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RFU issue statement on controversial Worcester Warriors rebrand
The RFU have issued a statement following news that Worcester are to be renamed Sixways Rugby as Atlas director Jim O’Toole faces up to the backlash coming from creditors and angry Warriors fans who have seen their club killed off.
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Rather than compete in the Championship next season in a move that would have ensured Worcester’s survival, ownership group Atlas plan to merge with semi-professional fourth tier club Stourbridge.
The Rugby Football Union had set a deadline of Tuesday for the Warriors to provide evidence they had met relevant conditions to participate in the division below the Gallagher Premiership, but O’Toole insists the governing body’s demands were too onerous.
It means that creditors, including players and staff, will not be paid debts owed to them totalling millions of pounds.
“We do not want to have to pay for the sins of the previous regime, so we couldn’t agree to the terms,” O’Toole told the PA news agency.
“There will be huge disappointment, we know there will. We’ve already seen some backlash this morning (Thursday) and we’re fully prepared for it.
“People have been asking for openness, honesty and transparency for the last seven months that this process has taken and we have been open about it this morning.
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“This is a long-term strategy to create a sustainable business which will not be lumbered with the debt that a lot of the clubs in the top two levels have at the moment. We’ve taken two steps back to take three steps forward.”
When asked if he had sympathy for the creditors who would go unpaid, such as England centre Ollie Lawrence who is currently involved in the Six Nations, O’Toole replied: “Yes I do, absolutely.”
A former member of Worcester’s management has described the Warriors’ demise and the impact on those owed money as “absolutely disgusting”.
However, the proposed union between Sixways Rugby and Stourbridge’s first team remains subject to a vote by the National League Two West club’s membership, which is due to take place on Friday evening.
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“We don’t think anyone can sign up to the RFU’s contractual requirements because they’re not reasonable,” O’Toole said.
“Had we signed, it would have given the RFU approval over all of our commercial developments that we want to do to fund the rugby. It would have given them approval over any borrowing we make against our own land.
“Also, they wanted to put us into special measures from day one. In business terms, special measures means you are at risk of insolvency but we are nowhere near that. We are very well funded and a million miles away from that.
“Going into debt just to join the Championship – we would have had to take on debt to pay off the rugby creditors, which in the current climate, we’re not prepared to do.”
Atlas’ plan is for Sixways Rugby, having joined Stourbridge, to play at Sixways in National League Two starting next season with the objective of reaching the Championship in 2026.
Stourbridge, who are located 21 miles north of Worcester, are currently at the foot of the table on minus five points.
The RFU have responded in a statement saying: ‘The RFU has been clear that its priority was to enable Worcester Warriors to play in the Championship and Worcester Warriors Women in the Premier 15s in a sustainable way.
“The information required has been asked for repeatedly and deadlines were extended to provide the best possible chance for this to happen.
“The RFU will now consult with the local rugby community over the proposed relocation of Stourbridge RFC and the change of name.
“Our priority is to ensure the best interests of rugby and the rugby community are preserved.
“The RFU maintains its commitment to running the Midlands academy which it took over in November and the continuation of Worcester Warriors Women. ”
additional reporting RugbyPass
Comments on RugbyPass
Omg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
127 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
127 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
127 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
127 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
127 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
127 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
127 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
127 Go to commentsHo hum.
127 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
127 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
127 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
127 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
127 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
127 Go to commentsBen, nobody gets fooled anymore by selective and biased data to support an hypothesis. Games are decided on such small margins these days that you win some and lose some, and dominance is a thing of the rugby past. Look at the RWC circle of fortune…. Ireland beats SA who beat France who beat NZ who beat Ireland. And so it goes on. Match officials help to eliminate real indiscretions. If they had been with us years before, no doubt results would have been different. Remember Andy Haden’s dive from a lineout in 1978 for which a match-wining penalty was awarded? Wales should have beaten the ABs that day. They took the loss like the gentlemen they were.
127 Go to commentsWith all the analysis and how good the all blacks were.The fundamental mistake with the ABs is that this is a test match and not an exhibition.There is no better team(country) in world rugby than the Boks that knows how to win a test match(we are post masters at this).We know our rules, we have the discipline, we tackle like beasts, we take our points and we never give up.I now have educated the ABs supporters(at least say thank you).Please stop “bitching” , accept what the outcome is and move along swiftly.
127 Go to commentsAnd they came from behind to win two big games before the final. No one can say what would have happened. Had the boks gone behind the game plan changes and the result may changes. Ifs and ands are irrelevant. The boks won. Neutral critics enjoyed the games they played. Its not a popularity contest. Get over it and move on.
127 Go to comments