Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

English clubs to hold crunch meeting over player release for Lions training camp and Japan match

British and Irish Lions Head Coach Warren Gatland during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Bristol and Exeter Chiefs at Ashton Gate (Photo by Bob Bradford - CameraSport via Getty Images)

Premiership rugby chiefs will meet tomorrow in an attempt to find a solution to the problem of player release for the British and Irish Lions training camp in Jersey and the warm-up match with Japan in Murrayfield on June 26.

ADVERTISEMENT

Premiership Rugby, the umbrella organisation for England’s top clubs, has now received the Lions request for the release of players as part of the pre-tour documentation that includes their offer of nearly £45,000 per player compensation. That money will go to the clubs who supply players to the Lions for their eight-match tour of South Africa and that is also the fee each player will receive for taking part in the five-week trip that will be based in Cape Town and Johannesburg/Pretoria to restrict movement due to the impact of the pandemic.

The English club owners are unhappy with the timing of the Japan game which is being staged on the same day as the Premiership final which is the showpiece of the season for the competition’s sponsors and broadcast partners. The clubs point out that the date for the final has been known for three years and they do not understand why the Lions chose to compete directly with the culmination of the English league season.

Video Spacer

Mike Brown and Maggie Alphonsi guest on The Offload:

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 55:15
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 55:15
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Mike Brown and Maggie Alphonsi guest on The Offload:

    However, the English clubs insist that despite this lingering frustration, their main motivation for finding a workable solution to the Lions demands is to ensure the players – English, Scottish and Welsh – who are contracted to Premiership clubs, do not continue to be used as pawns in the dispute.

    Gatland Lions Premiership
    Warren Gatland (Photo by INPHO/Dan Sheridan via Lions)

    RugbyPass understands that following tomorrow’s executive meeting the owners of the Premiership clubs will be consulted before the Lions are informed about the final stance that will be taken by the clubs over the training camp and Japan match. A leading Premiership official said: “PRL will decide this coming week what will happen and we will be able to let our players know exactly what that position is and we are not seeking confrontation.

    “It is totally out of order to threaten not to pick players if they cannot attend the training camp. Once again it is rugby shooting itself in the foot and this didn’t need to happen and was avoidable. We have not obligation to release until after the Premiership season is over and we are doing are upmost to deal with a difficult situation for our players.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “The bottom line is that we have a Lions training camp taking place outside the international release regulation period and a match with Japan that is in direct competition to the Premiership final. “

    English club officials insist this is not about the money the players or clubs receive from the Lions, it is only about the release of players. Amongst the options open to clubs are; the players could get released for the camp; the players are not released for the Japan game or not released for either.

    “When this Lions game with Japan was set up I don’t think they realised there were Scottish and Welsh players involved and assumed it was just English players involved. It is pretty insensitive to arrange a Lions game on the day of our final. Why are they playing on that date? “

    The club owners point out that not only will the players be away for the five-week tour, the need to give those chosen a break after the tour and then a managed return to play means they will not be available to the clubs until a week before the November internationals.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

    New Zealand vs Australia: Behind the Scenes with the Black Ferns Sevens Team | HSBC SVNS Embedded | E06

    O2 Inside Line: This Rose | Episode 1

    Argentina v Australia | HSBC SVNS Perth 2025 | Men's Final Match Highlights

    New Zealand v Australia | HSBC SVNS Perth 2025 | Women's Final Match Highlights

    The Dupont Ploy: How France went from underdogs to Olympic gods | The Report

    Former rugby player is truly an NFL superstar | Walk the Talk | Jordan Mailata

    Boks Office | Episode 33 | Dupont's Toulouse Too Good

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    0 Comments
    Be the first to comment...

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    R
    RedWarrior 2 hours ago
    The reason given by Steve Borthwick for latest England setback

    So England are allowed to have a tsunami whinge fest about the ref but if an Irish fan points out that some decisions hurt Ireland also they are being petulant.

    Honestly some English supporters are all politeness until they lose then the claws and fangs come out.

    Ok here we go, not complaints just pointing out where England got away with roul play:

    1: M Smiths headbutt on James Lowe that started the fracas with Stewart. If the ref spots that in time then thats a second yellow if not a straight red for Smith. Probably worth another 14 points with England gassed so a 41-10 final scoreline?

    2: Itoje's several stamps on Hansens instep in a clear attempt to damage metatarsals. Straight red or if he is lucky, 10 in the bin.

    3. Currys block on Baird to create a gap that Smith used to break the line. Penalty and possession for Ireland deep in England 22 with score at 0:0.

    4: The correct decision for the Cunningham South dangerous tackle was a yellow. Lowe blew it by confronting him. The ref didn't give South or Lowe a yellow. The ref couldn't give Lowe a yellow anyway as the TMO would have informed him that m Smith alone started the previosu fracas and its not unreasonable for a player to react to being headbutted.


    One last thing missing from English analysis

    How is coming over to Dublin acting like you own the place, committing filthy cowardly off the ball cheap shots working out for you? I mean you clearly dont care that we think your team are a crowd of a$$holes but...... rugby wise, how is riling the Irish team to focus and get the best out of themselves against such unpleasant opposition working for you on the scoreboard?


    Food for thought old boy!!!!

    30 Go to comments
    TRENDING
    TRENDING Will Carling begs England not to make same old mistake with Cadan Murley Will Carling begs England not to make same old mistake with Cadan Murl
    Search