Wasps & Wuss new developments (and Irish too?)

[Which Tyler]

I'm not seeing any live threads on these two going back about 6 weeks.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/ ... fu-demands

Fresh from being given a kicking for not interfering with the clubs and helping them stave off the inevitable (whilst doing so would have been a breach of contract); the RFU are now being given a kicking for wanting some level of interference in a club that's been proven to need it, and when it wouldn't be a breach of an existing contract.



Elsewhere, it seems (AKA, I'm told) that people on twitter are up in arms as they've just discovered that for Wasps to be resurrected in the Championship, they'd need to stay in Coventry - something we've known since day 1.
To be the phoenix club, you need to be the old club rescued from the ashes. If you're not the old club reborn, then you're not a phoenix club, and "just" a new one, starting at the bottom.
Which means being the old club... in the old location (more or less).

[Danno]

viewtopic.php?t=5853&sid=1beed3f2a393c3 ... 52c1bff7bf

[FKAS]

I don't think Wasps were all that keen to move anyway, they've still got the new training base it's just whether they can come to an agreement to get access to the Ricoh again or whether they need to shop around for a new ground. There's plenty of ground nearby that would suit for the season in the Championship but there would need to be something bigger after promotion. Redditch is just down the road from Cov and would seat 5k which would do for the Championship then it's Walsall, Birmingham or back to the Ricoh to Prem promotion?

[Puja]

I'm not seeing any live threads on these two going back about 6 weeks.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/ ... fu-demands

Fresh from being given a kicking for not interfering with the clubs and helping them stave off the inevitable (whilst doing so would have been a breach of contract); the RFU are now being given a kicking for wanting some level of interference in a club that's been proven to need it, and when it wouldn't be a breach of an existing contract.



Elsewhere, it seems (AKA, I'm told) that people on twitter are up in arms as they've just discovered that for Wasps to be resurrected in the Championship, they'd need to stay in Coventry - something we've known since day 1.
To be the phoenix club, you need to be the old club rescued from the ashes. If you're not the old club reborn, then you're not a phoenix club, and "just" a new one, starting at the bottom.
Which means being the old club... in the old location (more or less).

I'm surprised by it being mandated that Wasps have to stay in Coventry to survive. It's not like they're massively ensconced there and that moving them would be ripping them out of their geographical heartlands. That's not to mention the fairly significant elephant in the room that is them sharing a city and a division with the actual Coventry rugby club.

Puja


PS. I'm happy to allow a new thread - the old one was getting a bit bulky, so I've got no problems starting afresh.

[Puja]

I don't think Wasps were all that keen to move anyway, they've still got the new training base it's just whether they can come to an agreement to get access to the Ricoh again or whether they need to shop around for a new ground. There's plenty of ground nearby that would suit for the season in the Championship but there would need to be something bigger after promotion. Redditch is just down the road from Cov and would seat 5k which would do for the Championship then it's Walsall, Birmingham or back to the Ricoh to Prem promotion?

Butts Park seems perfect for them.

Puja

[FKAS]

I don't think Wasps were all that keen to move anyway, they've still got the new training base it's just whether they can come to an agreement to get access to the Ricoh again or whether they need to shop around for a new ground. There's plenty of ground nearby that would suit for the season in the Championship but there would need to be something bigger after promotion. Redditch is just down the road from Cov and would seat 5k which would do for the Championship then it's Walsall, Birmingham or back to the Ricoh to Prem promotion?

Butts Park seems perfect for them.

Puja

On many levels yes, as Cov were using various promotional materials indicating that there was only one real rugby club in the city and it's them. Can't see the two clubs playing nice.

[Banquo]

Wasps yes, wuss no

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64002072

[Which Tyler]

viewtopic.php?t=5853&sid=1beed3f2a393c3 ... 52c1bff7bf

Apologies, my eyes somehow managed to miss that one

[fivepointer]

Wasps are moving to .....Solihull. Solihull Moors FC is to be their new home.

[Mellsblue]

Inspiring.
There’s also a joke about Moors vs Saracens but I can’t put it together.

[Banquo]

Wasps are moving to .....Solihull. Solihull Moors FC is to be their new home.

what happens to the Ricoh?

[Mellsblue]

Wasps are moving to .....Solihull. Solihull Moors FC is to be their new home.

what happens to the Ricoh?

They’re going to rename it the Ricoh, no!

[Puja]

Wasps are moving to .....Solihull. Solihull Moors FC is to be their new home.

what happens to the Ricoh?

Mike Ashley has already bought it, and already started up the fun by threatening to evict Coventry City - suspect they'll come to miss the days of having Wasps as their landlords!

Puja

[Puja]

https://12ft.io/proxy?&q=https%3A%2F%2F ... y-solihull

Telegraph Sport has been told the Rugby Football Union has agreed to waive a regulation that would have forced Wasps to remain in Coventry for three years given they do not own or control their own ground.

I still say it seems wild to not go back to London/South-East if that kind of latitude is available. Is it really fruitful for them to remain in the midlands? I'm sure some of their crowd will follow them to Solihull, but surely not enough to make a viable return to Prem rugby possible. It's especially wild if we're planning on a second division containing clubs in Worcester, Coventry, and Solihull. Three clubs within 50 miles, all of which are then surrounded by Gloucester, Leicester, and Northampton. Madness.

