\n

Official club statement \u25b6\ufe0f https:\/\/t.co\/7oEo4yaiOw<\/a>#WeAreGwentRugby<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/NDhoagE8PN<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Dragons RFC \ud83d\udc09 (@dragonsrfc) September 4, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood has taken temporary overall charge of the governing body as chief executive Abi Tierney has stepped away from her role after being diagnosed with cancer.<\/p>\n

Dave Reddin, the WRU\u2019s director of rugby and elite performance, spearheaded the executive team which developed the proposed optimal system for the professional game in Wales.<\/p>\n

Tandy said: \u201cDave\u2019s been brilliant with me, I suppose the word is protecting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been dealing with rugby and what I need to know. He\u2019s done a brilliant job of helping me just get on with my day-to-day job, whether that be getting to regions, going to meet players, connecting with other people.\u201d<\/p>\n