Time to put this to bed once and for all - from Nick Angio
The Ospreys director wrote in his memo: "There have been some national headlines in relation to there being a deal for the Ospreys to be sold or merged and any other combination imaginable. These headlines have been persistent to the point where we felt like it'd be important to confirm to you that they are incorrect.
"For further context, Y11 Sport & Media are in the business of investing in rugby and continues to develop a strategy of multi-club ownership and developing a commercial ecosystem that will benefit all clubs within the group of clubs. As a result, the company discusses with professional clubs across all major rugby competitions as well as governing bodies and other interested parties."
He said the Ospreys had not made a public comment on the links due to a media policy it adopts of not commenting on speculation.
Angio said: "We're all well aware of the rumours flying around about the Ospreys in the midst of this rather challenging period for professional Welsh rugby. The constant media speculation makes it difficult to be an Osprey at this moment, especially within the vacuum of reliable information.
"The Ospreys' board of directors has a policy the club does not confirm or deny any media speculation. Constantly, there are rumours about the Ospreys just like there are about the other professional clubs in Wales.
"If the club were to publicly deny media speculation from time to time, then silence from the club on any topic would be interpreted as a confirmation of such speculation."
Did anyone catch the Sam Cross interview this morning? Apparently admitted the players have been told about the ongoing discussions about the “merger”. Says all staff/players are obviously worried.
Here is some truth for you. Two regions have had to take out loans just to meet their payroll obligations. Of the other two regions, one is owned by the WRU and the other one plays in black and white.
I know the chairman doesn’t want to comment on everything but I think there should be an official comment on this to either kill it or confirm. This vacuum of info is horrible.
Normally I would agree with you. But this thing is snowballing. The Ospreys have also now cancelled their “supporters evenings”, scheduled for this week. A quick statement rubbishing all of this would go a long way.
I am reading in ' The Rugby Paper', posted today 5th March that the merger has been agreed between Ealing and the Ospreys by the URC? stating that the agreement required that Ealing lose players out of contract to make room for 13 Ospreys players, to pay fixtures in London?
Surely the Rugby Paper won't continue with this if it was just a rumours?
So apparently this really is a done deal. I know the directors say they can’t respond to everything, but they really do need to come out and knock this on the head if it’s nonsense.
If I were you and would look at what Rob Davies is saying on twitter at the moment. he has told Old Scarletnut there is less fantasy in Disneyland than in some of his reporting.
Ealing and Jersey are 15 and 14 points clear in the championship. The RFU has temporarily lowered ground capacity requirements for promotion to the Gallagher to 5,000. Jersey has a ground capacity of 4,000, Ealing of 5,000. RFU is keen to replace Wasps and Worcester and just this week they have allowed Wasps to enter a team in the championship and rejected Worcester.
My reading of the tea leaves is that the plan is for Trailfinders to get promoted this year and Wasps next so it does not make sense for Ealing to merge with us.... or with anybody. I could be well off the plot but ....
Also, Doncaster had been given the 'okay' for promotion should they ever make it but Ealing had not because of something to due with their ground, probably the capacity.
My mates 2 sons are with the turks. They were told today that the Ospreys/Ealing merger is happening. Didn't specifically say the Ospreys, but hugely alluded to...
Tool is being generous. I find him mendacious, malicious and mischievous in the extreme. He has introduced "WoL understands" and "reports say" when referring to his own earlier speculation, gossip and slander. A nasty piece of work.
These are only rumours Jake. I imagine we talk to all kinds of potential investors. A lot of English sides are close to the edge as well as Welsh sides. You can twist rumours and exploring options many ways particularly when a fanatical Scarlet fan can use his role as a journalist to be a cross between Josef Goebles and Lord Haw Haw.
there are going to be all kinds of rumours until this is resolved and unfortunately for us we do not have a propagandist working in the media so will always come off worst there.
Nobody foresaw a huge fall in income and nobody saw that professional representation on a WRU board would lead to regional chairmen on the PRB imposing budget cuts on their own regions.
How does a regional chairman explain to a player he employs that he has cut the budget to the region with another hat on? Add in that players are threatening strike action when WRU has a signed contract with their regional employers to provide Team Wales players. And that contract has been fully paid up to July 2023 by WRU.
Without sense breaking out this is going to make a lot of lawyers a lot of money.
