Another Welsh PRO12 Club Is Set To Be Taken Over By The WRU

The Dragons are the only Welsh region set to be taken over by the WRU.

The Cardiff Blues are set to be handed back to the Welsh Rugby Union, who will take over responsibility for the region from July 1.

The WRU will oversee the running of the PRO12 club while the Blues board focus on the proposed redevelopment of the Arms Park and the construction of a new multi-purpose covered arena. It remains to be seen whether the takeover will be a temporary or a permanent arrangement.

The news was revealed at a shareholders meeting last night. Blues chairman Peter Thomas spoke to WalesOnline about the shocking development.

“It’s almost 50 years since we moved into where we are today and the Arms Park is in urgent need of redevelopment,” said Thomas.

“We want to put a multi-purpose sporting arena there which will be a facility for the future generations. To get to where we need to be is going to take a lot of money, a lot of investment, a lot of time and a lot of commitment.”

“It will also mean the Arms Park being out of action for probably two to three seasons. As a consequence of that, we have been talking to the Welsh Rugby Union for their advice and support on how we manage that situation.

“We have said we want the WRU to babysit the Blues as a franchise for the foreseeable future. Now it may well be that will be a permanent arrangement and the governing body will take permanent control of the Blues as a region, as it is doing with the Dragons.”

“But there is an invitation from the Union for private investors to come in and support the franchise at a later date.”

You can read the interview in full and learn more about this development here.