Premiership Suspended

[fivepointer]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51906207

"England's Premiership has been suspended for five weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The period of inactivity takes in four scheduled rounds of matches, with the weekend of 24-26 April currently identified for the resumption.

The quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, scheduled for 3, 4 and 5 April, have also been postponed"

As expected. End of April may be a very optimistic date for the resumption of action.

[Mellsblue]

RFU has suspended all rugby until 14th April

[Peej]

It's the only option. I imagine at that stage they may just draw a line and close the season early

[Digby]

If they end the season early we're back to do they relegate Sarries. The clubs will never get a better chance to end something they don't like with less pushback, against which they really want Sarries to pay, decisions, decisions, supposing anyone is left alive in a few months anyway

Also what happens to European qualification?

[Puja]

I was thinking today that is was actually damned lucky that Saracens are being relegated, as it means the most damaging season position is already finalised even if the season had to be cut short. If they hadn't, can you imagine the furore that the relegated club would have made - Leicester would've been especially voluble had it been them, on the basis that they would've expected a late-season boost from having their internationals back.

Frankly, I would be in favour of 3-4 weeks of play-offs to finish the season. Something like position 10 plays 3, 9 vs 4, 8 vs 5, 7 vs 6, with the winners playing each other before positions 1 and 2 join in to create semis, then finals. Use them to determine European qualificationas well - top 6 go through.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Not a bad shout.

The trouble is, I struggle to see how players are going to stay match fit if they’re not playing or able to train together for a month.

Sure they can do individual training but I’m not sure how effective that will be unless they’ve got top class home set-ups.

[Danno]

Not a bad shout.

The trouble is, I struggle to see how players are going to stay match fit if they’re not playing or able to train together for a month.

Sure they can do individual training but I’m not sure how effective that will be unless they’ve got top class home set-ups.

They should all be in the same boat though.

Plus if the clubs are anything like my employer they will be in touch at least every 3minutes 48 seconds. Should be more than enough to make sure they're hitting the treadmill rather than the mars bars

[Puja]

Not a bad shout.

The trouble is, I struggle to see how players are going to stay match fit if they’re not playing or able to train together for a month.

Sure they can do individual training but I’m not sure how effective that will be unless they’ve got top class home set-ups.

Something of a blessing in disguise for this generation of players though - this is probably the longest sustained break any of them will ever have had. This, plus the Saracens relegation, could be adding years to the careers of the likes of Itoje, BillyV, George, etc.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Yeah - fair points. Who knows anyway? At the moment, I can’t see any more Premiership games being played this season.

[p/d]

Not a bad shout.

The trouble is, I struggle to see how players are going to stay match fit if they’re not playing or able to train together for a month.

Sure they can do individual training but I’m not sure how effective that will be unless they’ve got top class home set-ups.

Something of a blessing in disguise for this generation of players though - this is probably the longest sustained break any of them will ever have had. This, plus the Saracens relegation, could be adding years to the careers of the likes of Itoje, BillyV and pounds to George’s waistline

Puja

That’s more accurate

[jimKRFC]

Bristol are sending players on "active rest" which sounds unpleasent.. They have training programmes, GPS trackers (don't tell my boss), webexs planned and have been loaned gym equipment. Players that live together will train together. Will make the first games back a bit of lottery though.

Interesting point from Mark Tainton (COO of Bristol) that the season has to be done by end of July as all the sides will have a load of players out contract, players will switch to clubs etc.. so it can't run too much longer.

[Gloskarlos]

This from the Telegraph....


Premiership clubs are preparing to ask players to take a 25 per cent paycut because of the financial effects of the coronavirus outbreak, Telegraph Sport has learned.

Both Gloucester and Sale Sharks have called staff meetings for Friday in which they will outline the radical measures and it is believed up to seven other clubs, including Harlequins, Leicester and Wasps, are prepared to follow suit. Docking any wages would constitute a breach of contract and so players would have to agree to the proposal.