Will there be a radical overhaul of the Welsh regions? I could only just about stomach a merger with Scarlets if Cardiff merge with Newport. This gives us 2 Welsh regions; could Ealing be the 3rd ‘Welsh’ region?
Time to put this to bed once and for all - from Nick Angio
The Ospreys director wrote in his memo: "There have been some national headlines in relation to there being a deal for the Ospreys to be sold or merged and any other combination imaginable. These headlines have been persistent to the point where we felt like it'd be important to confirm to you that they are incorrect.
"For further context, Y11 Sport & Media are in the business of investing in rugby and continues to develop a strategy of multi-club ownership and developing a commercial ecosystem that will benefit all clubs within the group of clubs. As a result, the company discusses with professional clubs across all major rugby competitions as well as governing bodies and other interested parties."
He said the Ospreys had not made a public comment on the links due to a media policy it adopts of not commenting on speculation.
Angio said: "We're all well aware of the rumours flying around about the Ospreys in the midst of this rather challenging period for professional Welsh rugby. The constant media speculation makes it difficult to be an Osprey at this moment, especially within the vacuum of reliable information.
"The Ospreys' board of directors has a policy the club does not confirm or deny any media speculation. Constantly, there are rumours about the Ospreys just like there are about the other professional clubs in Wales.
"If the club were to publicly deny media speculation from time to time, then silence from the club on any topic would be interpreted as a confirmation of such speculation."
Just read your email, Jason. All sounds very encouraging.
TEST
Did anyone catch the Sam Cross interview this morning? Apparently admitted the players have been told about the ongoing discussions about the “merger”. Says all staff/players are obviously worried.
Here is some truth for you. Two regions have had to take out loans just to meet their payroll obligations. Of the other two regions, one is owned by the WRU and the other one plays in black and white.
I think I'd like to be called the Ealing Ospreys, in the English league, funded by Y11 and Gooling, playing at the Swansea.com Stadium 👍
Going to start the rumour on Scarlet Fever
ospreys to merge with newly promoted Ealing Broadway in the RFU league and play at Swansea.com
I know the chairman doesn’t want to comment on everything but I think there should be an official comment on this to either kill it or confirm. This vacuum of info is horrible.
I am reading in ' The Rugby Paper', posted today 5th March that the merger has been agreed between Ealing and the Ospreys by the URC? stating that the agreement required that Ealing lose players out of contract to make room for 13 Ospreys players, to pay fixtures in London?
Surely the Rugby Paper won't continue with this if it was just a rumours?
So apparently this really is a done deal. I know the directors say they can’t respond to everything, but they really do need to come out and knock this on the head if it’s nonsense.
Ealing and Jersey are 15 and 14 points clear in the championship. The RFU has temporarily lowered ground capacity requirements for promotion to the Gallagher to 5,000. Jersey has a ground capacity of 4,000, Ealing of 5,000. RFU is keen to replace Wasps and Worcester and just this week they have allowed Wasps to enter a team in the championship and rejected Worcester.
My reading of the tea leaves is that the plan is for Trailfinders to get promoted this year and Wasps next so it does not make sense for Ealing to merge with us.... or with anybody. I could be well off the plot but ....
My mates 2 sons are with the turks. They were told today that the Ospreys/Ealing merger is happening. Didn't specifically say the Ospreys, but hugely alluded to...
I genuinely do not see the Ospreys going any where - be that any sort of merger or going under by the hand of the WRU.
Nobody foresaw a huge fall in income and nobody saw that professional representation on a WRU board would lead to regional chairmen on the PRB imposing budget cuts on their own regions.
How does a regional chairman explain to a player he employs that he has cut the budget to the region with another hat on? Add in that players are threatening strike action when WRU has a signed contract with their regional employers to provide Team Wales players. And that contract has been fully paid up to July 2023 by WRU.
Without sense breaking out this is going to make a lot of lawyers a lot of money.
Will there be a radical overhaul of the Welsh regions? I could only just about stomach a merger with Scarlets if Cardiff merge with Newport. This gives us 2 Welsh regions; could Ealing be the 3rd ‘Welsh’ region?
It's from WoL, has to be rubbish...
However...
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/f2898674-ad5f-11ed-9cb3-80326348937b?shareToken=44875603de45ef261f06b7c167f70783