A Welsh rugby firestorm is brewing — and the gloves are coming off
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When Steve Tandy peruses the landscape of Welsh rugby from his new office at Welsh Rugby Union headquarters, he might be tempted to close the curtains.
I’m Matthew Southcombe, ITV Wales’ Sports Reporter, and a firestorm - the like of which the game here hasn’t seen in 20 years - is appearing on the horizon.
And given Welsh rugby’s penchant for chaos, that is an ominous statement.
Two decades ago, the Celtic Warriors - a sometimes forgotten fifth region - collapsed and disbanded, leading to a messy firesale of players who were desperate to find new jobs.
It remains a stain on the fabric of Welsh rugby.
Now, the four professional clubs in Wales - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - are readying themselves for another fight for survival.
What is brewing would eclipse the abandoned merger between the Ospreys and Scarlets in 2019 and the threat of strike action on the eve of Wales’ 2023 clash with England.
Over the summer, the WRU abandoned its intention to continue funding four professional clubs evenly: the collapse of Cardiff, declining broadcast revenues and the financial impact of Wales’ historic 18-match losing run being worse than projected have been cited by chief executive Abi Tierney as reasons.
What has also been palpable over the last 12 months is the frustration oozing from boardrooms as the Union and four clubs failed time and time again to settle on a new equal funding model. Had a deal been struck in that time, a sorry mess could have been avoided.
In May, patience ran out and the idea of equal funding was abandoned.
But things have moved quickly and in the coming weeks a formal consultation will be launched. Axing one or even two of the pro clubs is now firmly on the table.
The gloves are starting to come off. This week, the Ospreys received planning permission to go ahead with their redevelopment of the historic St Helen’s ground in Swansea.
Without this, the Ospreys were in an extremely vulnerable position but now - with their own ground in the pipeline - they have a viable business case for survival.
In Llanelli, fears are growing that this has now made the Scarlets’ position more precarious than it was last week.
The Scarlets’ Supporters Trust submitted a letter of opposition to the Ospreys’ plans and now a political storm has erupted.
Carmarthenshire-based politicians called on the Senedd to intervene due to plans for some public funds to be used as part of the redevelopment.
Neath and Swansea East MP Carolyn Harris told ITV News she was “incandescent” at moves by the politicians from the West, calling their behaviour “underhand”.
In a fresh twist, on Friday, the Scarlets announced significant investment from US company House of Luxury, whose sports department is led by former WRU CEO David Moffett.
The Kiwi was at the helm of Welsh rugby when the regions were created in 2003 and has often divided opinions.
On HOL’s Sports Advisory Board is former Wales fly-half and Ospreys legend Dan Biggar.
Here we have examples of the Ospreys and Scarlets fortifying their business case for survival, should they need it in the coming months.
By October, the WRU anticipates it will have a decision on how Welsh rugby will proceed.
This year, the senior men’s team - which generates the revenue to fund the rest of Welsh rugby - endured a losing streak of historic proportions.
The professional game which underpins that is crumbling. Tandy is well-versed in the politics of Welsh rugby. He was a player at the Ospreys when regional rugby dawned in 2003 and went on to coach them for four years after he retired.
The Tonmawr boy won’t be caught off guard by the chaos he uncovers when he peeps through his office curtains.
But the real concern is that we don’t yet know quite how far Welsh rugby is going to plummet before he can help to resurrect it.
For more on what Steve Tandy had to say at his first Wales press conference, read more here.
A milestone for Eluned Morgan before critical six months
A year in, but is there really much to celebrate? asks National Correspondent Rob Osborne.
Eluned Morgan marks 12 months as First Minister by talking about “the people’s priorities” - health, transport and potholes (she talks a lot about potholes).
But in Labour circles, there’s another priority: the polls. Welsh Labour now sits consistently third behind Plaid Cymru and Reform UK.
Turning that around before next May’s election will take more than tarmac.
Behind the scenes, her team has been in flux. She’s on her third chief of staff in a year. The latest, Luke Young, is a well-known Labour insider: campaign manager for Jeremy Miles in the leadership race, former Student Union President, and lately heading Citizens Advice.
He replaces ex-MP Wayne David, who stepped down for health reasons, but comes after whispers in Cardiff Bay, reported here at the time, that he wasn’t up to the job.
With the anniversary in mind, I headed to Pontypridd, a traditional Labour heartland, to ask people about Morgan’s first year. What surprised me was how low her name recognition was.
“Who’s that?” came up more than once. This isn’t a junior minister. She’s the First Minister, on TV most days. That's not a good place to be. She’ll soon fight for the election spotlight with Rhun ap Iorwerth and Nigel Farage, both media-savvy operators.
Her best hope lies in delivery: if public services improve and everyday life gets easier, the polls could shift. But external factors, from the Middle East to a painful budget, could derail her.
In politics, a week is a long time, a year is an eternity, and anything could happen.
The next six months will be critical; they will decide Eluned Morgan's fate.
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Customers of car dealership left thousands of pounds out of pocket
Buying a car is often considered one of the biggest purchases someone makes, so when it doesn't go to plan it can be costly both in terms of finances and the stress it causes.
We have been looking into claims that a car salesman in Rhondda Cynon Taf has accepted thousands of pounds from a number of customers and in return has left them with vehicles which are not roadworthy, or in some cases the customer has not received the car they paid for.
Customers told our Consumer Affairs Reporter Kate Lewis that they’ve been left feeling “anxious and depressed”. Read the full story here.
Eisteddfod in Wrexham comes to a close
More than 150,000 people have visited the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham this week, with the best of Welsh -language art, music, drama and literature showcased by around 6,000 competitors.
It is the first time since 2011 that the Eisteddfod has been held in the area.
Among the visitors was Stephen Rule, also known as Dr Cymraeg, who shared his top tips for Welsh learners.
What’s coming up…
Monday, 11 August - Wales rugby coach Sean Lynn will announce his squad for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, which kicks off on 22 August.
Thursday, 14 August - Tens of thousands of A-level students will receive their results.
Friday, 15 August - The 80th anniversary of VJ Day, marking the surrender of Japan forces and the end of the Second World War.
And finally… celebrating the age of steam
If you travel by train these days, it could be powered by anything from diesel to batteries and overhead wires.
But one heritage railway near Carmarthen is flying the flag for the glorious era of the steam train.
The Gwili Railway allows passengers to enjoy a picturesque route through the Carmarthenshire countryside, and it’s got big plans for the future.
Watch the full video report on ITVX here.