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The emotional reaction on Twitter after suspension of London Irish
Tuesday evening’s demise of London Irish generated an avalanche of sympathy on Twitter, ranging from fellow Gallagher Premiership clubs, former internationals, former players, numerous broadcasters and even the ex-kitman at Wasps – another of the top-flight clubs to collapse since last September.
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It was shortly after 7pm when the RFU confirmed its decision to suspend London Irish from the 2023/24 Premiership, adding that they would not be permitted to play in any of its leagues following a failed American-led takeover bid and the unwillingness of the current owner Mick Crossan to continue to fund the club.
With London Irish players and staff having received only 50 per cent of their salaries in last week’s May payroll, a collective RFU, Premiership Rugby and RPA hardship fund has now been established to help those worst affected.
In the meantime, social media went into overdrive with a wide spectrum of people reacting to the Exiles falling out of the Premiership just months after Wasps and Worcester also fell by the wayside.
Former England international Tom May immediately reached out to those left in limbo by the club.
“Any London Irish players needing to look at opportunities outside of professional sport, please do get in touch,” he wrote. “FutureProof Pro have roles for athletes and is set up to help you. Please let any players know about this. It’ll make a big difference to some.”
Local rivals Harlequins, whose fixtures with London Irish have produced some cracking post-pandemic entertainment, commented: “Our sincere sympathies and best wishes to the players, coaches, supporters and all connected to London Irish at this incredibly difficult time.
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“Harlequins will now work closely with Premiership Rugby, The RFU and all key stakeholders to understand the implications of the suspension on the upcoming season and will be in contact with our supporters with further detail, including the club’s action plan.”
Quoting his own club’s tweet which stated: “Gloucester Rugby would like to express our sadness following the news of London Irish’s suspension from the Gallagher Premiership. Our thoughts are with the fans, staff and players,” Kingsholm CEO Lance Bradley said: “We are thinking of our many friends at London Irish this evening, and of course their fans and everyone else connected with the club.”
Andy Goode, the ex-England out-half and current media pundit, added: “Thoughts with every player, member of staff and fan of London Irish tonight. Such sad news to hear of the suspension from the leagues. Mismanagement and poor running of businesses across the league to blame.”
Fellow broadcaster Sonja McLaughlan said: “Always jumped at the chance to do a game at London Irish. A style of rugby that warmed the soul. Feel desperate for Declan Kidney, Les Kiss and everyone connected with the club. How ironic they had just finished as best of the rest in the league and now this. It’s a mess.”
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Next up, Alex Corbisiero, the club’s former Test-level prop. “Heartbroken for London Irish, thinking of all the players, staff and fans right now.”
The club’s Irish origins were recognised in a tweet from Rugby Players’ Ireland, who posted its message with a splendid picture of the late Gary Halpin in action in a 1990s London Irish jersey. “A home from home. Thinking of all those connected with London Irish – a great home for many an Irish player over the years. Hopefully, they can find a way out.”
A home from home ?
Thinking of all those connected with @londonirish – a great home for many an Irish player over the years.
Hopefully they can find a way out ??#MoreThanAPlayer pic.twitter.com/x0CBPUY2D1
— RugbyPlayersIreland (@RugbyPlayersIRE) June 6, 2023
Ex-Wasps kitman Pudsey Bevan wrote: “232 days ago this happened to me and 166 of my friends. I’m still not over it but if I can help anyone from London Irish, please get in touch.”
Scott Steele, the former Scotland scrum-half who spent six seasons at London Irish, stated: “Heartbreaking news. Thoughts go out to everyone involved with London Irish. Great club but more importantly great people.”
Broadcaster Sarra Elgan Easterby said: “Another sad day… Words are hard to find, and obviously not for the first time this season. Thoughts with all London Irish players, staff and fans.”
