Reports of the Ospreys region merging or being sold have been deemed “incorrect” players and staff have been told.
While the Ospreys region has not made any public statements regarding their connection with the English Championship side Ealing Trailfinders, an internal memo addressed to the staff has refuted the allegations.
The email was written by Nick Angio, the chief operating officer of Y11 Sport and Media, the owners of Ospreys, in response to the newspaper reports.
In an effort to provide reassurance to the staff, Angio, who also serves as a director for the Welsh region, has taken steps to reject the notion.
He wrote: “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.”
Angio clarified the reason for the region’s lack of public statement regarding the matter.
“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.”
Despite winning the English Championship last year, Ealing was unable to move up to the Premiership due to their small west London ground. They are currently at the top of the second tier this season but will not be able to qualify for promotion.
The financial instability in Welsh rugby and the doubts about the sustainability of the four regions have sparked speculations that the London-based club might collaborate with Ospreys and participate in the United Rugby Championship (URC). Ealing’s circumstances have contributed to these rumours.
