Aviva Premiership: something exciting happens

[paddyor]

Worcester beat 4pm wages deadline to survive for another month.

Alex Lowe
@AlexMLowe
I understand Worcester players/staff have woken up to find there is still no salary payment in their accounts.

The players intend to submit breach of contract letters today. They have to be delivered by hand or registered post.

Source: “The players have no trust in the owners”
8:39 AM · Sep 1, 2022

[IanD]

BBC News - Worcester Warriors: Players, coaches and staff flood social media over situation at club
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/62768732

From the link above one of the players is homeless and kipping with a teammate.

Also they can't afford team kit. They want dispensation to play without names on jerseys so the can reuse them.

But remember folks as BT will tell you this is the future of Rugby.

[Schumi]

an electronic banking issue that caused a further delay

Sure. Very believable.

I'm sure there'll be a succession of investors falling over themselves to plough money into the club soon.

[blockhead]

BelTel

Austin Healey urges Government to write off debts owed by Premiership clubs
By Duncan Bech, PA England Rugby Correspondent September 07 2022 04:08 PM

Austin Healey has urged the Government to write off the debts owed by English clubs in the wake of the pandemic on the grounds that they perform important roles in their communities.

The Gallagher Premiership launches when Bristol host Bath on Friday night but the new season is clouded in gloom before it has even started due to the financial crisis at administration-threatened Worcester.
Premiership teams secured £147m in loans from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) to help with the financial fallout of Covid but these are having to be repaid over 10 years.
Former England star Healey believes it will take Government assistance to improve rugby’s outlook.
“Yes, off the field clubs have got financial difficulties, but you look around the country because of the pandemic, most businesses are in exactly the same place,” BT pundit Healey told the PA news agency.
“Stock markets are off, credit markets are screwed, you can’t get debt anywhere – and there’s a lot of debt everywhere – but all that is a by-product of two years of Covid.
“Rugby was already a finely balanced industry and an immature industry before Covid – it already had a lot of debt – and Covid really hit it.
“It will bounce back. It’s got some great owners, some brilliant clubs, wonderful fans, and it just needs to steady the ship and see its way through – probably with some help from the Government to be honest.
“The clubs have had debt provided by the Government but they’ve got to pay debt back. There’s been a lot of writing off of loans in various other industries.
“In a time when we’re seeing energy companies making bumper profits, maybe DCMS will do something to help the clubs across the board because of the feelgood factor that ruby gives to communities and the amount they put back into communities.
“You can’t just help the ones that are in financial difficulty because it’d be unfair for them to just help one and not help the other 12.”

[FLIP]

Nah, give the money to the RFU to buy out the PRL.

[wixfjord]

Jack Dunne starting and ROL coming on at centre for Exeter in a winning effort against Leicester today.

[FLIP]

Niall Annett managed to get red carded without even getting on the pitch in the Bristol Bath match

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/62834855

NB: he managed to get red carded before even making his debut for Bristol

[Flash Gordon]

BelTel

Austin Healey urges Government to write off debts owed by Premiership clubs
By Duncan Bech, PA England Rugby Correspondent September 07 2022 04:08 PM

Austin Healey has urged the Government to write off the debts owed by English clubs in the wake of the pandemic on the grounds that they perform important roles in their communities.

The Gallagher Premiership launches when Bristol host Bath on Friday night but the new season is clouded in gloom before it has even started due to the financial crisis at administration-threatened Worcester.
Premiership teams secured £147m in loans from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) to help with the financial fallout of Covid but these are having to be repaid over 10 years.
Former England star Healey believes it will take Government assistance to improve rugby’s outlook.
“Yes, off the field clubs have got financial difficulties, but you look around the country because of the pandemic, most businesses are in exactly the same place,” BT pundit Healey told the PA news agency.
“Stock markets are off, credit markets are screwed, you can’t get debt anywhere – and there’s a lot of debt everywhere – but all that is a by-product of two years of Covid.
“Rugby was already a finely balanced industry and an immature industry before Covid – it already had a lot of debt – and Covid really hit it.
“It will bounce back. It’s got some great owners, some brilliant clubs, wonderful fans, and it just needs to steady the ship and see its way through – probably with some help from the Government to be honest.
“The clubs have had debt provided by the Government but they’ve got to pay debt back. There’s been a lot of writing off of loans in various other industries.
“In a time when we’re seeing energy companies making bumper profits, maybe DCMS will do something to help the clubs across the board because of the feelgood factor that ruby gives to communities and the amount they put back into communities.
“You can’t just help the ones that are in financial difficulty because it’d be unfair for them to just help one and not help the other 12.”

