Before he has even started, incoming WRU chair Lyndon Faulkner is promising a hard look at the books and the plan to cut a Welsh region.
Lyndon Faulkner hasn't officially taken his seat yet, but the incoming Welsh Rugby Union chair is already making his intentions clear. His message: he won't be rubber-stamping anything.
Faulkner says he is determined to get to grips with the union's finances from the outset. He also wants to examine the proposal to reduce Wales' professional regions, one of the most divisive issues in the Welsh game. Cutting a team would reshape the pathway for players, coaches and supporters across the country.
His "no yes-man" line signals an independent streak at a time when Welsh rugby badly needs fresh scrutiny. Money is tight, trust between the governing body and the regions has been strained, and every big decision carries consequences on and off the pitch.
For now, Faulkner is staying out of the details until he is formally in post. But a promise to review the region cut tells fans and clubs that nothing is locked in, and that the first big test of his chairmanship is already waiting for him.
