Scarlets-Ospreys merger deal emerged as players were blindsided and chaos erupted

Once again, the prospect of a merger between the Ospreys and Scarlets is on the table.Last week, the Welsh Rugby Union outlined how it plans to get from four professional teams to three, after a season of uncertainty. Cardiff and Dragons are in line to get two of the three licences, leaving the Ospreys and Scarlets fighting it out for the final one.How that one unfolds in the next 12 months remains to be seen, with a merger a possibility.Of course, this isn't the first time the two west Wales sides have come close to merging.‌Back in 2019, as the national team were three-fifths of the way towards a Grand Slam, Welsh rugby just about imploded in the days prior to a clash with Scotland at Murrayfield.The news that the Ospreys and Scarlets were to become one seven years ago blindsided just ab