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WELSH RUGBY FACES BIG CHANGES WITH REGION CLOSURE PLAN

The Welsh Rugby Union plans to cut its professional men's teams from four to three by 2028. The new structure will feature one club each for the capital, West, and East Wales.

Welsh Rugby Faces Big Changes With Region Closure Plan
Welsh Rugby Union Announces Region Reduction by 2028 - COURTESY/PHOTO

By 2028, the Welsh Rugby Union plans to reduce its four regions to three, with the Ospreys and Scarlets most likely to be eliminated.

The union affirmed its intention to "issue three licences for men's clubs; one for the capital, one for West Wales, and one for East Wales" during a special news conference today.

Additionally, it stated that the three team squads will receive equal support, with annual funding starting at £6.4 million and increasing to £7.8 million.

"We conclude that the future structure of elite men’s rugby will be based on three professional men’s clubs, replacing the current four-team model, with two women’s elite teams," WRU head Richard Collier-Keywood told reporters.

Nevertheless, they intend to uphold all current contracts in spite of this action.

"Any change is challenging, and in the absence of new agreements, we will uphold our existing contractual responsibilities to the URC and our professional teams.

"We wish to include the URC as well as the current teams' owners and managers in the process of reaching our aim. We will put in a lot of effort to do this as soon as possible, but it might take some time.

Collier-Keywood went on, "We have previously promised that all current player contracts will be honoured."

This year, the WRU conducted a thorough nationwide poll that received over 7,000 replies. The goal is to revamp and enhance the club model in the legendary rugby realm.

Along with the announcement comes the pledge of more funding for the game, totalling about £40 million over five years.

The rumours that a women's URC will be introduced in the upcoming years will be strengthened by the acquisition of two "elite" women's teams.

The women's rugby committee chair, Amanda Bennett, described it as a "transformative moment for women’s rugby in Wales" and stated that the current goal is to draw and keep elite players.

WHY LAURA WOODS FELT FORCED TO SPEAK OUT ON BOXING GENDER ROW

TNT Sports presenter Laura Woods risked career "cancellation" to speak out on the Imane Khelif boxing row, saying she felt a deep "injustice" over the debate.

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Laura Woods Felt "Injustice" Over the Imane Khelif Controversy

Laura Woods recently opened up about her worries about potential backlash after sharing her views on the gender debate that surrounded the 2024 Olympic Games. The heart of the issue was Algerian boxer Imane Khelif's participation and her gold medal in the women's welterweight division at the Paris Olympics.

A year prior, Khelif and China's Lin Yu-ting were barred from the World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA). This organization, backed by Russia and not well-regarded, claimed blood tests proved Khelif wasn't eligible to compete against women.

The IBA didn't give any real proof to back up their claims. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) didn't think the tests were believable. They let both athletes compete in the Games.

Woods, a TNT Sports presenter, publicly supported a Telegraph article that said the IOC's choice to let Khelif (who had been incorrectly called transgender) and Lin compete put female athletes at risk.

Woods told the newspaper that she feared speaking out could have gotten her canceled. Woods, 38, said she felt like there was a big injustice happening.

She was angry that anyone who wanted to talk about it was made to feel like they were wrong.

She added that it still bothers her because Khelif got a lot of sympathy, but the women around her didn't.

She was shocked that even questioning it could have led to being canceled. After beating Yang Liu in last year's final, Khelif plans to compete at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

This is in response to President Donald Trump's plan to ban biological men from women's sports and his false statement that Khelif was born male. The boxer addressed these claims earlier this year.

Khelif told ITV Sport that she is not transgender. This does not concern her, and it does not intimidate her.

She said the scrutiny she faced last year really hurt her mental and emotional well-being. She felt discouraged, but she knew what was going on.

During the Paris Olympics, she had a team of doctors who supported her. Without them, she might have become depressed.

After Khelif's second-round win over Italy's Angela Carini, she received lots of backlash. She beat Carini in just 46 seconds, and Carini reportedly said, "It's not fair," after Khelif punched her.

FELONY CHARGES: SHERRONE MOORE SCANDAL FORCES KEY RECRUITS TO ABANDON MICHIGAN

The fallout from Sherrone Moore's firing and felony charges deepens: four-star TE Matt Ludwig and OL Bear McWhorter have both decommitted from Michigan.

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Assault Allegations & Recruits Backing Out Rock Michigan

The Michigan Wolverines are dealing with more fallout after the firing of head coach Sherrone Moore.

Moore was dismissed on Wednesday for an inappropriate relationship with a staff member and later detained for an alleged assault in Ann Arbor.

Following the scandal, two football recruits have backed out of their commitments to Michigan.

Matt Ludwig, a highly rated four-star recruit, was released from his national letter of intent after Moore's firing.

Ludwig, a tight end from Billings West High School in Montana, had planned to start at Michigan in January.

But after Moore's firing, he was allowed to back out of his agreement.

Ludwig's high school coach told USA Today that he was really devastated and shocked—all the emotions—by the news.

Ludwig has since committed to Texas Tech and will join the Red Raiders in January.

Also, offensive lineman Bear McWhorter announced on Friday that he is backing out of his commitment to the Wolverines.

McWhorter, a three-star prospect, committed to Michigan in February and signed with the school last week.

He called it a difficult decision in a post on X, adding that he is grateful to the staff at U-M for everything they've done.

The university started an investigation after getting a tip about Moore's relationship with a staff member.

The initial inquiry found no evidence of a relationship, as both Moore and the woman denied the claim.

Moore, 39, allegedly threatened to kill himself and make a woman watch after breaking into his assistant's apartment after his fired from Michigan.

Moore and his wife, Kelli, have been married since 2015 and have three daughters.

The school hired an outside law firm for more information. The Wall Street Journal reported that the woman contacted the firm on Wednesday to change her story, saying she and Moore had been involved for two years until 2024.

The school fired Moore on Wednesday, according to the Journal, which did not name the woman.

On Friday, Moore was charged with breaking, home invasion, and stalking after allegedly entering his assistant's apartment, terrorising a woman, and threatening to harm himself.

Prosecutor Kati Rezmierski said Moore and the woman had been in an intimate relationship for years. Magistrate Odetalla M. Odetalla forbade the court from identifying the alleged victim. The 911 call that led to Moore's arrest was made from an apartment belonging to his executive assistant, Paige Shiver.

Police and prosecutors said Moore entered a residence unarmed through an unlocked door and engaged in a verbal argument with the victim that escalated. He then allegedly grabbed knives and scissors and threatened to harm himself.

"I'm going to kill myself," Moore told the woman, according to prosecutor Kati Rezmierski on Friday. I'm going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. You ruined my life.

Moore allegedly left before police arrived. He was arrested on Wednesday evening at a church parking lot. He has since been released on bond, according to court records.

If convicted, Moore could face up to six and a half years in jail and $3,500 in fines, according to the county's statement on Friday.

He was granted a $25,000 bond and ordered to wear a GPS device while continuing mental health treatment. His next court appearance is January 22.

Defence attorney Joe Simon said there is no evidence to suggest that his client is a threat to the public while out on bond.

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