Strong opposition to ‘closed shop’ 10-team PremiershipFast-tracking Wasps or London Irish ‘an absolute no-no’
English rugby is heading for yet another significant political bust-up after the second-tier Championship clubs urged Rugby Football Union council members and the government to delay approving the proposed new eight-year Professional Game Partnership (PGP) agreement. Instead they want the RFU to engage in fresh negotiations, insisting that plans for a “franchise” Premiership Two league are not in the best interests of the wider game.
The Championship clubs are opposed to a “closed shop” 10-team Premiership involving no promotion or relegation which they believe could create a “zombie league” of neutered feeder clubs. They also object to familiar “brands” such as Wasps or London Irish being parachuted into a reshaped second tier, arguing that clubs which have gone out of business should be required to repay their debts in full before being eligible for inclusion.