I hope you are well, have enjoyed a good summer, and are looking forward to the return of rugby and the BKT United Rugby Championship in just over a week’s time.

I wanted to write to you ahead of the new season to introduce myself and thank you for your continued support of this famous club.

It is a great privilege to be named the new Independent Chair of such a world-renowned rugby club, one that means so much to its local community and people.

I have been fortunate to live and work in and around Cardiff for the past 25 years. It is a city that means a great deal to me and one with enormous potential. Rugby has always been my game, from playing throughout my childhood and youth to working closely with the Welsh game as a sponsor.

This is my first role directly within the sport, and I arrive with an open mind and a strong desire to take on the challenges that Cardiff, and the wider game, currently face. 

I recognise this is a pivotal time for both the club and Welsh rugby as a whole. It is a challenge I relish, and I look forward to working with everyone involved to secure a successful and sustainable long-term future.

My first week coincided with our Consultation Meeting with the Welsh Rugby Union, and I must thank everyone who completed our surveys – players, staff, supporters, and sponsors. Your responses gave us a very clear understanding of our stakeholders’ collective views.

Our interim Managing Director, Jamie Muir, and Head Coach, Matt Sherratt, led our meeting, with myself, Mike Brown (Marketing and Communications), Darren Allinson (Recruitment and Retention), Josh McNally, and Hannah Davis (Executive PA) all in attendance in supporting roles.

We had a very constructive and positive meeting with the WRU representatives. We were clear on our priority: keeping Cardiff Rugby in Cardiff, specifically at the Arms Park.

This was overwhelmingly supported in our survey results, and we left the meeting confident that this message had been delivered and understood.

The consultation process continues, and I understand the CF10 Trust also enjoyed a productive meeting, ensuring that the views of Cardiff supporters were once again clearly and firmly presented.

During this period of discussion and potential change in Welsh professional rugby, I will be regularly present at Cardiff Arms Park to ensure the club remains fully represented and to support Jamie and our management team in every way possible.

I was very impressed by the Arms Park and the atmosphere created at Summerfest and the victory over Richmond FC. It was clear to see the club has an incredibly passionate and hardworking team behind the scenes.

On the pitch, it was a great run-out for the squad, and I was equally pleased to see the performance and result away at Leinster over the weekend. While it is, of course, only pre-season, it bodes well for the start of the campaign.

Everyone is now working extremely hard to ensure we are ready to go on Saturday, September 27, and it would be brilliant to attract a large crowd for that opening fixture against the Emirates Lions.

Such support would be a powerful statement against the backdrop of everything currently being discussed across Welsh rugby.

From observing in recent seasons, and now seeing the figures in my new role, it is clear Cardiff Rugby are on an upward trajectory. Attendances have been growing, our commercial numbers are rising, and we are determined to keep building on this momentum.

Please do stop and say hello if you see me at the Arms Park in the coming weeks. I would love to meet as many of you as possible, and I plan to spend time across all areas of the ground to experience what match-day feels like for every supporter, sponsor, and stakeholder.

In the coming weeks, most likely once we have clarity from the WRU at the conclusion of the consultation process, we intend to hold a full Q&A session with supporters.

I hope you understand the rationale for waiting until that point, and please rest assured that meeting supporters is a priority for us. The executive team and I are committed to ensuring transparency with all stakeholders through regular and clear communication.