Cardiff Rugby have addressed speculation about the club's future after holding initial talks with the Ospreys over a potential merger.
The two URC sides have been involved in exploratory discussions with each other amid Welsh rugby's ongoing financial difficulties, with bosses concerned that there is simply not enough money to continue to fund four regions. Initial information suggested the potential merger could see the sides combine and play at Arms Park, with Ospreys owners Y11 interested in buying into Cardiff.
On Sunday, sources from the Ospreys were defiant as they claimed they were "carrying on as usual" ahead of the new season and now Cardiff have followed suit, issuing an official statement to address the situation.
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In it, the club said there "were always going to be changes" following the death of their highly influential president and former chairman Peter Thomas earlier this year and confirmed that there had been "numerous enquiries and approaches" over purchasing his shareholding in the club, with some of these considered by the board.
Cardiff also confirmed that they have finally received the first monetary instalment of the new funding deal agreed with the Welsh Rugby Union, with the club's future secured for four years.
The statement read: "Cardiff Rugby would like to clarify our future following media reports and speculation in recent days.
"Following the sad passing of Life President Peter Thomas earlier this year there were always going to be changes at the club. The Thomas family have nevertheless continued to support us and have underwritten the new agreement with the Welsh Rugby Union, for which we are enormously grateful.
"We have now received the first allocation of WRU monies, with the remainder scheduled for early next month. This agreement secures the club’s future for the four year term of the agreement, albeit with reduced budgets.
"Since Peter’s sad passing, there have inevitably been numerous enquiries and approaches around the purchase of his shareholding. It is our board’s duty to listen to, and consider, all approaches that could improve our revenues and strengthen the club moving forward. These conversations are commercially sensitive and therefore confidential at this stage."
Confirming that the club would not move from Cardiff Arms Park, the statement continued: "Professional rugby is undoubtedly facing significant challenges across the whole game, but Cardiff Rugby will continue and will remain at Cardiff Arms Park. We are looking forward to the new season and a return to the Champions Cup, with the squad returning for pre-season last week.
"We truly appreciate the continued support of our loyal fan base at this time and will issue further communications as and when appropriate. In the interim, we thank you for your continued patience."
Cardiff's statement comes a day after the Ospreys also claimed that they weren't going anywhere, with anonymous sources at the Swansea club telling The Rugby Paper it was business as usual as far as they were concerned.
"We at the Ospreys are cracking for next season as normal," one source was quoted as saying. "The players are back in training and our recruitment has worked out almost as we wanted. We still have some more to do. We're carrying on as usual."
Another anonymous source told the publication: "There have been conversations with Cardiff about trying to help them but they are in a very poor state. It’s such a mess. That makes any talks about a merger sound implausible. From a business perspective, it doesn’t make any obvious sense. It’s so far-fetched."
