Wales' four professional rugby sides agree new six-year deal aimed at ending contract dispute

Wales v Argentina - Autumn International - Principality Stadium A general view of Gilbert match balls before the Autumn International match at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff. Picture date: Saturday November 12, 2022.

Wales' four professional sides - Cardiff Rugby, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - have agreed a new six-year financial package with the WRU.

The deal is aimed at ending the contract dispute between players, regions and Welsh rugby's governing body.

In a statement on Friday evening, the WRU identified the key features of the agreement:

• Salary caps to be introduced from season 2023/24
• Two kinds of contracts will be offered namely fixed contracts and those with both a fixed and variable element, where the variable element is linked to appearances and performances
• All contracts will be held by a central clearing house to monitor spend, ensure contract compliance and effect a new player-loan system across clubs
• Contracts for players of national interest will be agreed by the club and the WRU Performance Director
• The clubs are committed to a minimum spend on player academies
• All clubs are subject to regular audits of squad expenditures, contracts, business plans and academy performance
• The clubs are committed to centralising aspects of their commercial operations, with work already in process in this area

"The new PRA provides a financial framework which is made up of new funding from the WRU and club shareholders to create a sustainable platform for progress," the WRU said in a statement.

"It provides financial predictability for the professional game in Wales and is welcomed by all PRB members.

"Homegrown player development will be a key objective for all parties as the new PRA is designed to promote success for both the professional club game and the Welsh international side."

Uncertainty over the deal had led to the threat of Wales players refusing to play against England in this season's Six Nations.

PRB chair Malcolm Wall said: "It is no exaggeration to say a great deal of work, time and effort has gone into establishing an agreement all parties can be happy with and which is designed to achieve the very best results for Welsh professional rugby from the resources available to us."

WRU CEO Nigel Walker added: "Our objective has been to achieve a sustainable future for our four professional sides and for Wales and credit must go to all involved now this has been achieved.

"The co-operation between the WRU, our professional clubs and the WRPA has been a vitally important part of this process and we will continue to work together for the future benefit of Welsh rugby.

"We now have a structure which will provide a backdrop of stability from which we can build."