RFU and Pro Rugby

[Banquo]

Not sure if anyone saw Bill Sweeney being eviscerated by the DCMS committee recently over Worcester's demise? I genuinely don't know what the RFU's accountability is with respect to pro clubs- oversight, governance etc? Anyone help?

[Which Tyler]

For the premiership clubs, and to my knowledge... none.
The whole point of PRL is to keep RFU noses out of professional club administration/governance; they just authorise competitions, insurance etc.

The club owners wanted to be a protectionist cabal unto themselves, and through various EPS agreements, ensured that they were, and explicitly forbade the RFU having any say whatsoever in the running of independent companies.

It's why I'm not sure what people think the RFU should have done to help Wuss or Wasps, when doing so (or putting in place any limitations whatsoever on club ownership) would have been a breach of contract.

[Banquo]

For the premiership clubs, and to my knowledge... none.
The whole point of PRL is to keep RFU noses out of professional club administration/governance; they just authorise competitions, insurance etc.

The club owners wanted to be a protectionist cabal unto themselves, and through various EPS agreements, ensured that they were, and explicitly forbade the RFU having any say whatsoever in the running of independent companies.

It's why I'm not sure what people think the RFU should have done to help Wuss or Wasps, when doing so (or putting in place any limitations whatsoever on club ownership) would have been a breach of contract.

That's what I'd 'assumed', so was amazed that Sweeney just sat there and took being harangued. There was a lot of talk about tests of competence and fitness for operation (paraphrasing), but I didn't know if that was in the RFU's domain tbh.

[Which Tyler]

That's what I'd 'assumed', so was amazed that Sweeney just sat there and took being harangued. There was a lot of talk about tests of competence and fitness for operation (paraphrasing), but I didn't know if that was in the RFU's domain tbh.

To go political for a moment, it's like blaming the shadow chancellor for the failings of the actual chancellor. RFU would (presumably) love have a say in the running of the clubs - but they just don't.

There's also that a bunch of MPs saying that people should resign for incompetence - especially when they're not actually allowed to do anything about the situation.

[Banquo]

That's what I'd 'assumed', so was amazed that Sweeney just sat there and took being harangued. There was a lot of talk about tests of competence and fitness for operation (paraphrasing), but I didn't know if that was in the RFU's domain tbh.

To go political for a moment, it's like blaming the shadow chancellor for the failings of the actual chancellor. RFU would (presumably) love have a say in the running of the clubs - but they just don't.

There's also that a bunch of MPs saying that people should resign for incompetence - especially when they're not actually allowed to do anything about the situation.

aye to all that. Those committee hearings are nearly always a spot of scapegoating- the style of this one, lead by Julian Knight, was horrendous; pretty much - are you useless, yes or no. Then interuppting any sort of response and saying....are you useless, yes or no.