Overview

• Each proposed men's team would carry a 50-player squad with an annual playing budget of £7.8 million.
• The union would fund rugby costs directly, with a national academy and a central training campus replacing region-led pathways.
• Two professional women's teams are included in the blueprint, each planned with 40-player rosters built mainly from Welsh talent.
• A six-week consultation is under way with a final decision expected in October as the existing regions publicly argue their cases.
• Which teams would remain or whether new entities would be created has not been decided, with implementation targeted for the 2027/28 season.