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Buchanan steps down from WRU Council

December 18, 2025

Story byAnthony Buchanan made his senior Wales debut against Tonga in 1987 [Huw Evans Picture Agency]BBCThu, December 18, 2025 at 11:24 AM UTC·6 min readFormer Wales and Llanelli prop Anthony Buchanan says he has no confidence in the Welsh Rugby Union's executive board after resigning from the governing body's council. His departure comes amid the current uncertainty regarding the future structure of Welsh rugby. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe WRU announced in October it planned to reduce the number of professional men's sides in Wales from four to three. The Wales men's senior side has lost 21 out of its past 23 matches and suffered a record 73-0 home defeat against South Africa at the end of November. When asked whether he had confidence in the WRU board, Buchanan replied: "No". In response to Buchanan's criticism the WRU said they are "making positive changes" to the structure of the professional game in Wales. A union statement added: "We know this process will present challenges, but the board has confidence in the decisions it has made and in our plans for the future. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"Our role is to implement a change for the good of the whole system in Wales for the long term and we remain dedicated to this aim."The WRU council sits below the executive board and is responsible for setting the strategy for community rugby in Wales. It compromises five national council members along with 14 district council members, elected by member clubs. Buchanan say he has not taken the decision lightly."It has been a pleasure to serve the WRU over the last 11 years," Buchanan told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast."I was hoping to use my experiences and my knowledge of the game to perhaps influence the direction of travel. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I feel very uncomfortable now. Rugby has been in the heart of Wales for many years but I also know we're on the brink of losing our culture and our identity."I can't trade that off for what basically happens next. I no longer could support the direction of travel.

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What I had to do was look at myself and what I believed in."WRU chair Collier-Keywood wants to stay in roleAbject failure becoming the norm - where does Welsh rugby go from here?WRU Q&A: Why drastic change is neededLosing Ospreys or Scarlets would be "devastating"Welsh rugby's governing body has said it proposes to grant three licences for men's professional clubs. There will be one in Cardiff, one in the east and one in the west, which is expected to result in a straight survival fight between Swansea-based Ospreys and Scarlets in Llanelli. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBuchanan does not agree with the reduction in the number of sides after he pointed to the initial previous change in 2003 from clubs to regions."We came from our clubs to our regions and those were big steps," said Buchanan."We had success on the field with Triple Crown, Grand Slams and Six Nations Championships in that era."The Scarlets, Cardiff, Ospreys, were all successful stories.
So what brings me to this is what's happened and how have we arrived here?"The 70-year-old went on:"What are we going to do to bring ourselves back into being a top tier one country?AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"The next step made will be crucial.
And I cannot support that next step in taking one of our top regions out."Buchanan believes losing Ospreys or Scarlets will be detrimental to the Welsh game."Whichever one goes, it's going to be devastating," he said."The Ospreys stretch from Bridgend, or Cardiff, down to Swansea and the Scarlets are down to the west with a new stadium and everything."I don't see the decision being a step forward.
It could be we could lose a lot of support on and off the field."The former Wales forward said he had also been against the WRU's previous plan of two professional sides that was shelved following a public consultation. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I was horrified with that thought," he ad.

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Buchanan steps down from WRU Council

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Buchanan steps down from WRU Council

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