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Wales captain Morgan proclaims love for Ospreys amid club turmoil / Photo: © AFP
NYSE - LSE
Wales captain Morgan proclaims love for Ospreys amid club turmoil
Wales captain Jac Morgan declared his love for the Ospreys on Tuesday after his regional side was left with an uncertain future by a Welsh Rugby Union plan to cut one of their four professional teams.
An initial WRU proposal in August had suggested reducing the four existing professional clubs -- Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets -- to two teams.
But last week the WRU confirmed its plans to grant three licences for men's clubs -- one for Cardiff, one in the east of Wales and one in the west.
That would appear to mean Swansea-based Ospreys and Llanelli's Scarlets are in a battle for funding, with the WRU's announcement also reviving talk of a merger between the two clubs.
Morgan, a 25-year-old British and Irish Lions flanker, has made no secret of his loyalty to the Ospreys despite being linked with a move to London-based English Prem side Saracens.
Ospreys supporters' were told at a fans' forum last month that if the region ceased to exist then Morgan would leave Wales and play his club rugby outside the country.
"I love the Ospreys," Morgan said Tuesday while speaking sitting alongside new Wales coach Steve Tandy at a press conference ahead of the Autumn Nations Series.
"I love playing there, I love the boys, the coaches and everyone.
"The news only came out on Friday so the main focus for myself is this campaign and we'll see how everything else goes," he said ahead of November Tests at home to Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and world champions South Africa.
Morgan, speaking about the general uncertainty, added: "It's a different situation, but the players have been good in the way they've reacted.
"We address it but also we've got the opportunity now with the learnings and the new coaches coming in to focus on the upcoming games."
Wales ended a record 18-match losing run with a 31-22 victory over Japan in Kobe on July 12.
When it was put to Tandy that the timing of the WRU announcement, on the eve of his first game in charge of Wales, against Argentina on November 9, was terrible, he replied: "I don't think there's ever a good time for decisions to be made.
"Monday was making sure our environment, when the boys came in, was being empathetic and speaking to people around the situation.
"You see the buzz in and around the boys and, in fairness to them, how they've put aside some of that to get into camp has been outstanding."
M.Hill--SFF
