Here are your rugby morning headlines for Sunday, 18 May. Welsh rugby is this morning coming to terms with the news major change is on the horizon after the WRU informed the four professional clubs it intends to go down to three teams. A two-year notice period on the current set-up has been triggered, with the Union's board passing a decision to begin the process of cutting a team. It comes after two clubs, Ospreys and Scarlets , refused to sign up to the new professional rugby agreement following the WRU's takeover of Cardiff. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. WalesOnline exclusively revealed the news late on Saturday night. You can read the story here. WRU CEO Abi Tierney and chair Richard Collier-Keywood have publicly insisted for months their desire to retain four clubs but things have changed dramatically amid Cardiff's financial collapse and the inability to get the new PRA over the line, which was imperative to convince banks to refinance Welsh rugby's debt. The move will now spark a period if tense instability in the game and could feasibly lead to legal challenges. Although any change could currently not happen for two years, it's likely the landscape will change more quickly. One path could now be for the WRU to put the licences to compete in the URC and European competitions out to tender after setting some strict criteria based on things like stadium, facilities, investors and players produced for Wales. Alternatively, two clubs to merge voluntarily or one could fall on its sword. Ospreys coach Mark Jones said the clubs' poor start to the season was no excuse as he reflected upon missing out on the United Rugby Championship play-offs. The club's chances of a top eight finish were ended last week against the Sharks, before the club failed to get over the line in their final game of the season against the Lions. The Ospreys had started the season slowly, leading to Toby Booth's early exit. However, while they put themselves in contention under former Wales wing Jones, it wasn't enough to make the play-offs for the second successive season. "I think the growth of the team, the way it's played, we feel much of a threat in all areas of the game," said Jones afterwards. "We feel we've grown in the variety of our game. "But obviously our supporters want to get into the play-offs, like we did last year. When you've only won two games before Christmas , it was always an uphill challenge. "But that's not an excuse. We've still had chances in the second-half of the year. We've won some games in the last few minutes and today we lost one. Unfortunately, the table doesn't lie." On the narrow defeat to the Lions, he added: "Really disappointed for the players and staff. I don't think either team deserved to lose that game. "There was a lot of high quality stuff on both sides. We thought we'd perhaps done enough. We knew we'd need to regain the restart. "We were second-best at the contact area tonight. I don't think we were second-best anywhere else. But certainly in that area, we were outdone. The Lions were superb in that area. "You measure a team's character by its defence. I thought the care the boys showed for each other was tremendous. But we talked at half-time about how we wouldn't be able to sustain that for the full 80. "We needed to be better with the ball. We created a lot more in the second-half, we were a lot more of a threat. It was a good performance and we took more chances than last week, but the Lions took more of those key moments." Northampton came from behind to beat play-off chasing Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership, but the win came at a cost as the defending champions were left counting their injuries ahead of next weekend's Champions Cup final in Cardiff . The Saints won't be able to defend their Premiership crown, with a play-off spot out of reach. However, after beating Leinster in the semi-final, they still harbour hopes of European glory. However, ahead of next Saturday's final against Bordeaux at the Principality Stadium, Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson was left to count the rising injuries after the win over Saracens - with Curtis Langdon and James Ramm forced off. “We were drab and lacklustre in the first half but the bench took it to a different physical level," he said. “The forward pass calls in the final play were in the lap of the gods. It was a 50-50 call but luckily it went our way. “However, even if it hadn’t, our second-half performance spoke volumes about our group as we dominated the second half in terms of possession and territory. “On the injury front, Curtis has a stinger on his shoulder, which he has had before. Alex Coles has a knee problem and James Ramm had a bang on his shin. All could be doubts for next week but it’s too early to assess.” Edinburgh Rugby are hoping that Lions wing Duhan van der Merwe will be fit for the United Rugby Championship play-offs, having not played since March. The Scotland wing - who was named in Andy Farrell's squad to tour Australia last week, was injured against the Dragons on March 28. But his club are hopeful he'll play a part in the play-offs. “We're hoping so,” said Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt. “He's running and he's doing really well. So we're definitely hoping that we have Duhan for the quarter-final.” Edinburgh had booked their place in the play-offs after a superb display from wing Darcy Graham, who had been overlooked for the Lions. “He's been struggling with a heel over the last couple of weeks, but this week he was feeling much better, and you could see it in his performance,” said Everitt. “He's just got to keep on performing and make it really difficult for the Lions to leave him out should injuries occur. “He's obviously disappointed - it's everyone's dream to play for the Lions. It's always going to be difficult when you've got four countries to choose from, and selection sometimes can be subjective. It's not always going to be factual, so we can't criticise the selection. Andy Farrell's an amazing coach and a really good selector, and he's done wonders with Ireland, so Darcy must just keep on going.”