Premiership II plans announced

Blues were also robbed in a one leg semi final at Worcester with a try late on against them which would have been disallowed with a video ref. They even received an apology from the RFU…. Not that that meant anything!

I wonder how many of us would actually like to see our club in The Premiership in its current state. Rumours abound that several other Prem clubs are on the brink. Is there, actually, any benefit from joining this failing cartel as it stands?
The amount of money that would need to be pumped in to meet ground criteria, buy Prem shares and build a squad capable of survival is eye watering. Be careful what you wish for.

London Irish confident of making a return for the start of the 2026 season. Which league that will be in is anyone's guess. 

Edited by Nat1 - 14 Mar 2025 at 12:52

Worcester Warriors have appointed Matt Everard as head coach after the club announced they had passed the audit for entry to the tier 2 level for next season.
Everard who has previously coached at Nottingham, Wasps and Leicester was given the role after Ex-Jersey and Pirates coach Harvey Biljon turned down the role and decided to remain at Rotherham.

Found this on the RFU website:
Section 2 - Minimum Operating Standards

Annual management accounts showing income and
expenditure for the previous Season.
i. Showing YTD actual vs budget;
ii. At 6 month or 12 month intervals;
OR
iii. DCMS loan submissions (where applicable);
(d) Current Club assets and liabilities;
(e) Financial Projections / Budget for the current season
(season prior to Tier 2 league entry) demonstrating all costs
associated with the Club;
(f) Details of any Club loans and repayment dates;
(g) Such other financial information as the Club believes is
relevant; and
(h) Such other financial information as the RFU may reasonably
request.
Thereafter, the Club shall be required to observe financial
monitoring obligations as set out in the RFU Regulations.
i. Annual financial statements (as filed at Companies
House or equivalent for company type) must be used.
1.2 Evidence of financial planning
Essential: The Club must provide a completed RFU Financial
Questionnaire in a form stipulated by the RFU which will include the
provision of written submissions on:
(a) Summary of trading history over the past three years;
(b) Proposals for funding losses / shortfalls; and .......

So b (at the top) and 1.2 (a) - next to bottom line could not possibly have been met. How did they "pass the audit" ? What a farce.

Edited by Stalwart* - 14 Mar 2025 at 16:38

JZSmith wrote: tigerburnie wrote: JZSmith wrote: tigerburnie wrote: We are dealing with what looks like an inept bunch in the RFU, indeed I have heard it said by others Lovely, no idea myself. However I have a certain amount of sympathy for the Worcester position, fleeced by a would be asset stripper, if others accounts are to be believed, though oddly no criminal charges have occurred. I wish Worcester's new owners would do the honourable thing and start again at the bottom, like others have done, but it's all about the money now, rugby is no longer a game anymore. Rugby is still very much a game because rugby does not begin and end at the top couple of levels. I think money has an effect on clubs in all the National leagues and probably below that, clubs have to raise a lot of money just to exist, never mind paying players any fees. Of course clubs have to raise money to exist and most at this level are doing so with very little if not zero help from the RFU but this doesn't mean rugby isn't a game for them. Do you think those involved in grassroots rugby are only thinking about money and not having a good time playing and watching a game with their mates?

They should get relegated, but instead, they are getting a loan...

Immorality is alive and kicking in The Premiership 

As a falcons supporter and ST holder I find the news unpleasant and rather unsettling. However, I actually favour relegation/promotion and feel that this is a foundation on which sport thrives.

Perusing the fan sites of the PRL sides it would seem the main topic of conversation is the lack of meaning full games, many are saying that the season ticket is not worth having and it looks to me like gates are falling, market forces will dictate what happens, no-one will buy into a game with no entertainment value in front of empty stadiums.