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RFU statement: Championship deadline set for Wasps and Worcester

(Photo by PA)

The RFU have set the new owners of Wasps and Worcester a mid-February deadline to have their respective takeovers fully completed so that they can be given the go-ahead to compete in next season’s Championship. The pair of ex-Gallagher Premiership clubs went to wall at the start of the 2022/23 season, resulting in the top flight getting reduced from 13 to 11 clubs.

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It was intimated that both Wasps and Worcester could return to rugby in the second tier for the 2023/24 season, but they have been set a fresh deadline to guarantee to English Rugby HQ that they will definitely be ready for business next term.

A Wednesday evening statement read: “The RFU has informed the new owners of Wasps RFC and the administrators of WRFC Trading Limited (the main operating entity of Worcester Warriors RFC) that they have until 14 February to conclude their negotiations and provide evidence that they have met the relevant conditions set.

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“This is a significant extension to the original mid-December timeline to provide the clubs with the best possible chance of being in the Championship next year. However, a final deadline must be set to provide certainty to the Championship and National League clubs, players and other rugby stakeholders over the format of next season.

“In the case of Wasps, the RFU board conditionally approved the takeover but not all the conditions set have yet been met, including the lodging of a bond and the signing of an agreement which commits the new club to the relevant conditions. Both would need to be done by the deadline for the approval to remain in place.

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“The proposed buyers of Worcester Warriors had informed the RFU that they were not prepared to meet the conditions set, which included commitments not to dispose of land around Sixways Stadium without approval and were unable to satisfy the RFU of the sources and sufficiency of funding.

“The RFU was not able to confirm the suitability of the prospective owners. Therefore, the RFU board was unable to approve their application. If that position changes within the deadline, the RFU will be able to reconsider whether the application can be approved, but if not, then unfortunately the RFU decision will remain the same.”

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The statement came just a few hours after it emerged that the Begbies Traynor Group, who were the administrators appointed to find a buyer for Worcester, confirmed it had struck a deal with Atlas for the Warriors to be taken over.

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H
Hellhound 2 hours ago
South Africa will beat England at a canter

You forget that this was the 3rd Test between the AB's and the English this year. They were prepared and they knew how to keep NZ quiet. The Boks is not NZ.


The Boks is a whole other level. You overestimate England and underestimate the Boks. Clearly you haven't really looked at the teams. Besides the Irish games earlier this year, the Boks have mainly used experimental sides, even against the AB's.


Now they have chosen their best team available. They have targeted this game. The Boks mean business. Man for man, this Bok team is better. In strategy and player abilities there is no comparison and they are outmatched.


There isn't just monster strength, but unreal speed. In broken play there is currently no better team as well as defensively, not to even talk about the attacking threat, both from front and the back.


I'd say read between the lines, see what everyone is seeing, but clearly you are wearing blinders and is also putting too much emphasis on an AB's team the Boks beat twice this year, the same AB's that beaten England 3 times this year.


When Rassie gets serious, the players become machines. There is no stopping them. That bench is loaded with players that is fast, strong and have exceptional skills. This is a team not many teams will face before the 2027 WC, because the Boks doesn't use their best between WC's in one game. All experimental.


You will be proven wrong on Saturday and then you will wonder how you could have been so wrong. This Bok team means serious business. They came to conquer and not just by a close score. They want to demolish and they will. This England team at most is a 60 min team. Against the Boks that just won't cut it

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