This week, as part of update events at Parc y Scarlets with supporters and key stakeholders – the club expressed its sincere thanks and gratitude for the continued commitment and passion being shown during what has been one of the most important periods in the Scarlets recent history.
Executive Chairman Simon Muderack, Managing Director Jon Daniels, President Derek Quinnell, and Head Coach Dwayne Peel addressed sponsors, partners and fans on Wednesday to give an update on the latest discussions on the WRU’s review of Welsh Professional rugby.
“I love Welsh rugby… I’ve been part of this for almost 60 years” – President Derek Quinnell
Scarlets President and club legend Derek Quinnell received a warm ovation as he spoke candidly about the importance of heritage, identity and community in Welsh rugby.
“If you look back through history we have had some great wins and some great touring sides. Going back 60 years, I love Welsh rugby and being part of the Scarlets – and I have done for almost 60 years. From that point of view, over that period of time, I feel sad we have arrived in the situation we are.”
He praised the commitment of those who have built and sustained the club over generations.
“A lot of people in Welsh rugby have given a lot to this game. I believe this region is second to none. The amount of time, effort and what the funding directors have done here at Parc y Scarlets is absolutely magnificent.”
His message was ultimately one of belief and optimism: “We have had a tough time of it but we have to look forward together. I hope the people in charge of Welsh rugby recognise the heritage of the game and what we have contributed over the past 150 years. I hope we can look forward to the next 25-30 years as a competitive region – which I am confident we can be, in the right circumstances.
“How on earth did we end up here? But we’ve fought our corner with facts, figures and history” – Simon Muderack
Executive Chairman Simon Muderack thanked supporters for the extraordinary backing the club has received during the WRU’s ongoing review of Welsh professional rugby.
He spoke directly about the difficult reality facing the professional game: “How on earth did we end up here? But the reality is we have to face where we are today and move forward. I do think it’s the right decision at this point in time, to go down from four to three teams with the financial and player resources we have.”
Muderack emphasised that the Scarlets have taken a measured, evidence-based approach: “To put ourselves forward in the West, we have kept our counsel externally. We’re not taking anything for granted. We have dug in and fought our corner using facts, figures and the rich history of this club, everything we produce and contribute to Welsh rugby and to our community in this part of the world.
“We presented our facts and done so positively to the Union. It is my belief that if those facts are looked upon honestly in any assessment, nobody could counter a future for Welsh rugby without the Scarlets at the heart of it.”
He confirmed the scale of the work already completed: “There’s still a lot of work to get through over the next couple of weeks, underpinned by a heck of a lot of work over the past couple of months. We’ve been through three rounds of negotiations with the WRU about what a new deal structure would look like, against the backdrop of moving from four to three teams.”
Muderack also highlighted the unwavering commitment of the club’s investors and staff: “The funding directors continue to put investment into this organisation.
“We remind the WRU – we are not owners of this club, we are custodians. People come and go, but we take that duty very seriously, and we recognise the privilege it gives us.”
He closed by praising the extraordinary unity within the wider Scarlets community: “What has been incredible is the support we’ve had from politicians, from the council, the march organised by supporters; from fans, the performance of the team last Saturday, the work of our rugby staff and our club staff under huge pressure. The stress placed upon this organisation has been extraordinary. I am really proud and humbled by the passion shown and the way it has manifested itself throughout the consultation process.”
“We won’t do anything that changes the fabric of this club” – Jon Daniels
Managing Director Jon Daniels reiterated the Scarlets’ long standing position on the principles underpinning the WRU review.
“We won’t do anything that changes the fabric of this club. Everything this club has stood for over 150 years – the history, the great days on the field and the great days our community has had – that cannot be compromised.”
Daniels reaffirmed the Scarlets’ commitment to collaboration across Welsh rugby: “We are open to better alignment and open collaboration. Most collaborative proposals in Welsh rugby have come from the clubs. We want Welsh rugby as a whole, not just this club, to be in a better position.”
But Jon Daniels explained that for Scarlets alignment cannot come at the cost of identity or autonomy: “We believe passionately in a system where every stakeholder is respected and has a say. That is a lot healthier than giving control to one party just because it removes friction.”
He spoke strongly against earlier proposals that risked erasing club identity: “We started this process with the threat of two teams in Wales with no connection to their history or communities. That was abhorrent to us — and not what Welsh rugby is about.”
Daniels stressed the importance of retaining control of the Scarlets’ rugby operation, including the Academy: “We won’t accept having no control or no say over our team – the team that represents you. And that extends to our Academy. Having training centres with no connection to our identity or to the villages and communities we represent is not acceptable.”
He highlighted the importance of Scarlets as a club in inspiring young people across West Wales.
“Young players who start their journey in our patch want to play for the Scarlets. Yes, they want to play for Wales – but it’s the Scarlets that drive them through their journey.”
Describing last weekend’s debutants, he added: “Gabe McDonald, Iori Badham, Carwyn Leggatt-Jones — you couldn’t take the grin off Gabe’s face. What they’ve been working for was that moment. A pathway connected to this club is fundamental — not only for us, but for them.”
The Scarlets position on the WRU professional rugby review
Drawing on the evening’s comments and the club’s official statement, the Scarlets reaffirm the following principles:
- We support a stronger, more aligned Welsh professional game
Collaboration is essential, and reform must benefit Welsh rugby as a whole.
- Restructuring must be evidence-based, transparent and inclusive
Decisions should not be made unilaterally or without full assessment.
- Identity, heritage and community must remain central
Club culture, local expertise and autonomy are non-negotiable foundations.
- Alignment is not the same as control
Shared standards and investment can be achieved without removing a club’s authority over selection, staffing or brand identity.
- Academy pathways must remain rooted in West Wales
Young players must be able to progress through a Scarlets system connected to their communities.
- Scarlets continue to work constructively and professionally
The club has provided extensive data, modelling and proposals to the WRU and remains fully engaged in the ongoing process.
- We believe Scarlets must be part of Welsh rugby’s future structure.
This ensures Welsh rugby retains a proven talent pathway, a respected international brand, and a first-class home at Parc y Scarlets.
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