It is understood the clubs will argue that if they do not enact radical measures then they may struggle to stay afloat. At present, the next four rounds of league matches have been suspended, although the chances of the Premiership resuming as scheduled on April 24 appear increasingly remote.

Premiership clubs can ill afford to lose many further matches. Lance Bradley, the Gloucester chief executive who held a meeting with the senior playing group yesterday, last week told Telegraph Sport that matchday revenues make up 25-30 per cent of the club’s income. Bradley also said the prospect of cancellations or behind-closed-doors games would have a “dramatic impact on our finances.”

More bluntly a Gloucester playing source was told with no revenue coming in “they are going to be f-----d pretty quickly”. That situation is replicated throughout the league, which lost a collective £50million in the last financial year. Telegraph Sport also understands that clubs’ central funding from Premiership Funding has been cut by a quarter this week, which may reflect the demand for players to have their wages docked by 25%.

However, many players are asking what happened to the £13.5 million each club received from CVC’s takeover of Premiership Rugby last year. An emergency call of the Rugby Players’ Association’s players board was held on Thursday. The players’ union will hold further talks today as further detail of the clubs’ demands comes to light.

[Adam_P]

My initial thoughts on this are that it seems reasonable to ask the first team type players, most of whom are on a very good wage compared to the rest of the country, to take a temporary reduction in wages to help the club stay afloat. Backroom staff, academy and lower down squad players would obviously be affected significantly more by a 25% wage reduction. If the choice is take a temporary pay cut from £100,000 to £75,000 a year (how on earth will they survive?!) or potentially not have a club to play for, surely the decision is obvious?

[Which Tyler]

My initial thoughts on this are that it seems reasonable to ask the first team type players, most of whom are on a very good wage compared to the rest of the country, to take a temporary reduction in wages to help the club stay afloat. Backroom staff, academy and lower down squad players would obviously be affected significantly more by a 25% wage reduction. If the choice is take a temporary pay cut from £100,000 to £75,000 a year (how on earth will they survive?!) or potentially not have a club to play for, surely the decision is obvious?

So you're saying that COVID19 is an evil ploy by Saracens?

[Mellsblue]

All rugby for the season cancelled by the RFU bar the Prem

[Mellsblue]

Promotion and regulation implications to be announced by mid-April.

[Gloskarlos]

Off Topic

My initial thoughts on this are that it seems reasonable to ask the first team type players, most of whom are on a very good wage compared to the rest of the country, to take a temporary reduction in wages to help the club stay afloat. Backroom staff, academy and lower down squad players would obviously be affected significantly more by a 25% wage reduction. If the choice is take a temporary pay cut from £100,000 to £75,000 a year (how on earth will they survive?!) or potentially not have a club to play for, surely the decision is obvious?

It is obvious, yes. The question is I suppose how much of this pain should be shared by the RFU and PRL, both of whom without a Premiership shop window would also be in dire straits. I’m not sure either where CVC cash has gone in most instances.

[jimKRFC]

Dailymail reporting that the clubs not (yet) suggesting pay cuts are Bath, Bristol and Sarries.

Can imagine it causing a lot of issues for the clubs if they do. I recall the impact on the performance at Bristol when the players were told they'd be getting pay cuts. After it was leaked the side went to pieces....

Edit - Bristol have confirmed there will be pay cuts for all staff.

[Mellsblue]

Wasps and Wuss both confirm all but lower paid staff are subject to 25% cuts.

[Which Tyler]

You're not the only one to notice

[Digby]

It's an April Fool's notice

[Puja]

Leicester too: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51988774

Although, in a lot of the Leicester players' cases, they're still overpaid.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

As if there’s nothing better to worry about:



For the sake of context:

[Digby]

If Ealing can arrange a suitable ground in the next few weeks maybe they have a point. But maybe they should stand ready to compensate others if they're just wasting our time

[Mellsblue]

If Ealing can arrange a suitable ground in the next few weeks maybe they have a point. But maybe they should stand ready to compensate others if they're just wasting our time

They’ll also need to find some supporters to fill it.