Jennings gunning for another crack at top-flight
COVENTRY fly-half Rory Jennings says the RFU cutbacks in Championship funding are a “kick in the teeth” for players fighting for a crack at top-flight rugby.
Jennings, an England U20s World Cup finalist alongside current Red Rose stars Ellis Genge, Charlie Ewels and Lewis Ludlam in 2015, failed to make a breakthrough at Bath but rebuilt his career at London Scottish last season before switching to Coventry.
At 24, the talented schemer still has every chance of fulfilling his potential, but Jennings fears his opportunities – and those of other players in his position – may recede if tier two clubs are forced to scale back their operations in light of funding cuts.
“It’s not the right move from the RFU,” Jennings told The Rugby Paper. “The Championship is not the best place to make cuts because the league’s record for producing players speaks for itself.
“If you look at clubs like Jersey, Ealing and Cornish Pirates, they’ve produced many good players who’ve gone on to represent Premiership clubs and England.
“There are a number of Championship clubs that definitely want to go up and have shown that through investment – Coventry being one of them – and I think it’s a very harsh decision that’s going to damage the league and, ultimately, English rugby.”
While RFU boss Bill Sweeney has claimed few Championship sides are interested in promotion, Jennings added: “There’s massive ambition at Coventry, especially with Jon Sharp at the helm as chairman.
“He’s pumping in his own money to make the club Premiership ready over the next few seasons and then has plans to make it self-sufficient.
“There are loads of ongoing infrastructure projects here, so to have those cutbacks hanging over us and hear the RFU’s view on the Championship, it’s definitely a kick in the teeth because Coventry is a great example of a club looking to move up the ladder.”
While a combination of injuries and the presence of some top-class internationals stymied his chances at Bath, an injury-free run at Coventry has seen Salisbury-bred Jennings recapture the form that made him such a hot prospect at England age group level.
He explained: “I had some great people to learn off at Bath like George Ford, Dan Bowden and Rhys Priestland but then never got the chance to play regularly.
“It wasn’t big injuries like ACLs, it was just a constant stream of two or threemonth injuries, so in the coaches’ eyes they this season I’ve been able to probably thought, ‘maybe play some good rugby at this guy’s not up for it’. Coventry. Being injury-free “Maybe I could have is something I’ve not experienced worked a bit harder, which since I was 19 or 20 is a pretty honest admission, so it’s been really enjoyable but in 2018 it became to play consistent games clear that I wasn’t going each week.” to be part of their Jennings’ ambition future plans. remains undiminished. He “I went to added: “I’ve got another Scottish, playing year at Coventry and I’m around 20 concentrating on helping games, and the club to push forward, but at the same time I’ve still got massive personal aspirations to push for higher honours again. “Seeing guys I played with at England U20s level doing well is brilliant and I’d love another crack at the Premiership or one of the other top leagues.”