This week the Welsh Rugby Union confirmed its intention to radically restructure the professional game, with the prospect of cutting to three or even two professional clubs edging closer. Given the WRU have not yet formally announced a permanent new head coach for the men's national team to replace Warren Gatland , it is safe to say there are some major discussions going on behind closed doors. Over the next few months the future direction of the professional game in Wales will be decided. Get this wrong and Welsh rugby may never recover, with success at international level a distant memory. So, what will happen and what is the timeframe? Here is all you need to know. WalesOnline understands the appointment of a new long-term coaching team is nearing completion, five months after Gatland walked away from the job. Over the past few months Matt Sherratt has been in charge on an interim basis but he is highly unlikely to be given the role permanently, although he could be a part of the new coaching team. Former Ospreys boss and current Scotland defence coach Steve Tandy has been among the front runners from the start along with Scarlets legend and Ireland assistant Simon Easterby. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. It is thought the successful candidate is currently working on one of the summer tours, with both Tandy and Easterby fitting the bill. Expect an announcement to be made when this summer's international rugby wraps up. The WRU are entering into formal consultation with the four professional clubs - Cardiff , Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - over the new structure. It has concluded the current system no longer works, while it also concedes there is not enough money to make it work. The reality is the men's national team pays for the rest of the game, with funding directors at all four professional clubs also contributing significantly. With the national side struggling badly radical changes are needed to get back on the winning trail. The WRU is considering and will consult on whether to cut to two or three pro sides going forward over the coming weeks. That is the big one, with the below other issues that will be looked at: As of yet there has been no official response but at some stage they will have to front up to the media. There is also the possibility of a legal challenge against the WRU from some of the professional clubs. The four clubs will undoubtedly have to explore every possible avenue to ensure they exist in a couple of years time. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free But there is a possibility they might explore the possibility of merging with their rivals in what would be a bold move. This would not be straightforward because if there was to be a merger both companies would acquire the other's debt unless they put the business through and start a new company. But over the next few months, expect all manner of proposals which would have seemed unthinkable in the past to be discussed. The WRU says they want to restructure the professional game for the 2027/28 season but it could happen a lot sooner than that. That date has been given because it aligns with the two-year notice period on the Professional Rugby Agreements, along with broadcast and competition contracts. But if the WRU decides to go down to two sides and determines which ones will go then it should happen faster than that. It is very difficult to see a situation where you have two teams with only two years of trading left competing. No funding director is going to want to put money into that, while sponsors would also walk away. The WRU will spend August and September consulting with key stakeholders, from the professional clubs to supporters. The consultation will cover the entire high-performance framework from pathways to professional club structure and the senior men’s and women’s game. In October, WRU CEO Abi Tierney will take the governing body's preferred option to the board who will vote on it. If the motion passes the WRU board it will get announced in October. However, it is worth noting any litigation could slow down the process but, on the flip side, things could come to a head much sooner than October if the governing body and the clubs work together to get down to two teams. This is when it gets really interesting. If the WRU decide to go down to three or two clubs then there are a few ways this could play out. The current four clubs could come up with their own solution like mergers, or the WRU could force the issue. The current direction of travel points towards just two sides and we could well potentially end up with one team in the east and one in the west. Who owns and runs those teams will be fascinating when it all comes out in the wash, with Cardiff currently under WRU control but available to purchase. Could the owners of one of the other regions potentially be included in a consortium to buy Cardiff? Could this be a way of merging two sides? Many options will undoubtedly be discussed and the new ownership of Cardiff could be crucial in determining the outcome. Potentially the WRU could put the licences out to tender while appointing an independent body to decide based on a set of criteria. But it would be in the best interests of all five parties to come to a solution themselves rather than going out to tender. They will also need to consider any potential financial penalties which could come their way from the URC if they were to reduce the number of teams. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. WalesOnline understands the URC would rather the WRU cut to two teams rather than three were they to go down from four while they have been in talks with two American franchises about joining the league. There is also a chance an Anglo-Welsh league could be formed if Wales does go down to two teams. But the key point is the much-needed changes will be accelerated if there is agreement across the board.