Today's rugby headlines as Welsh team reveal 'catastrophic' loss and shot player to be honoured

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Friday, April 1.

Cardiff Rugby has recorded a loss of £1.6million for the year ending 30 June, 2021. As part of accounts filed with Companies House, Cardiff say the financial impact of Covid has been "catastrophic".

Cardiff said the club "would not have survived" without salary cuts on earnings more than £25,000 and staffing cuts, with 14 positions being made redundant after a restructure. The Welsh outfit said they "remain reliant" on support from the Welsh Rugby Union, their "various funders" and the goodwill of fans, sponsors, directors and shareholders.

They say they received £2.7m of the £13.5m grant funding secured by the WRU from the Welsh Government in 2021 to help them through the 2020-21 campaign. Cardiff's rugby costs for the year were £8.9m, compared to £9.8m the previous year and £10.5m in 2018-19. The £1.6m loss was an increase from £317,000 in 2019-20 and £405,000 the previous year.

You can get all the daily breaking rugby news sent to your inbox by signing up to our free newsletter

"Without this sacrifice by the company's employees, the club simply would not have survived," the accounts said. Cardiff said "one real positive" was the number of fans who had donated the costs of season memberships or match tickets to support the region. Cardiff received £65,000 in donations, with £50,000 requested in credit and £48,000 in refunds.

The accounts said there had been in an uptake in commercial numbers, membership and ticket sales on the back of the decision to drop the word 'Blues' from their name from the start of this season. Cardiff may also train long-term at Pentwyn Leisure Centre, having moved there during the pandemic, and negotiations are ongoing over lease to