STARS’ FEARS STRIKE HOME
New RFU chief will listen to burnout concerns in bid to avert a walkout which would hit England
THE new boss of English rugby has targeted global domination – but admitted it’s a non-starter if the players are on strike.
In his first interview since succeeding Ian Ritchie as RFU chief executive, Steve Brown declared: “We want to win everything in which we’re involved. “Our ambition is bold again – we want to be the strongest country for rugby across the globe. I don’t think there’s an excuse not to be that. It’s my job to make sure we deliver on that promise.” Brown’s bullish remarks come against a background of disaffection among England players, who are threatening strike action if player welfare concerns are not addressed. Red Rose quartet Billy Vunipola, Joe Marler, Danny Care and Ben Youngs (top circle) have each warned, in blunt language, against extending the season and adding to their workload.
Nor will players’ union boss Damian Hopley (above circle) rule out industrial action, saying: “We have to respond to what our members want and, if you’ve got an angry group of players who feel disenfranchised, the choice is theirs.”
Brown (right) faced up to this very real threat yesterday. He said: “The players have a voice and we need to listen to them.
“They are saying what they think and feel about the current environment they’re playing in. We need to take heed of that because we have no game if we have no players.
“Our core business is seven big England games a year. Without the players, it would be a challenging time for us.”
Brown made it his priority on taking charge this month to contact Hopley and assure him he will listen to the players’ grievances.
He followed that up on Monday with a visit to the England camp in Oxford, where he canvassed the views of head coach Eddie Jones and a “bunch” of squad members.
“Listening to the players, I can see two things emerging,” he said. “It’s not just the physical concerns, but also the mental demands and psychological pressures players are under.
“We need to understand all that and understand it properly. My sense is that the players trust us, but we have to earn that.” Hopley said last night that he is greatly encouraged by Brown’s urgent response to the crisis in the English game.
“I have real confidence in what Steve can deliver on behalf of the players,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to working with him.”
The players will reserve judgement, aware that Premiership Rugby announced back in March that the domestic season, from 2020 onwards, will be extended by a month to run from September until the end of June.
“They’re entitled to say that,” Brown added. “But we, as a collective group on the Professional Game Board, need to agree that position and we’re not aligned at the moment.
“It’s not an easy problem, but we’ll find a way through it, keeping player welfare at the forefront as it is a real and genuine concern.”