Stuart Barnes, another ex-Egland No10 who now also works in the media, wrote: “Feeling glum at London Irish news. A great old club I enjoyed playing against that is yet another subsumed despite doing so well on the pitch and with their academies.”
Journalist Neil Fissler reckoned: “Seems like London Irish players and staff were the subject of lies and p*** taking until the very end. Feel for them. Hopefully, they find clubs and new jobs ASAP.”
Fellow journalist Ashleigh Wilmost added: “Very, very sad news for London Irish today. It’s a brilliant club and truly heartbreaking to see another club’s financial failings lead to suspension from the Premiership. My thoughts are with everyone affected by the news: players, staff, volunteers and their wonderful fans.”
The final word goes to Gonzalo Tiesi, the retired Argentine player. “So sad news. London Irish gave me the chance to become a professional back in 2006. Great club, great people and better memories. Hope things can get sorted in the near future. In the meantime a big hug to all the London Irish community!”
Any @londonirish players needing to look at opportunities outside of professional sport, please do get in touch. @futureproofpro1 have roles for athletes & is set up to help you. Please let any players know about this. It’ll make a big difference to some. pic.twitter.com/Z1P3WLUasn
— Tom May (@TomMay1) June 6, 2023
Our sincere sympathies and best wishes to the players, coaches, supporters and all connected to London Irish at this incredibly difficult time.
Harlequins will now work closely with Premiership Rugby, The RFU and all key stakeholders to understand the implications of the… pic.twitter.com/BN1kOAMH7U
— Harlequins ? (@Harlequins) June 6, 2023
We’re thinking of our many friends at London Irish this evening, and of course their fans and everyone else connected with the club. https://t.co/ks4xurBMSK
— Lance Bradley (@Lance_Bradley_) June 6, 2023
Thoughts with every player, member of staff and fan of @londonirish tonight. Such sad news to hear of the suspension from the leagues. Mismanagement and poor running of businesses across the league to blame
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) June 6, 2023
https://twitter.com/Sonjamclaughlan/status/1666166573202014209
Heart Broken for London Irish, thinking of all the players, staff and fans right now ?
— Alex Corbisiero (@AlexCorbs) June 6, 2023
?. 232 days ago this happened to me and 166 of my friends. I’m still not over it but if I can help anyone from @londonirish please get in touch. #everykitmanknows.
— Pudsey (@WaspsKitMan) June 6, 2023
Heart breaking news. Thoughts go out to everyone involved with @londonirish . Great club but more importantly great people #BleedGreenAlways https://t.co/srDvzkNT6Y
— Scott Steele (@ScottSteele247) June 6, 2023
Another sad day….
Words are hard to find, and obviously not for the first time this season. Thoughts with all @londonirish players, staff and fans ??— Sarra Elgan Easterby (@Sarraelgan) June 6, 2023
Feeling glum at London Irish news. A great old club I enjoyed playing against that is yet another subsumed despite doing so well on the pitch and with their academies. @londonirish
— Stuart Barnes (@SBarnesRugby) June 6, 2023
https://twitter.com/neilfissler/status/1666148900288200715
Very, very sad news for @londonirish today?
It’s a brilliant club and truly heartbreaking to see another club’s financial failings lead to suspension from the Premiership. My thoughts are with everyone affected by the news: players, staff, volunteers and their wonderful fans.
— Ashleigh Wilmot (@Ashleigh_Wilmot) June 6, 2023
So sad news. @londonirish gave me the chance to become a professional back in 2006. Great club, great people and better memories. Hope things can get sorted in the near future, in the meantime a big hug to all the London Irish community! https://t.co/JfV9CC8fP8
— GONZALO TIESI (@GonzaTiesi) June 6, 2023
Comments on RugbyPass
I’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
139 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
139 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
139 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
139 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.
139 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!
139 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.
139 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.
139 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..🤣
139 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.
139 Go to commentsHo hum.
139 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
139 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.
139 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.
139 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
139 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
139 Go to comments