Ospreys get go-ahead for St Helen's return

Ospreys and Swansea Council have agreed plans for the rugby team to return to St Helen's for the 2026/27 season.

The proposals were passed at a meeting of the council's cabinet on Wednesday, 25 March.

The agreement is part of a joint investment between the club and local authority to redevelop the famous old sports venue to host Ospreys, Swansea RFC and community clubs from September.

Swansea Council said in a statement: "By investing in St Helen's, the council is creating a fantastic facility for the community, opening the doors to schools, local clubs and young players taking their first steps in the game.

"The Ospreys will also invest to create a modern stadium capable of attracting crowds back to regional rugby at one of the UK's most iconic grounds.

"Working in partnership, we will deliver a community programme that inspires young people and creates a clear pathway from school and local club rugby through to the Ospreys."

The move to St Helen's will be Ospreys' third home in as many seasons, having left the Swansea.com Stadium to play in Bridgend for this campaign.

Work on a new state of the art 4G playing surface will begin shortly, according to the council.

The decision to make the traditional home of rugby in Swansea their team's base for 2026-27 comes as Swansea Council and Ospreys fans fight Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) plans to cut the nation's professional tier from four to three teams.

The WRU has given Ospreys owners Y11 Sport & Media an extra 30 days - until Wednesday, 22 April - to negotiate proposed takeover of Cardiff.

The deadline is just two days before the two rival clubs meet at the Arms Park in the United Rugby Championship.

That scenario has led to legal action, protests and the possibility of WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood being the subject of a vote of no confidence at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of the governing body on Monday, 13 April.

On Tuesday a joint statement issued by Ospreys and the local authority announced that Alun Wyn Jones will join a new Swansea Rugby Community Board.

The board will "ensure the redevelopment delivers maximum benefit for local people".

In a fresh statement on Wednesday, Council leader Rob Stewart said: "The uncertainty caused by the WRU's proposals to axe one region, and the prolonged discussions around the sale of Cardiff Rugby, is affecting confidence in the game from grassroots through to the regions.

"The Ospreys are a massive part of our culture. They are Wales's most successful region, they deliver fantastic work in the community, and they bring £15 million into the local economy every year.

"Welsh rugby cannot afford to lose the Ospreys. That's why we have stepped up and secured this agreement, which we believe is a blueprint for how rugby can thrive in our region and across Wales."