Posted by When existing in a state of almost permanent off-field chaos and crisis, it’s sometimes difficult to gauge or care for the significance of any upcoming deadlines. Especially when those deadlines often aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.
Over the last month we’ve had the deadline for bids to buy Cardiff back off the Welsh Rugby Union pass without much fanfare, and then the self-imposed WRU deadline of coming to a consensus decision on getting from four to three professional clubs pass by with zero announcement. The sidebar of Lance Bradley tweeting that news would come out “in a week or two” also came and went with stony silence.
All the while rumours have persisted around the potential identity of the Blue & Blacks’ prospective new owners. Y11 Sports & Media, the majority owners of the Ospreys, are known to have bid no matter how much some of their supporters persist with burying their heads in the sand, while former director Martyn Ryan’s consortium including Hollywood producers remain in the running.
Now the latest reported deadline, via WalesOnline, sees this Monday (the 12th) as the final deadline for the two remaining bidders to submit a proposal to buy Cardiff after a period of clarification over the Christmas break.
With the ongoing uncertainty around Welsh rugby, the state of lingo that leaves players, coaches and staff operating in, and the financial strain that continues to place on the game, it would certainly be preferable that those bids are evaluated and a preferred option announced by the end of the week. A big ask when it comes to the WRU admittedly.
Perhaps a bigger ask though will be for the Union to evaluate them in the spirit of securing the best owner for Cardiff going forward, rather than just the option that makes their life easiest in terms of getting rid of a professional club.
The Blue & Blacks are in a hugely promising position. There’s a nucleus of young Welsh talent forming the spine of the team, there’s a group of talented non-Welsh qualified players complementing them, there’s yet more local talent on the way through the pathway, there’s some excellent young coaches guiding them, and they’re turning out some eye-catching performances and results.
Off-the-field there remains a huge amount of untapped potential commercially that the right investment would unlock. A prime city centre location in one of the fastest growing European capitals, right next door to the national stadium hosting major concerts and sporting events. The right ownership group can take this club to new heights.
An owner that is not fully bought in to what Cardiff Rugby Club is though, one forced upon us via a marriage of convenience, is not going to realise that potential. They will arrive with the baggage of a closed club, with the suspicion of their intentions and the resent that they are not the bidder that the majority of supporters would prefer.
Even after a tough festive derby spell, the Blue & Blacks are still in the United Rugby Championship’s top four and, thanks to a bonus point win over Racing, looking like heading into the European Challenge Cup knockout stages. The squad is just a few players short of being properly competitive at the top end of the league and into the top tier of European rugby, but it’s difficult to look too far ahead.
Without some quick action from the WRU in selling club, and responsible action from the WRU in selecting the right bidder, there’s a risk that this opportunity to kick Cardiff on will be wasted as the players that could strengthen the side are snapped up while the stars currently at the Arms Park move on as we’ve seen elsewhere.
We’re not quite at panic stations yet, but as the clock ticks on into 2026 the time to do the right thing is fast approaching. Over to the WRU Board – make the correct decision.
Cardiff Rugby Life 