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There was an interesting analysis posted of the financial state of the English Premiership clubs recently. Only one, Exeter, made a profit. The rest made losses, some running into seven-figure sums.

Alongside the financial performance was a note of whether the clubs were for sale, and who their benefactors were.

Part, or all, of three were on the market – Saracens, Worcester and London Irish.

It made for pretty ugly reading, and it is an indicator of the state of pro rugby.

It is widely acknowledged the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour saved the Australian Rugby Union from a very difficult financial position.

The hordes of supporters from the touring teams’ countries spared the blushes of the ARU.

In Scotland, professional rugby has struggled to be financially viable since it began, back in 1995.

Jim Telfer’s model was always going to end in tears as the numbers were never going to add up.

Rationalising the teams from four to three, now two, was the right thing to do.

But even as recently as last year, the pro teams were still up for sale – the SRU wanting outside investment to take on some of the financial risk.

Bizarrely, Mark Dodson has been looking at Worcester and Newcastle as potential options in the English Premiership.

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Rugby can’t rely on the deep pockets of a handful of individuals

The owner of Newcastle stated it was like having a marriage before a first date!

Whether Dodson’s approach is right or wrong, perhaps it is time to look at the professional model more widely.

The game can’t continue to rely on the deep pockets of a handful of individual benefactors, or in the case of Saracens, a listed company in South Africa.

Exeter may have got things right. They do not sign marquee players on mega salaries.

For them, what is important is the fit of a player with the rest of the squad. Big egos aren’t welcome.

Affordability is key, and they succeed because of their culture as much as anything else – in many ways, similar to Glasgow under Gregor Townsend. Perhaps the game has to have a collective reset of the pro model.

A look at everything from distribution of TV rights income, to Rugby World Cup revenue splits, right down to unified salary caps if they want the game to be sustainable.

This should not come at the cost of limiting clubs ambitions, but should set them the challenge to achieve those ambitions with some sensible financial limitations.

An enormous task, but one that would ultimately be beneficial.

Money doesn’t always buy success in sport – and perhaps it is time for rugby to return to its roots.