The astonishing sum about to be invested in English rugby

The Rugby Football Union has proposed a plan to make England the world’s leading rugby nation with its latest four-year Strategic Plan.

They will invest a total of £443 million, roughly NZ$853 million, which is a thirty percent increase on the previous four-year plan.

The aim, to win the men’s World Cup in 2019 and the Women’s World Cup just two years later and en route, winning more Six Nations titles and medaling in sevens at the next Olympics.

There is also the hope that one day rugby may find itself as the leading sport in the country, not the biggest sport but beacon, leading the way in English sport.

It’s an appropriate time for such an investment in English rugby, while the current Football Association finds itself in somewhat of a shambles, English rugby has seen its opportunity to lead by example.

“The aim is not to be the biggest sport in England but the strongest in the way we go about our business,” said Stephen Brown, chief executive of The RFU.

“On the field, the aim is to win Six Nations titles. We are not planning to come second. We want to deliver the game of our lives.

“There is a substantial increase in investment to match what we see as our substantial commitment to being the best on and off the field. You don’t have to be big to be strong.”

“It is about setting standards. This has been a step-change for us and perhaps [would be] for other organisations. We have looked at everything again internally and it is critical for the good governance of a sport that we keep checking and challenging ourselves to meet high standards by being open and transparent.”

“Any sport is at risk [of issues such as arose in football] but we are working as on organisation to be in a place where that would not be allowed to happen.”

The strategy is clear, out of the nearly half a billion pound investment £253 million is designated for the professional game in the hope of a trickle-down effect.

The apex of the strategy is the national side, banking on Eddie Jones to continue winning and keep the good times at Twickenham coming.

“We are on the same page. We want to win the Rugby World Cup and reach world No?1. It would be odd for the union not to be ambitious. You are either ambitious or you are not,” said Brown in relation to Eddie Jones.

“Our two views [Jones and the RFU] are complementary and appropriate. We are building that recipe and need to have Plans A, B and C ready. Eddie wants to leave a legacy, a system that the next head coach can pick up. We are in a good place [as regards succession plans], probably better than in the past.”