The reason they are in the positioning they are in is not because they overspent on grass roots development it's because they've been running a business model that is completely unsustainable for years! Virtually all of the clubs have consistently lost money for years. Instead of addressing this their primary objective seemed to be trying to penalize other teams playing in the European Cup and in arguing for the salary cap to be ditched/cheating to get around it.

If only there was a proven success model in a neighbouring country that they could consider.....

[Dave Cahill]

Warriors game against Exeter (who start ROL and Jack Dunne) will go ahead after they were able to provide a safety certificate - however only the East Stand will be open and attendance is limited to 5k as they are limited by the number of volunteer stewards and staff available

[naraic]

Warriors game against Exeter (who start ROL and Jack Dunne) will go ahead after they were able to provide a safety certificate - however only the East Stand will be open and attendance is limited to 5k as they are limited by the number of volunteer stewards and staff available

Hardly a way to get towards financial solvency. Although their average attendance is around 7k.

[FLIP]

Wasps have filed notice in the High Court of their intention to appoint an administrator

Could be relegated

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/e4f7 ... ac981b6821

[blockhead]

ITV

Worcester Warriors have been set two deadlines amid a warning from the Rugby Football Union that they will be suspended from all competitions on Monday if they are unable to fulfil three criteria.

The Warriors have until 5pm on Monday 26 September to provide evidence that they have the required insurance cover in place, the funds to meet payroll and a meaningful plan to lift Sixways out of crisis.

Worcester are fighting for their future burdened by debts totalling over £25million amid growing anger felt towards owners Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham, who have been accused of asset stripping the club.

In addition, Worcester must prove by 12pm on Thursday the capability to stage Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership match against Newcastle after last Sunday’s first home game of the season only took place because of the efforts of staff, many of whom have not been paid their salaries for August.

[Flash Gordon]

Wasps have filed notice in the High Court of their intention to appoint an administrator

Could be relegated

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/e4f7 ... ac981b6821

Taking no pleasure in this as I have a few good mates who are Wasps fans but unfortunately this is their failure to address the unsustainable financial model they've had for years. Rather than fix it they tried to blame other clubs for playing unfairly by working with a financial model that works... I suspect Worcester and Wasps won't be the only ones....

[Ruckedtobits]

Wasps have filed notice in the High Court of their intention to appoint an administrator

Could be relegated

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/e4f7 ... ac981b6821

Taking no pleasure in this as I have a few good mates who are Wasps fans but unfortunately this is their failure to address the unsustainable financial model they've had for years. Rather than fix it they tried to blame other clubs for playing unfairly by working with a financial model that works... I suspect Worcester and Wasps won't be the only ones....

Exactly. Can't say they weren't warned.

[paddyor]

That’s a lot of talent with no contract for next season and none of the English clubs will be able to afford them.

[riocard911]

It wouldn't suprise me, should the Nigels, in the context of Wasps having to be relegated and Worcester to close up shop, rather than go down the route of promoting the likes of Ealing Pathfinder and the Cornish Pirates into the Prem, start a push some kind of arrangement, whereby the Irish, South Africans and Welsh come to the rescue their "business model". I would be very much against that.

[blockhead]

It wouldn't suprise me, should the Nigels, in the context of Wasps having to be relegated and Worcester to close up shop, rather than go down the route of promoting the likes of Ealing Pathfinder and the Cornish Pirates into the Prem, start a push some kind of arrangement, whereby the Irish, South Africans and Welsh come to the rescue their "business model". I would be very much against that.

The same thing crossed my mind, re the welsh.

So could these 2 teams get kicked out now and not fulfill their fixtures? That woudn't help the other teams at all, 2 paydays down.

