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09 Aug, 2025
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New Scarlets investor's damning view of WRU emerges in social media post
@Source: walesonline.co.uk
A damning statement about the Welsh Rugby Union from new Scarlets investor Kirsti Jane has emerged on social media. US-based House of Luxury have decided to invest in Scarlets despite the WRU's suggestion it could cut two of the regions in a review set to begin in the coming weeks. Writing on LinkedIn last month, shortly after Wales lost their 18th successive Test match against Japan, Jane tore into the WRU's leadership and criticised current CEO Abi Tierney. Ospreys and Scarlets refused to sign the new Professional Rugby Agreement, with Jane writing that the WRU has "no direction. No guts" after the two-year notice period was issued. Of course, the Welsh men's side ended their sorry 18-match losing streak with victory over the Brave Blossoms in the second Test of their summer tour, but there is much to improve across the board in Wales, as Jane explains. "Wales’ losing streak hits 18," begins Jane on LinkedIn. "Breaking records, just not the kind anyone wants. I was going to say, don’t worry... I’m sure WRU CEO Abi will find some more flowers to cut from the budget but honestly, it’s not a joke. It shouldn’t be. But suits at the top are treating it like it is. "Let’s call it what it is: Welsh rugby is in crisis. Not a new one. Not a one off. Years long cycle of failure, masked by PR spins and empty gestures. The WRU gave notice to Ospreys and Scarlets months ago. Yet here we are with no direction. No guts. A CEO who can’t seem to make a single executive decision without cutting another cheque to consultants who tells her what she should already know! "Years of decline, in the entire pyramid. Forever missing the actual issues. Beg benefactors to bail them out, instead of building something worth backing in the first place. Rugby itself is losing the global battle. Other niche sports are innovating, growing. "Rugby clings to the past like a shipwrecked sailor to a piece of floating debris …especially in Wales, where it’s not just outdated, it’s rotting. We’re now 18 losses deep. And counting. But sure, let’s keep rearranging the chairs on the Titanic. Accountants in growth roles. "Because apparently, all the talent you ever need is just down the corridor. That’s not leadership or vision. That’s survival mode. That’s ego driven insulation dressed up as 'strategy'." Jane went on to say that the game is "boring" and that "fans are forgotten" by the Union. In the post, she added that there was a disconnect between the WRU and the game's supporters in Wales, pointing towards how football's governing body has led in that regard in this country. "The connection between the WRU and the people who made rugby matter? Broken," she added. "Now look at the FAW. Night and day. They have purpose. Direction. A brand. A culture. They reignited national pride in the process too. The WRU? Stand for nothing, except protecting their perks and polishing their own legacies. "As someone with an ego, I don’t get it. If you’re in power, why wouldn’t you want to be the ones who changed the game? Who rebuilt Welsh rugby and put this country on the global map? Because rugby matters to Wales. It was culture. It was identity. It brought communities together. Gave kids something to dream about. We are losing that. "And when people say, 'Wales is a tiny nation'… I call b******t. It doesn't have to be. Not when we build with ambition. Not when we lead with vision. Rugby can be the vehicle that rewrites that narrative. That’s why we built our Sports & Entertainment division. Not just to serve clients. To own. To shape. To disrupt. To take rugby and the culture around it and flip it on its head. Give it bite. Give it story. Give it stage. "Not just with our money but with our blood, sweat & expertise. We believe rugby in Wales: Deserves a bigger global platform and be entertaining again Deserves to attract new eyes, new fans, new money Deserves to win, on and off the field So WRU, if you’re ever ready for real change… knock on our door. And if you don’t? We’ll be the wolf blowing your house down." Jane's House of Luxury will assume control of financial liabilities and commerical growth of Scarlets now they're at the helm. She is from south Wales and her company been recognised as one of the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies by WPO and JP Morgan Chase in 2025. The changes made to Scarlets will be radical and across the board, with the company aiming to generate new revenue streams and capture the younger audience. Chief experience officer Simon Kozlowski says they will "invest heavily".
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