Sean Holley has welcomed the removal of uncertainty at the Ospreys over talk of a merger with English club Ealing Trailfinders, but warned there are hugely challenging times ahead for each of Welsh rugby’s professional sides.
There has been speculation for weeks that the Swansea-based region could be set to link up with the London-based Trailfinders.
However, earlier this week the Ospreys' owners Y11 stated that reports that the region were merging or being sold were “incorrect”.
READ MORE: Today's rugby news as young star tipped for 'special' role for Wales against Italy
Holley says that will reassure Ospreys followers, players and staff.
“I think the biggest worry for all concerned about the Ealing thing would have been the unknowns,” said Holley, who won a handful of trophies and titles with the region when on the coaching staff between 2003 and 2012.
“Where would the Ospreys play? Would they retain their name? What would happen to all the players? What would the squad look like? What colours would they play in? Would supporters have to travel far for home games?
“Those are concerns that ordinary Ospreys supporters might have been having. If it is quashed then those fears are allayed.
“Some people were worried that there may not be a major team in the area any more. To me, that would be inconceivable.
“I say that as someone who’s played and coached in the region, who had as his PE master the former Wales fly-half John Bevan, who had all his mates aspiring to play for clubs like Aberavon, Maesteg, Bridgend, Neath and Swansea, who were always a bit of a showcase team with top players playing at the iconic ground that is St Helen’s.
“Then came the turmoil of creating the Ospreys, when we weathered a storm to create a brand and a successful team. We brought in some top-quality overseas guys, but we also developed some outstanding players of our own from the area playing for their home region.
“We won titles and felt we had put the Ospreys on the map. A lot of people sacrificed a lot of things and gave a huge amount to get the region where they were and we had some great times.
“To see the situation now, with all the problems the Ospreys and the other Welsh professional teams are facing, is heartbreaking.”
Ospreys followers may point out that for all the speculation over the region's future, their region still supplied 11 players to Warren Gatland's latest Wales team for Saturday's clash with Italy in Rome.
They are an important entity, but belts are being tightened across the board in Welsh rugby, with budgets dropping to £5.2 million for next term and to £4.5 million for the year after. Squad sizes could hover around the 36 to 38 mark.
It is going to take a lot to be competitive, then.
“There are a lot of underlying concerns facing all the regions about what rugby in Wales is going to look like for the next couple of years,” said Holley.
“Smaller squads, not able to recruit, not able to hold on to the high-paid international players, squads that struggle in the URC — those are some of the things that could come to pass.
“So the removal of Ealing merger speculation will be seen as good news by Ospreys supporters.
“But there’s still an element of doubt over the future for the professional teams because of the funding situation in Wales, the lack of commercial opportunities and the sizes and strength of squads the regions may now have to carry.
“On that basis, you can see why people are potentially having conversations about how to generate more money.
“My experience of the people involved at the Ospreys is that they value the region a lot and understand how much it means.
“But the bottom line is that any sporting organisation requires money, support, sponsorship and commercial backing.
“And that’s very hard to come by at the best of times let alone now, with Welsh rugby in the state that it’s in.”
READ NEXT:
Teenage Welsh rugby player to undergo brain surgery after incident during match
England international stunned by 'how bad' Wales are and bemused by coaches
The David Buttress interview: Calls to axe region simply blow my mind
Time has come for Warren Gatland to change and pick Wales team of the future