At least the Pertemps Bees are no longer vying for the top level to get annoyed at being supplanted by Wasps.

Puja

[Banquo]

Wasps are moving to .....Solihull. Solihull Moors FC is to be their new home.

what happens to the Ricoh?

Mike Ashley has already bought it, and already started up the fun by threatening to evict Coventry City - suspect they'll come to miss the days of having Wasps as their landlords!

Puja

Interesting- so presumably some of that cash went to paying off Wasps debts?

[I R Geech]

Would have thought a move to Oxford would suit. Plenty of love for Wasps near enough by.

[FKAS]

what happens to the Ricoh?

Mike Ashley has already bought it, and already started up the fun by threatening to evict Coventry City - suspect they'll come to miss the days of having Wasps as their landlords!

Puja

Interesting- so presumably some of that cash went to paying off Wasps debts?

Would depend on the terms of the lease with the council and which Wasps Company owned the ground etc. In theory it should have paid off some but considering they owed HMRC and bond holders a fortune it wouldn't have gone that far.

Cov City and Ashley have come to an agreement on the Ricoh after Ashley initially kicked them out. Sounded like the football club were trying to argue their agreement to use the ground was unchanged by the change in ownership and Ashley said it was. Anyway a deal has been thrashed out.

[Banquo]

Mike Ashley has already bought it, and already started up the fun by threatening to evict Coventry City - suspect they'll come to miss the days of having Wasps as their landlords!

Puja

Interesting- so presumably some of that cash went to paying off Wasps debts?

Would depend on the terms of the lease with the council and which Wasps Company owned the ground etc. In theory it should have paid off some but considering they owed HMRC and bond holders a fortune it wouldn't have gone that far.

Cov City and Ashley have come to an agreement on the Ricoh after Ashley initially kicked them out. Sounded like the football club were trying to argue their agreement to use the ground was unchanged by the change in ownership and Ashley said it was. Anyway a deal has been thrashed out.

aye, was hoping someone might know.

[FKAS]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64026368

Well Coventry are spoling for a rumble with the RFU and it sounds like Wasps won't be given a friendly welcome to the Coventry derby next season. If Wasps are at Solihull it sounds like those derby games might well be worth attending, could be fiesty.

[Mellsblue]

Cov’s Chief Exec hates the RFU and PRL. He was on the Champ pod a few months back and, to channel my inner Stuart Barnes, he eviscerated both at any given opportunity. All got a bit annoyingly ‘woe is me’, to be honest.
The annoyance at the lack of consultation and respect from both parties with/to Champ Rugby is evident whichever rep of the Champ you listen to or read, and rightly so, but the Cov Chief Exec’s annoyance is beyond all the others.
Iirc, quite a few of us called out the Wasps move to Coventry, for various reasons, and I think we were proved right.

[Puja]

Cov’s Chief Exec hates the RFU and PRL. He was on the Champ pod a few months back and, to channel my inner Stuart Barnes, he eviscerated both at any given opportunity. All got a bit annoyingly ‘woe is me’, to be honest.
The annoyance at the lack of consultation and respect from both parties with/to Champ Rugby is evident whichever rep of the Champ you listen to or read, and rightly so, but the Cov Chief Exec’s annoyance is beyond all the others.
Iirc, quite a few of us called out the Wasps move to Coventry, for various reasons, and I think we were proved right.

I mean, he does have reason to be annoyed beyond all others - Cov were building something, only for Wasps to move in with no warning to nick the rugby fanbase in the city and, when Cov complained, the RFU said that they didn't really care about the effect it would have on them. I have great sympathy.

Puja

[FKAS]

I've got to say I do feel sympathy, I guess the Cov CEO is also gearing up for the inevitable RFU declaration that they can't afford to give the Championship anymore money and that the league will get what they got last year but split amongst 14 instead of 12.

[Mellsblue]

I haven’t had chance to read the report so I’m unsure whether there will be any reference to chicken dinners.

[Puja]

Everything I've read about this suggests that the committee in question don't understand any of the issues and have wilfully avoided learning anything in this process. Anyone fancy reading it to see if it's any better informed than it seems.

One of the replies to the twitter by a fan is interesting, suggesting including the Welsh Prem sides in a putstive second tier. Not sure how that would work with promotion and relegation, but it's an interesting thought.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Everything I've read about this suggests that the committee in question don't understand any of the issues and have wilfully avoided learning anything in this process. Anyone fancy reading it to see if it's any better informed than it seems.

One of the replies to the twitter by a fan is interesting, suggesting including the Welsh Prem sides in a putstive second tier. Not sure how that would work with promotion and relegation, but it's an interesting thought.

Puja

Here’s someone’s thoughts on it:



The reply you’re referencing says ‘the four Welsh clubs’ which I took to mean the four regions who obviously wouldn’t agree to be relegated in to the English Champ. Even if they could get four Welsh Prem clubs/regions, your make up would be three PRL clubs, four Welsh clubs and three Champ clubs. Can’t see that going ahead for a myriad of reasons.”Thanks for bumbling along as best you can with little to no help and minimal and unrealiable funding. Now we’re getting our s**t together (and we’ve only doing that out of self interest because we’ve royally f**ked up) 80% of you can get f**ked and sit outside a ring fence league you’ve been in for years cos we want some Welsh tv pennies.” Fark off.