Former Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones joins Scarlets board as WRU trims pro tier

Carwyn Jones joins the Scarlets board

Former First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones has joined the Scarlets board of directors with immediate effect, the Scarlets confirmed on September 24, 2026, with executive chairman Simon Muderack calling him "one of the most respected figures in Welsh public life." The Scarlets announcement lists existing board members including Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Sean Fitzpatrick and Derek Quinnell, with Jones added to the roster alongside figures such as Jon Daniels, Philip Davies, Huw Evans and Rupert Moon.

A political heavyweight with deep rugby roots

Jones represented Bridgend in the Senedd from 1999 to 2021 and served as First Minister of Wales from 2009 to 2018, and now sits in the House of Lords with the title Lord Jones of Penybont. A barrister who played rugby at Aberystwyth University, he also serves on the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee of the Football Association of Wales and is a director of Bridgend Ravens, one of the most prominent clubs in the Ospreys region.

A public stand against the three-team plan

On joining the board, Jones said: "I believe Welsh rugby needs four professional teams," arguing that "the proposal to leave west Wales with one licence puts two clubs with proud histories and important contributions in an impossible position," and that "the west must stand together to secure the future of both of its teams." The Welsh Rugby Union has outlined plans to cut from four men's professional teams to three by 2028, with one side in the capital, one in the east and one in the west, leaving the Swansea-based Ospreys and the Scarlets competing to be the sole west Wales survivor.

Broader governance and community mandate

Scarlets officials framed the appointment around leadership and community ties, with Muderack citing Jones's "judgement of a former first minister, a deep understanding of Wales and its communities, and a genuine passion for rugby." The Scarlets said Jones's career spans law, broadcasting and a professorship at Aberystwyth, where he presented the S4C series "Y Gem yn y Gwaed" on the social history of Welsh rugby, experience they said would be "invaluable" to the board.