The Welsh Rugby Union has today outlined its position on a proposal to run rugby academies recently received from a former partner and sponsor.
The Indigo Group made the proposal to the WRU this summer. The Union has declined to take up the proposal but it has recently been made public and received significant publicity.
Responding to this publicity, the WRU has written a letter to internal stakeholders explaining its response.
A summary of the response follows with the letter in full also below:
Summary:
The WRU respects the commitment and effort that Indigo invested in developing its proposal and shares many of its aspirations.
However, after careful consideration, we concluded that the proposed model was not aligned with the current strategic direction of Welsh rugby.
The principal considerations behind our decision were:
• concerns regarding pay-to-play initiatives
• the creation of a parallel rugby structure
• governance and safeguarding responsibilities
• representative pathway integrity
• the need for the WRU to retain strategic oversight of player development in Wales
For these reasons, the WRU declined the request for a formal strategic partnership, whilst remaining open to future discussions where there is alignment with the interests of Welsh rugby as a whole.
The letter in full:
Subject: Indigo Group Academies Proposal – Background and WRU Position
Many of you may have seen recent media coverage and discussions on social media regarding an Indigo Group proposal for rugby academies.
Given the level of interest and commentary, it would be helpful to provide some context on the engagement that has taken place between the WRU and Indigo, the process that was followed, and the reasons behind our decision not to pursue the proposals.
Background
On 19 June 2026, an introductory meeting took place between representatives of Indigo Group and the WRU’s commercial, performance and community departments. Following that meeting, it was agreed that any further discussions should be led through the relevant people at the WRU, including rugby performance and development, pathways, commercial and governance.
A subsequent meeting took place on 3 July 2026 between Indigo representatives and senior WRU executives and staff. Following those discussions, Indigo submitted a ‘strategic partnership framework’ seeking formal recognition and partnership status with ourselves.
The proposal included requests relating to:
• recognition of Indigo as an approved academy delivery partner
• alignment with WRU player pathways
• recognition of an East versus West Wales representative programme
• alignment of player registration, safeguarding and welfare processes
• involvement in coach development and talent identification
• recognition of the Indigo Benevolent Trust
• a wider commercial and operational partnership model
The proposal was reviewed by colleagues across the organisation before a formal response was provided.
Areas of alignment
It is important to recognise that the WRU shares many of the broad ambitions outlined within the proposal.
We agree on the importance of:
• strengthening clubs and schools
• supporting player development
• developing and educating coaches
• growing participation
• promoting athlete wellbeing
• creating positive experiences for young players
• supporting community rugby throughout the country
Decision rationale
Our decision not to proceed was not a rejection of shared objectives. Instead, it reflected a difference in views regarding the most appropriate strategic and operational approach to achieve them. Key to this was our assessment that the proposal was an explicitly commercial proposition.
The WRU does not believe in a pay to play model or that access to coaching should come at prohibitive cost. Since we are currently refining the player pathway, we would not endorse something with commercial objectives that is not aligned to our strategic ambitions.
Additionally, we did not see this as a charitable venture, nor did we foresee any direct investment of new funds to support the development of Welsh rugby.
Accessibility and pay-to-play concerns
We had genuine concerns about the pay-to-play nature of the proposal. It also appears to be aimed primarily at boys’ rugby and not girls’ rugby. The WRU’s position remains that player identification and development pathways should be accessible to all, regardless of financial circumstances, and that progression should be based on ability and potential rather than the ability to pay.
Whilst Indigo proposed mechanisms to support players through a (yet to be established) benevolent trust, concerns remained regarding development and representative opportunities being linked to paid programmes. We felt strongly that this did not align with our Crys i Bawb/Jersey for All inclusion strategy.
Parallel rugby structure
Another major concern was that the proposal would create a parallel structure alongside our existing rugby system. The proposal sought formal recognition of Indigo academies, representative fixtures, talent identification systems and player pathways.
Our view was that this could create confusion for players, parents, community clubs and schools by introducing an alternative pathway alongside the national system overseen by the WRU.
Governance, safeguarding and welfare
Registration, safeguarding, player welfare, competition approval and disciplinary processes are core responsibilities of the WRU.
Whilst collaboration with external organisations can be beneficial, accountability for these areas must remain directly with us as a national governing body to ensure consistency, compliance and the protection of players.
Representative rugby and pathway governance
The proposal included an East versus West Wales representative programme and additional pathway structures.
The WRU believes that representative rugby, player identification and progression pathways should remain under the governance of the national governing body to ensure consistency, alignment and clarity.
We are also mindful of research and experience that suggests early selection can have unintended consequences for player retention and long-term development.
Strategic independence
The WRU remains open to working with external organisations where there is clear value to Welsh rugby.
However, the proposal would have positioned a single commercial provider as a nationally recognised delivery partner across multiple strategic areas. Our view was that the future direction of Welsh rugby should continue to be shaped by the WRU in partnership with the wider game.
Future partnerships
Although we did not support the Indigo proposal in its current form, we have not closed the door on potential partnerships of this nature, with them or others.
There may be opportunities for external providers and commercial organisations to contribute positively to Welsh rugby in the future.
However, any such involvement would need to:
• avoid financial barriers to participation
• help develop girls and boys’ rugby
• support and strengthen the national pathway
• protect player welfare and safeguarding standards
• strengthen clubs, schools and communities rather than create parallel structures
• align with WRU strategy and governance
Summary
The WRU respects the commitment and effort that Indigo invested in developing its proposal and shares many of its aspirations.
However, after careful consideration, we concluded that the proposed model was not aligned with the current strategic direction of Welsh rugby.
The principal considerations behind our decision were:
• concerns regarding pay-to-play initiatives
• the creation of a parallel rugby structure
• governance and safeguarding responsibilities
• representative pathway integrity
• the need for the WRU to retain strategic oversight of player development in Wales
For these reasons, the WRU declined the request for a formal strategic partnership, whilst remaining open to future discussions where there is alignment with the interests of Welsh rugby as a whole.