Ospreys players issue joint statement after being "left in the dark"

The announcement, broken by WalesOnline, has raised concerns among supporters, who worry that it could signal the end of the region as the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) looks to cut the number of professional sides from four to three.

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At this current moment, there has been no response from the Ospreys, Y11, or the WRU on the growing concern, not even the Welsh head coach Steve Tandy, who named seven Ospreys players in his 38-man Six Nations squad.

Speaking after selecting his squad, Tandy said: "For me, it is speculation, and I’m not going to get into the ins and outs. You aren’t going to get more from me.

“If I put myself in anyone’s shoes, it is going to hurt, and there’ll be frustration and anger. Anytime you do something, there’ll be feelings off. It would be unfair to focus on one team.

“I’ve focused on the squad selection, and we were in the office until 9:30 pm last night making calls. We need to make sure we are fully connected to the players. If they have any issues, the players can pick up the phone and speak to us.

Several Ospreys players, late on Tuesday afternoon, including Sam Parry, Dan Edwards, Morgan Morris, and Gareth Thomas, have posted on social media, stating that they have been left in the dark by both the WRU and Y11.

The players, one of whom has been selected in Tandy's Six Nations squad, said they have received no information on the ongoing matter and expressed their disbelief that the "most successful Welsh team, with the richest history, could be on the brink of extinction".