Ospreys and Wales legend Shane Williams feels a shock merger with Cardiff would have huge plusses for Welsh rugby.
Shane, one of the most famous players to pull on the black jersey, says the move makes sense once people take the emotion out of the argument - even though he doesn't like the idea of losing the Ospreys and professional rugby from Wales' second biggest city.
Feelings among fans have understandably been running high since the news broke on Friday night about powerbrokers from the two regions holding talks over the shock plan. The new team would play at Cardiff Arms Park.
Try ace Shane, who made 141 Ospreys appearances and played during the region's golden Galacticos era, says news of the talks came as a bolt out of the blue for him.
But in a column for The Rugby Paper headlined 'Why this merger just might be the way to go' he writes: "If you peel away any emotional attachment and examine in the cold light of day the facts, figures and finances behind any such move, the picture changes."
Shane goes on to say: "We are yearning for more success at regional level in Welsh rugby and maybe, just maybe, this could be a way forward."
To that end, Shane names a star-studded combined Cardiff-Ospreys XV which he believes could wow in the bid for Welsh rugby to punch at the top table when it comes to European and domestic honours.
His dream team contains mainly Ospreys, but also has five Cardiff players in it and a mouthwatering Wales back-row of Jac Morgan, Justin Tupiruc and Taulupe Faletau.
Shane chooses a back three of Josh Adams, Keelan Giles and Alex Cuthbert, pairs youngsters Ben Thomas and Keiran Williams in the centre and has Ospreys No.10 Owen Williams next to Cardiff's Tomos Williams in a mixed half-back pairing.
There is an Ospreys front row of Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake and Tomas Francis, while Shane plumps for Cardiff's Tongan powerhouse Lopeti Timani next to Adam Beard at lock. Then comes that dynamic back-row, which would be among the very best at club level anywhere in Europe.
"On the other side of the coin, who wouldn't want to watch a team like this," he says while addressing the pros and cons of the merger issue.
Something clearly needs to give in Welsh rugby amid ongoing cutbacks among the playing staff and the four regions failing to make any sort of mark in the United Rugby Championship or in Europe's prestigious Heineken Champions Cup.
The Ospreys have previously held discussions about a merger with arch-rivals Scarlets, while their current owners Y11 Sport are understood to have had talks with Ealing Trailfinders and other clubs earlier this year, with the investment group open to increasing their stake in professional rugby.
"I can't say I'm a fan of losing the Ospreys as a team playing in Swansea. That would hurt. It would also anger their loyal fans," says Shane.
"Any reduction in the number of regions will naturally cost jobs in the playing and coaching sectors, yet it should lead to more competitive teams."
The WRU and Professional Game Board have each insisted they want to keep four regional sides, but there are real concerns among senior figures that there is simply not enough money to fund that many any more.
A number of leading players from across the regions are being lost to Welsh rugby amid major financial cutbacks, which sees the salary cap cut to £4.5million for next season.
"Two mediocre teams spending £9m on squads that aren't going to compete at top end of their tournament can be deemed to be a poor use of financial resources," writes Shane. "How do you increase the amount of money available - by cutting a team!"
He feels the idea of a Cardiff-Swansea merger makes no sense at first glance, but argues: "It isn't hard to find some merit for the plan when you dig below the skin.
"Overturning the optics of such a move always takes a bit more time to resolve. How will it be received, by fans, what sort of backlash could follow and will anybody boycott the new team? Valid concerns, yet if you have a winning team on the field you can almost overcome anything."
Williams played for the Ospreys from 2003-12, lining up next to other stellar names such as Jerry Collins, Justin Marshall, Gavin Henson, James Hook, Lee Byrne, Tommy Bowe, Dan Biggar, Marty Holah, Alun Wyn Jones, Ryan Jones and Adam Jones.
It was a truly star-studded side, dubbed the Galacticos after Real Madrid's famous footballers of the time who included David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Brazil World Cup winners Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo.
The Ospreys aces won the league, thrashed Leicester at Twickenham to lift the Anglo-Welsh Cup, but were unable to conquer Europe and never got past the quarter-final stages of the Heineken Cup.
Williams' final match for the region was typical Shane, a two-try show in 2012 as the Ospreys beat Leinster 31-30 in the PRO12 final.
"I will always be proud to have represented Ospreys. Playing in the famous black, and sometimes white, shirt made me the player I was. It was always an honour to wear the shirt. Provided players for the new super region, if it becomes reality, feel the same way then it might just have a chance."
The stunning merger proposal is far from a done deal amid a complicated backdrop, but there are people involved in the talks who believe any change should aim to be completed before the new 2023-24 season starts.
