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DMP Durham Sharks saved from the axe at the last minute
DMP Durham Sharks have rescued their Allianz Premier 15s season just one week after their players launched an emergency crowd-funding campaign.
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The Darlington-based side, who learned about their potential league exit last week, needed to meet an estimated £50,000 shortfall, but by Tuesday the team had raised £32,679 and were granted an additional 24 hours by club officials to make up the difference.
The campaign reached its conclusion on Friday with both the club and players confirming the required funding had been met.
A club statement read: “Following a combination of crowdfunding, sponsorship and public support, the Sharks have managed to raise the required funds to meet the necessary standards and will therefore participate in the 2022/23 season as planned.
“On behalf of everyone at the club we’d like to thank everyone who has supported the Sharks in any way in recent weeks. The backing of members, supporters, sponsors and the general public has been incredible and has truly shown the power of sport.
“We would also like to thank the RFU for their support over what has been a very testing time for the club.”
The fixtures for the 2022-23 Allianz Premier 15s and Allianz Cup will be announced on Wednesday, August 17.
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A letter from the players added: “As a result of securing the minimum required financial support, DMP Sharks WILL be competing in the Allianz Premier 15s 2022-23 season!
“Just seven days ago, our position in the league did not seem viable, but a week of lessons in resilience, togetherness and determination and here we are.
“We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude for all your donations, messages of support and help in sharing our predicament to the wider public.
“It would not have been possible to secure this outcome without you. We truly are a team of the people.
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“We look forward to seeing you pitch-side this season and hope you will continue to join us in fighting for elite women’s rugby in the North East.
“Now the really hard work starts again as we shift our focus back onto pre-season. It is our honour to represent the region and we aim to make you all proud.
“One of our goals is to help inspire the next generation of rugby players to take up our fantastic sport, to dream big and aim high, but perhaps most importantly to never give up.”
Sharks are the only top-flight women’s rugby side in the north east, and one of the few sides in the Allianz Premier 15s not affiliated with a Premiership Rugby club nor boasting professional players.
They have finished bottom of the table for the past two seasons, with the upcoming 2022-23 campaign set to be their last before the RFU reopens its tendering process for clubs who wish to be part of the league’s next cycle.
The RFU has recently announced a 10-year plan, fuelled by a £220 million investment, to turn the league fully professional.
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments