Players break down in tears as livelihoods lost - the brutal reality as Welsh rugby stars thrown onto scrapheap

May has been a horrible month for many players in Welsh rugby.

After receiving the dreaded tap on the shoulder, they have effectively been told they are out of a job. The game in Wales is facing tough times and slashing squad numbers is being seen as one of the solutions to the current structural and financial issues.

There are 20 players leaving the Dragons, 12 are heading out the door at Cardiff and nine at the Scarlets. Even before the Ospreys confirm their numbers, that's 41 players. There are those who are fortunate enough to be moving straight to a new club, but that is not always a the case.

Rob Evans' axe comes amid 'perfect storm' as brutal reality worries players

There has been an uncompromising cull in Welsh rugby.

It is a time of year where uncertainty lingers in the air and it can follow players, who have bills to pay like everyone else, around like a cloud. That said, it also has to be accepted that this is an uncomfortable reality of professional sport, not just limited to Welsh rugby.

But there is a certain way of handling things. The most important thing is that players get early notice because it gives them a greater chance of finding a new employer before other teams finalise their squads for the following season.

That has been a source of great frustration of late, with players this year finding out that they are being cut far too late to do anything about it. Dragons chairman David Buttress recently pointed to the uncertainty over budgets as a reason why players have been told so late but accepted: "We have to own our part in it and do better."

A former Welsh rugby coach told WalesOnline: “We would tell players in November and December. We didn’t tell anyone after January because we knew players