Mark Jones Joins Ospreys Coaching Staff
Mark Jones became part of the Ospreys' coaching team in 2023 and now expresses optimism about the club's future following the withdrawal of their owners from a bid to acquire Cardiff Rugby Club.
Cardiff Takeover Bid Withdrawn
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) announced on Wednesday that Y11 Sport & Media, the preferred bidder chosen in January, had retracted its offer to purchase the Arms Park club.
As a result, Ospreys and Scarlets are poised to sign a new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA), aligning them with Cardiff and Dragons, who are already under this agreement.
This agreement extends through to 2030; however, the WRU retains the option to issue a two-year notice period and plans to continue with its strategy to reduce the number of professional Welsh rugby clubs from four to three.
Despite this, Jones is relieved that Ospreys can at least plan with certainty until 2028.
"It's positive news for Welsh rugby in general, not just the Ospreys," said the former Wales wing.
"With limited information at the moment, the outlook is certainly looking a lot more positive over the next couple of seasons.
"If everything is signed off then we get some security around all areas of the agreement for another season on top of next year.
"That definitely helps around staffing, player recruitment, retention and general morale. It's a big help for everybody."
Impact of Cardiff Takeover Collapse on Ospreys
The collapse of the Cardiff takeover bid by Ospreys' owners has brought some relief to the club, which has been operating under uncertainty throughout the current campaign.
Ospreys are scheduled to move to St Helen's in Swansea next season after playing at Bridgend's Brewery Field in the 2025-26 season.
Jones has kept his squad informed about the potential developments related to Y11's Cardiff takeover and was able to confirm the latest status during training sessions.
"Sometimes me and other staff members have had to deliver not such positive news and you are always worried about how it's going to affect the group," he said.
"This certainly seems to have affected the group in a positive way if you look at how the training session went in terms of the body language. They look like they're in a good place off the back of it."
Ospreys, who still hold slim hopes of reaching the play-offs, are set to travel to face seventh-placed Cardiff in the United Rugby Championship on Friday at 19:00 BST.
Player Departures Amid Uncertainty
While Ospreys now have more clarity for the next two seasons, the ongoing challenges in Welsh rugby have led to two of their key players deciding to leave.
Wales forwards Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake, who served as co-captains during the 2023 World Cup, have both chosen to join Gloucester for the upcoming season.
Despite retaining players such as Dan Edwards, Kieran Hardy, Harri Deaves, Morgan Morse, and Keelan Giles, and signing Wales wing Tom Rogers from Scarlets, the loss of Morgan and Lake is significant.
"There's no doubt that the uncertainty really prompted those guys to look further afield," Jones commented.
"They are passionate Welshmen and have been terrific servants to the Welsh game, and in particular the Ospreys.
"There was no real requirement for them to go elsewhere, but they felt that for their careers and the stability of their families they had no choice, because it's not the first time that this sort of thing has happened to them.
"As I said at the time, we have absolutely nothing against those lads because they want to play at the highest level and in a short career you want to apply your trade and be secure in your job so that you can be the best you possibly can."
