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Premiership: Anglo-Welsh, URC merger reports 'wide of the mark'
By Chris Jones
Premiership rugby chiefs insist there are no ongoing negotiations with other leagues and talk of an imminent Anglo-Welsh competition or tie-up with the United Rugby Championship is “wide of the mark”.
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RugbyPass has been told that any suggestion of an imminent change to the league landscape in the United Kingdom and Ireland is incorrect and a Premiership rugby source said: “To say the clubs are fixed on a way forward is wide of the mark. Nothing is happening any time soon but, yes, it is being discussed but everyone has a view and there is no preferred option.”
The owners of the 10 Premiership clubs are considering a range of potential options to try and maximise future TV income and while there is support to explore all possible options there are no ongoing negotiations with any other league
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The source added: “Many of the leagues in Europe have long-term deals making it unlikely you could make change in the short term. There is no rush to do anything . You are bound to look at formats and the best way forward and while there is no preferred option, it will remain an agenda item for the regular monthly meetings moving forward.”
The owners believe the recent changes to the format of the Investec Champions Cup highlight potential pitfalls of implementing change with the verdict that “people get lost and don’t know what’s going on. They (European chiefs) blew it.”
It is understood that staying with 10 teams in a stand-alone English Premiership remains an attractive option given the excitement generated by last season’s campaign that saw Northampton Saints crowned champions at Twickenham. Given the number of deals already in place for the URC and the Champions Cup there is a belief that any significant change to the way the leagues operate is unlikely to be possible until 2030.
Premiership Rugby is using a number of consultants who are providing “future focus” looking at future markets with the question being posed “are we missing anything?” There has been talk of an Anglo-Welsh league since the mid-1990s when Cardiff and Swansea were interested in joining the Premiership but it was rejected at that point.
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The current speculation has been fuelled by the end of the television deal for Premiership Rugby which finishes in 2026.
Seems very clear basically based on statements and common sense that this is something the Premiership wants, and URC has little to no interest in. Reading the tea leaves, the Welsh URC teams are probably open to it while the Scottish and Irish are not, and obviously the South African and Italian teams are most certainly not.
I actually really am fine with the Premiership at 10 teams, I like there only being 18 rounds, but if they really want more, just go back to 12 clubs and allow some overlap with the November tests. Keep the Six Nations period free though. At least the actual 6N weekends.
Sounds like Worcester Warriors are truly done but if Wasps are reborn in Kent and London Irish are reborn somewhere in London, just put them back in it and be done with it.
Should invite the 4 Welsh teams and be done with it
Premiership should look to expand to include new clubs from outside of England.
At best they should explore an FA Cup Style competition with the URC (16 teams) and Premiership & Championship (16 teams) as something that both leagues can benefit from. If both leagues are 18 rounds then this idea could be accommodated.