[naraic]

It wouldn't suprise me, should the Nigels, in the context of Wasps having to be relegated and Worcester to close up shop, rather than go down the route of promoting the likes of Ealing Pathfinder and the Cornish Pirates into the Prem, start a push some kind of arrangement, whereby the Irish, South Africans and Welsh come to the rescue their "business model". I would be very much against that.

It's worth noting that the premiership has rejected last year's championship teams for not meeting minimum standards.

No one was supposed to be relegated this year so as to help expand the league.

[dropkick]

It wouldn't suprise me, should the Nigels, in the context of Wasps having to be relegated and Worcester to close up shop, rather than go down the route of promoting the likes of Ealing Pathfinder and the Cornish Pirates into the Prem, start a push some kind of arrangement, whereby the Irish, South Africans and Welsh come to the rescue their "business model". I would be very much against that.

This article from the telegraph sounds like they're making a move.


United Rugby Championship throws weight behind Club World Cup plans
Exclusive: Commitment of body representing clubs from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales represents major step forward


Plans for a new ‘Club World Cup’ have received a major boost with the United Rugby Championship confirming its formal backing for the tournament.

Telegraph Sport revealed in July that a blueprint for a new tournament, involving the top 16 sides from the northern and southern hemispheres, had been agreed in principle.

It is understood that discussions between the European leagues, including the Premiership and French Top 14, represented by EPCR, and the southern hemisphere unions are at an advanced stage, focusing on the start date and season structure.

The blueprint is for eight northern hemisphere clubs, seven from the southern hemisphere plus a Japanese side to be placed in four pools, each playing two matches against teams from the other hemisphere. The winner of each pool would progress to the semi-finals ahead of a final to crown the best club side in the world.

The competition, which would take place instead of the knockout rounds of the Champions Cup and see the Premiership final brought forward to early May, would happen once every four years, and is expected to start in 2025 ahead of the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.

Martin Anayi, the chief executive of the URC and representative on the EPRC board, said that his league was fully behind the proposal and spoke of an aspiration to expand the tournament to the USA.

Anayi also said he hoped that the URC, which is made up of professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales, could work with the English Premiership to create a ‘festival of rugby’ featuring a double-header involving a match from both leagues played back-to-back in the same stadium.

Mark McCafferty, the former chief executive of Premiership Rugby, an EPCR board member, and a long-time advocate of a world club championship, has been leading the talks with the key stakeholders and it is hoped a deal will be struck before the end of the year.

“We want to make it happen,” Anayi told Telegraph Sport. “It's about being joined up enough to have a vision for the world club cup. Everybody's largely agreed in principle, and we just need to figure out dates.

“We do like the idea of a Japanese team in there as well, I think that's quite an interesting conversation we're having. It adds quite a flavour to it.

“In the future, I think we need to try and help the domestic leagues in America and in South America and the rest of continental Europe, for example Spain and Germany, to bring teams through. I've always thought maybe the Challenge Cup was a good route for that.

“But the long-term vision for a Club World Cup, and I'm not saying the first cycle, must be that we get competitive US teams in there as well. Especially now we've got a men’s Rugby World Cup there in 2031.”

As for greater collaboration between the URC and the Premiership, who now share an office in London in order to pool administrative resources, Anayi said that while there were no long-term merger plans, both leagues could benefit from greater synergy.

“I like the idea of creating big events and maybe we could do a double-header together in one stadium to create a festival of rugby, maybe in our territory” Anayi added.

“If the English teams want to play in one of the fantastic stadiums in one of our territories, for example the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, or vice-versa, there has got to be a way we can talk to one another and our audiences and be more collaborative.

“It just happens that there's two different leagues operating but it's still the same game with a similar fan base. The question is can you make it even bigger by doing it together?”

Anayi is also working on establishing a new cup involving URC clubs and is exploring the possibility of whether the leading English clubs might be interested as a successor to the current Premiership Cup. The growing commercial strength of the URC was recently underscored by two significant sponsorship deals with Qatar Airways and Indian tyre company BKT.

“I have to convince Simon (Massie-Taylor, the Premiership chief executive) but I would love to see it,” Anayi added.

[riocard911]

Yip. Sounds like it alright.....