The London Irish, which shares the Gtech Community Stadium with Premier League football club Brentford, has been sidelined from the Premiership due to their inability to meet financial obligations to their players and staff.
Despite having until Tuesday to finalize a takeover to avoid suspension, the club will be barred from participating in any league in the upcoming season. A U.S. consortium had been negotiating to purchase the club, which concluded the 2022-23 season in fifth place in the Premiership. However, a statement from the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the governing body, revealed that the takeover had fallen through.
In spite of the plans to increase the top division to 14 teams announced in 2021, English rugby could be looking at a 10-team Premiership next season. This comes in the wake of the earlier dissolution of Worcester Warriors and Wasps. Leicester Tigers chief executive Andrea Pinchen said clubs deliberated on this possibility midway through the previous season.
“This is heartbreaking news for the entire London Irish community, including the players, fans, staff, and volunteers who hold this club dear,” said RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney.
Sweeney emphasized that the RFU, alongside Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players’ Association, had made every effort to ensure the club’s long-term survival. He stressed that presenting clear evidence of funding was crucial, whether from the potential buyers providing working capital for the 2023-24 season or from the club proving it would fund its operations throughout the next season.
“Despite asking for this evidence for the past six months and being promised repeatedly that we would receive proof of ownership and funds, it has not been forthcoming,” he said.
Why is London Irish facing this?
Even though the Irish had a robust season on the field, finishing fifth and making it to the Premiership Rugby Cup final for two consecutive seasons, they have been plagued with financial issues off the field. It is understood that the club is about £30m in debt, and owner Mick Crossan has been engaged in drawn-out discussions to sell to a US consortium.
Crossan had to intervene to pay overdue salaries in April, just moments before the players were set to submit breach-of-contract notices.
The club was originally set a deadline of 30 May to finalize the takeover or risk suspension from the next season’s Premiership. However, the RFU extended this deadline to 16:00 BST on Tuesday. In addition to the takeover or proof of funding for next season, Irish also needed to ensure all staff and players were fully paid for May, after only half the salary was provided initially.
Last week, the club received a winding-up petition from HM Revenue & Customs for unpaid taxes. Petitions were filed against London Irish Holdings Limited and London Irish Rugby Football Ground Limited at the High Court on Friday.
Wasps and Worcester exit the Premiership in 2022
The winding-up petition was filed the same day the UK government named independent advisors to assist the sport following the early-season fall of Worcester and Wasps.
Both clubs went into administration within three weeks of each other and were subsequently expelled from the Premiership.
Last month, Wasps’ decline as a top domestic club was finalized when the RFU retracted a conditional offer of a place in the Championship for the upcoming season. The two-time European and six-time English champions will now play “at the bottom of the pyramid” after being demoted to the 10th tier of English rugby.
Worcester, after winning their first major trophy – the Premiership Rugby Cup, entered administration in September and were suspended by the RFU. Players and staff contracts were terminated after part of the club was wound up over an unpaid £6m tax bill.
The club’s future, including the division in which it will return
6 comments
No way, not the Irish too! I can’t believe it… after the Warriors and Wasps and now this. It’s a real blow for the Premiership and rugby fans everywhere. Gonna miss those guys on the field. Sad times indeed.
Gutted for London Irish! This season was lookin promising. I’m feelin sorry for the players n staff, they didn’t deserve this.
Man, financial troubles ruinin’ so many good clubs these days. Rugby just isn’t the same without ’em. Worried about where this is headin’…
What’s going on with English rugby? It’s sad to see these clubs strugglin’. Our authorities really need to step up and protect the clubs n players.
Shockin’, just shockin’… London Irish is a top-notch club and to see them in this state… It’s not right. All those talents, goin’ to waste.
Its really unfair for the fans and players. It’s about time RFU came up with a better plan for managing clubs’ finances. Can’t lose anymore of our rugby heritage.