Lyndon Faulkner to review Welsh regions plan after being named incoming WRU chair

Lyndon Faulkner, the incoming Welsh Rugby Union chairman, said he will review the controversial plan to cut a professional club in Wales and examine the future number of regions as he prepares to take up the role; he will be formally elected in November.

Faulkner, a millionaire business magnate and former player, does not officially start his role until next month and has already compiled a list of priorities that includes a probe of the union's "worrying" financial performance. He said he had not been fully aware of the extent of the WRU's debt until it was revealed last week and added: "I feel it's my role to review everything we've got going on, challenge it, probe it and hopefully bring my experience to bear where I feel we can do things better. I haven't done what I've done in business by not doing that."

Responding to suggestions he was appointed to simply endorse the planned reduction from four regions to three, Faulkner rejected the claim and invoked independence of judgement. "There's talk out there that whoever took this job was under the condition that they can't talk about that [regional shake-up] but that's absolutely incorrect," he said, adding: "I wouldn't have taken the job with those conditions or if it were me needing to be a yes man. That's not me." When asked if he would be prepared to reverse the decision to cut a region he replied: "Absolutely - and that's on anything I see."

Faulkner said he was "empathetic" to the distrust felt by the Ospreys and Scarlets, the two regions most under threat, and wanted any review to avoid prolonging a decision that has already dragged on. He said: "We've got four regions, all with their history in our great game. So I am understanding of the emotions that it drives. At the end of the day, we've got a review to do and then look at how that comes out." He also said he broadly supported the WRU's move to rescue Cardiff and expressed support for any potential Anglo-Welsh competition, citing his own experience playing in a similar tournament for Pontypool in the 1980s.

On finances, Faulkner reacted strongly to the WRU's reported £18m loss for the latest year and signalled a business-led response. He said: "That was quite a surprise to me because the previous finances didn't look that bad, but they are worrying," adding: "So there is an absolute business aspect that has to be fixed and without that, we haven't got the right investments to go where we need the investments to go." He warned of broad cost pressures, noting: "There's probably not a company in the UK at the moment, unless you're in oil and gas, that's not having some of the same issues with utility bills, minimum wages, national insurance or cost of food."

Faulkner outlined his rugby and commercial background during interviews at the Arms Park and after watching matches in Cardiff and Swansea on Saturday. The 66-year-old is the nephew of Wales great Tony 'Charlie' Faulkner, played at centre for Pontypool in the 1980s alongside figures such as Graham Price, Eddie Butler and David Bishop, won the Welsh Cup, represented Monmouthshire and "twice faced Australia" in 1981 and 1984 before a knee injury ended his playing career. In business he worked for and eventually owned the Welsh technology firm Nimbus, persuaded Richard Branson to invest in CDs, succeeded Robert Maxwell as owner of the business he later floated on the New York stock exchange, helped launch Xbox and Microsoft Office, featured on the TV show The Mentor and said: "$100m doesn't frighten me."

He addressed public criticism of the union's leadership and signalled a willingness to be hands-on amid calls for resignations. Swansea council leader Rob Stewart, ex-player Alex Cuthbert and businesswoman Hayley Parsons all called for WRU bosses to step down after the reported loss, and Faulkner said: "Let's be honest, I'm putting my impeccable professional reputation on the line here," adding: "But I'm actually getting in the ring. It frustrates me there's a lot of voices out there telling everybody what to do, but many of those voices are not prepared to actually get in the fight - and that list is quite extensive. It's also pretty distracting from the playing side. There are positive things happening, but we need people to support."

Faulkner will be formally elected as WRU chairman in November, will chair the board and does not join the WRU executive team; while he will not make final decisions he is expected to have major influence as he begins his term next month.