Play all audios:
THE WRU HAVE ANNOUNCED A MAJOR NEW APPOINTMENT 15:00, 29 May 2025 The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has appointed Leighton Davies as its new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). This new role was
previously described as the Chief Growth Officer and has been created to bring growth to the WRU and the whole Welsh rugby ecosystem. Davies is currently WRU Chief Operating Officer (COO)
and, having led the effort across the business to implement robust business process and a solid financial foundation, will take up the new role later this summer - with a replacement COO to
be recruited. He is also the WRU Chief Operating Officer having joined the WRU as Chief Financial Officer in March 2024, while he also sits on the Professional Rugby Board. “I am really
excited to be taking up this new role," said Davies. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
"Welsh rugby possesses a huge amount of unrealised potential and this is what directly attracts me to this position. "The game is undoubtedly going through a tough time, not just
in Wales, but globally, but I’m hugely excited about the potential of our new strategy and plans.” The professional game in Wales is at a critical stage in its history after the Ospreys and
Scarlets refused to sign the new Professional Rugby Agreement due to concerns the WRU were planning to turn Cardiff into a super club after buying the capital city side. Following Cardiff
and the Dragons' decision to sign PRA 25 it led to the WRU activating the two-year notice clause on the old agreement, leaving the two west Wales clubs in limbo. The future direction of
professional rugby in Wales will be decided over the coming months but a reduction to three or even two clubs is a very real possibility. JOIN WALESONLINE RUGBY'S WHATSAPP CHANNEL HERE
TO GET THE BREAKING NEWS SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE FOR FREE As a result Davies will have a critical role to play in the future direction of the professional game. “We are delighted that
Leighton has accepted this new challenge in such a pivotal role for Welsh rugby," said WRU CEO Abi Tierney. Article continues below "It is a key position for us as we continue the
process of professionalising and further commercialising ourselves to meet the challenges faced by all of Welsh rugby as part of our five-year One Wales plan.” Get the latest breaking Welsh
rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.