Dai Young has been suspended as Cardiff director of rugby, BBC Wales Sport has learned.

They confirmed the 55-year-old will not be with the team for Saturday's final game of the season against rivals Ospreys at the Principality Stadium.

It has been reported that a number of complaints have been made against Young from employees.

The decision followed a board meeting on Thursday and the club's players were informed on Friday, though it could not have come at a worse time.

Young has been removed on the eve of Cardiff facing arch-rivals Ospreys to qualify for the Heineken Champions Cup and on the same day as the funeral of long-time chairman Peter Thomas.

Cardiff need just one point from the United Rugby Championship [URC] game to claim the Welsh spot in European club rugby's top competition.

Assistant coach Richard Hodges, who gave this week's media briefing on Thursday, is expected to take the helm at the Judgement Day showpiece.

Young, a former British and Irish Lion and dual-code Wales international, is in his second spell in charge at Cardiff where he played most of his career.

Young won both the EDF Energy Cup and European Challenge Cup in his first spell, as well as reaching the Heineken Cup semi-finals, before leaving to take the reins at Wasps in 2011.

He returned to the Arms Park in 2021, though the team is facing a drastic reduction in the playing squad and budget as Welsh rugby comes to terms with austerity measures next season.

However the decision to suspend Young from his duties raises doubts over his long-term future at the United Rugby Championship side.