Exiles get takeover reprieve
LONDON IRISH have been granted a surprise stay of execution as they scramble to avoid joining Worcester and Wasps on rugby’s scrapheap.
The Exiles, £30million in debt, failed to meet yesterday’s 5pm deadline set by the Rugby Football Union to complete their sale to a US consortium, or even provide evidence they have the financial means to continue next season.
But because owner Mick Crossan has agreed to cover staff salary payments for May, the RFU’S club finance viability working group is set to give the ailing club another week to complete its takeover.
It is an unexpected move given the point of the deadline was to provide clarity for all parties, not least Premiership bosses who are under severe pressure to come up with a financially viable league structure for next season.
A 10-team top flight would remove club and country fixture clashes and has for a while been Premiership Rugby’s preferred number.
But they wanted to achieve it through competitive means rather than survival of the fittest.
RFU boss Bill Sweeney (below) is desperate to avoid a third casualty on his watch and his union has proposed a temporary reprieve to the Brentfordbased club.
Wages are due to drop into bank accounts today. If they fail to materialise, players will again be at liberty to submit breachof-contract notices. Last month this was averted with just minutes to spare.
There is little confidence that this deal will be done but Crossan is understood to still believe in it, and while he does, the union are loathe to cut it off.
Meanwhile, rival clubs are preparing to pounce for the Exiles’ leading players, including England squad duo Henry Arundell and Tom Pearson.