Harlequins could be facing £2.5 million bill - reports
Harlequins are facing a massive bill should they decide to offload a number of coaches after a troubled Aviva Premiership season.
The Daily Mail are reporting that the west London club are potentially facing a £2.5 million bill in payouts.
Top of that bill is John Kingston, Director of Rugby, who will be leaving the club at the end of the 2017/18 season by mutual agreement. He is reported to be owed a £750,000 severance deal after his time came to an end just months after his contract with the club as Director of Rugby was extended.
Kingston will complete a 17-year association with Quins at the end of this season and the club has set up a panel to identify the man they want to take over, with New Zealander Scott Robertson of the Crusaders, said to be the prime candidate.
However, it is Kingston’s assistants that could cause the bulk of the payouts, if the incoming the Director of Rugby wants to bring with him his own coaching ticket.
Along with Kingston, Chief Executive, David Ellis extended contracts for Head Coach Mark Mapletoft and Forwards Coach Graham Rowntree, amomg others.
Earlier in the month the club released a list of 25 players that are committed to the west London outfit for next season, including five new signings.
They have also listed 12 player departures, which includes 10 players who are leaving the club and two who are retiring.
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Speaking to RugbyPass earlier this month, secondrow James Horwill put the record straight on Kingston’s impending exit, saying: “JK had not lost the dressing room.
“He is a top bloke who cares deeply about the club and anyone who has spent 17 years at the place has a deep passion for Quins and it is unfortunate what has happened. We need to make sure that we work to fix the issues. We need to be better as a playing group and we need to take ownership of that and JK has not lost the dressing room. I am really sorry it has ended the way it has for him.
“As players we need to put our hands up and take responsibility and we had a team meeting to discuss everything as a squad. We have a month of the season left with three Premiership games and the A league side with a semi-final. We haven’t performed and we have an opportunity in this Gloucester game to put in a performance we can be proud of and finish the season on the right note.”
Regardless of Kingston’s standing at the club, severance payouts could take a substantial bite out of their budget for 2018/19 season, and the club’s potential to lure big-name players.
Comments on RugbyPass
This game was always going to be close, Canada have such a dominant pack and the Black Ferns have come unstuck in that area against teams like France and England in the past.
2 Go to commentsA distinct discomfort with the officiating they were probably selected from the local IRA narcos branch along with the commentators bloody fly tippers.
1 Go to commentsWow, never thought I would read that
2 Go to commentsExcellent match. Great to see Keenan and Ryan back for Leinster. Super result for Ulster. Season is turning around.
1 Go to comments“We need eight or nine new players, who are hard-wearing and durable and experienced Premiership performers”. So why are they scouting a retired fullback who himself admits that his “body is broken”?
1 Go to commentsBrumbies hand, knocked a Crusaders hand. Therefore, knock on in goal. Crusaders, goal line drop out should’ve been awarded. most likely after that 24 each at full time, so extra time would’ve been the right an entertaining outcome. Act Jim
1 Go to commentsSpeell cehck
1 Go to commentsColeman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
3 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
8 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
3 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
8 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
5 Go to comments