'We always have problem clubs... but everybody is very honest'
Premiership Rugby chief executive Simon Massie-Taylor has admitted there are no quick fixes as the English professional club game battles its biggest crisis, but added that bold decisions will be made to lay better foundations for the game. His clear message is that clubs need to agree on a likely vigorous shake-up and align with each other, which has often proved beyond them during 27 years of professionalism.
The Gallagher Premiership, England’s flagship domestic competition, is in meltdown after Wasps and Worcester were suspended amid financial difficulties which threaten their existence. Wasps say they are likely to enter administration while Worcester have been suspended from Premiership action for the rest of this season with relegation to follow after the club’s partial liquidation.
The freefall of both clubs has reignited the debate over sustainability at the top level and Premiership Rugby is examining a range of options to strengthen clubs’ financial resilience, which will include giving consideration to the league’s structure and the visibility of clubs’ financial information.
Asked if he had concerns about other Premiership clubs, Massie-Taylor said: “We haven’t been given any direct red flags from clubs, but I will be really honest and say that until I get complete financial oversight of clubs I can’t give you a direct answer on that.”
Former Wasps player and rugby director Nigel Melville, who is chairman of Premiership Rugby’s investor board, added: “The time is right for a reset and everybody agrees. When it comes down to a vote, ‘what’s in it for me?’ always comes forward. There is a general feeling that change is necessary to move forward.
“We always have problem clubs. It’s not always the same one. It depends on what the issue is. We are working really well together at the moment. We have our issues now and again, but everybody is very straight with each other and very honest.”
The Premiership is now operating with eleven clubs after the season began with 13 just over a month ago. Massie-Taylor admitted that grand plans for an eventual expansion to 14 were short-sighted. “Our ambition to move to a 14-team league was short-sighted. We need to look at a lesser number,” he said. “Exactly what that number is, is to be decided. I know there is a lot of speculation going on at the moment.
“But there is an element of not knocking down everything. We have some great elements to Premiership Rugby and the competitiveness and quality of rugby is one of them. But we need to create a higher standard and a more integrated second tier (Championship). There are no quick fixes here but we have a big responsibility to take some.
“I am not going to dwell on the issues that we have, but they all begin with C. One is the calendar, one is the cost base, which is not linked up to our commercial system, and from a governance point of view, we have issues over what we can control and we also have a huge amount of conflict. Most important to me is that we create a more robust structure and governance model and that we have stricter oversight.
“That is important to maintain the integrity of the system we have got, to avoid some of these situations we are in at the moment, but we also need to attract future investors into the clubs. We have a very loyal (investor) base, some of whom have been around for a long time, but some are fatigued and that is understandable. We need to get a new way of investment into clubs and we need to create an environment where they feel they can invest into.”
Massie-Taylor continued that with the Premiership now two clubs down from its season starting point it will leave a financial dent. Champions Leicester, for instance, do not have another Premiership home game until late November as their next two league fixtures at Mattioli Woods Welford Road were against Wasps and Worcester.
“It will have limited impact centrally, but clearly clubs who had sold tickets or season tickets are going to have issues,” Massie-Taylor added. “There is going to be a financial impact this season with clubs not participating.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments