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#Post#: 127440--------------------------------------------------
England gain more control over stars in £264m deal
DIR By: DazzaS
Date: September 4, 2024, 10:47 am
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HTML https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cevjlk3gr88o
England head coach Steve Borthwick has been handed more control
over his elite players by a landmark new agreement between the
powerbrokers of the men's game.
As part of the eight-year deal, up to 25 England players will be
given "enhanced contracts", with Borthwick getting the "final
say on all sports science and medical matters".
The Rugby Football Union will pay the Premiership clubs £33m per
season as the Professional Game Partnership aims "to create
world-leading English teams and thriving professional leagues".
"This will reshape the rugby landscape and reset the
professional game," said RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney.
As part of the deal, each elite England player will be given a
programme to help them peak for big international games.
While the new system stops short of a New Zealand or Irish-style
centrally-contracted model, it nonetheless means Borthwick will
have more control than any other England head coach before him.
While selection decisions for club rugby will stay with the club
directors of rugby, Borthwick will have unprecedented influence
over his key players' fitness and conditioning.
Exeter boss Rob Baxter says a meeting with Borthwick has "put
his mind at rest a little bit" but has voiced his unease about
relinquishing full control of his international stars.
"I have to admit I am less concerned having had a very, very
positive meeting with Steve [Borthwick] and with our EPS [Elite
Player Squad] players. So that's put my mind at rest a little
bit," Baxter told BBC 5 Live.
"That said I will still stand by it - and I actually said the
same to Steve - I do think the RFU has been wrong with what it
has done, because we were going through Covid as Premiership
Rugby clubs, we needed financial help, and there was none on
offer.
"We end up now negotiating this new agreement and to get the
finance from the RFU the only way we get it is to give up more
control of our players.
"That to me feels like someone taking advantage of a situation,
personally I think that's wrong.
"Having said that, it is what it is, that happens in a lot of
businesses. That's what you do I suppose and we're going to have
to get along with it and going to have to try and make it work."
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall added: "If there's proper
collaboration between club and country this can be used very
effectively and very positively.
"I guess in the wrong hands potentially [there is a concern],
but the proof will be in the pudding to begin with.
"A player feeling that both parties are aligned, both parties
are on the same page as to how they can get better and how they
can develop and how they can be looked during over the course of
a year can only be a good thing."
England A fixture list to be expanded
Meanwhile, former World Cup final referee Wayne Barnes has been
appointed to a newly-formed Professional Rugby Board.
The PRB will "lead the partnership into the next era", with all
rugby decisions brought under one roof "to oversee the
strategy".
Barnes will be joined on the panel by an independent chair, two
independent members, and representatives from the RFU and
Premiership Rugby - who will each have three voting members.
The Rugby Players' Association will also have two seats on the
new board which has been hailed as "world-leading" by the RPA.
Also as part of the PGP:
A rejuvenated player pathway, with an expanded Under-20s squad
and up to four England A matches per season.
Redefined academy boundaries to ensure regional coverage.
Confirmation of a two-legged play-off between the bottom placed
Premiership side and the winner of the Championship, provided
the second-tier club meets Minimum Standard Critera (MSC).
Increased flexibility in the MSC for entry into the Premiership,
to help aspirational clubs gain promotion.
"The new Professional Game Partnership is fundamental to the
next phase of English club rugby," added Premiership Rugby chief
executive Simon Massie-Taylor.
"We have worked hard with the RFU and RPA to provide more
financial stability, better governance and a joint
high-performance plan that will help make the men's England team
and the Premiership clubs as successful as possible."
#Post#: 127442--------------------------------------------------
Re: England gain more control over stars in £264m deal
DIR By: TomBuckQuin
Date: September 4, 2024, 11:09 am
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Those soundbites from Baxter & McCall really jump off the screen
don't they? Almost dooming it to fail... Did the RFU not have a
media person managing this to within an inch of its life?
They're not having the best couple of weeks in TW2.
Do we know how this actually works and is there anything to
ensure fairness across the 10 clubs? If I'm not mistaken, the
answer is no. Presumably Falcons & Glaws will have no one on one
of these contracts - so will be free to do as they please -
whereas the likes of Sarries, Saints, Bath, Chiefs, Quins,
Tigers will be more impacted (to varying degrees).
Feels a lot like being punished for success - and then
offsetting with funds that won't touch the sides.
#Post#: 127449--------------------------------------------------
Re: England gain more control over stars in £264m deal
DIR By: Brown Bottle
Date: September 4, 2024, 3:23 pm
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--- Quote from: TomBuckQuin link ---
>
> Those soundbites from Baxter & McCall really jump off the
screen don't they? Almost dooming it to fail... Did the RFU not
have a media person managing this to within an inch of its life?
They're not having the best couple of weeks in TW2.
>
> Do we know how this actually works and is there anything to
ensure fairness across the 10 clubs? If I'm not mistaken, the
answer is no. Presumably Falcons & Glaws will have no one on one
of these contracts - so will be free to do as they please -
whereas the likes of Sarries, Saints, Bath, Chiefs, Quins,
Tigers will be more impacted (to varying degrees).
>
> Feels a lot like being punished for success - and then
offsetting with funds that won't touch the sides.
>
--- End Quote ---
You haven't spotted that it's PRL speaking, then. With money
from the RFU
#Post#: 127451--------------------------------------------------
Re: England gain more control over stars in £264m deal
DIR By: TomBuckQuin
Date: September 5, 2024, 2:50 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Brown Bottle link ---
>
> You haven't spotted that it's PRL speaking, then. With money
from the RFU
>
--- End Quote ---
--- Quote from: DazzaS link ---
>
> "This will reshape the rugby landscape and reset the
professional game," said RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney.
>
--- End Quote ---
#Post#: 127453--------------------------------------------------
Re: England gain more control over stars in £264m deal
DIR By: Brown Bottle
Date: September 5, 2024, 3:40 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: TomBuckQuin link ---
>
>
>
--- End Quote ---
What I meant was that despite a couple of minor protestations
from Baxter and McCall, PRL have been involved in this since the
beginning. I probably could have phrased it better had I been
sober. Now I have a hangover. 🙂
#Post#: 127457--------------------------------------------------
Re: England gain more control over stars in £264m deal
DIR By: Squint
Date: September 5, 2024, 4:36 am
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--- Quote from: TomBuckQuin link ---
>
> Feels a lot like being punished for success - and then
offsetting with funds that won't touch the sides.
>
--- End Quote ---
The RFU have had professional rugby given to them on a plate
since 1996. They've always paid peanuts to the clubs.
Conversely, they have always overpaid massively the match fees
they pay direct to the players, such that I believe it actually
works against the best interests of the England team in terms of
incentivising higher performance.
In short, if there is a way to take an option and then make a
complete ar$e of it then the RFU are peerless.
#Post#: 127460--------------------------------------------------
Re: England gain more control over stars in £264m deal
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: September 5, 2024, 6:01 am
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I knew you'd be all over this one (and the academy restructuring
noises), Toga! You are nothing if not consistent.
#Post#: 127467--------------------------------------------------
Re: England gain more control over stars in £264m deal
DIR By: Domestos
Date: September 5, 2024, 10:36 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Squint link ---
>
>
> The RFU have had professional rugby given to them on a plate
since 1996. They've always paid peanuts to the clubs.
Conversely, they have always overpaid massively the match fees
they pay direct to the players, such that I believe it actually
works against the best interests of the England team in terms of
incentivising higher performance.
>
> In short, if there is a way to take an option and then make a
complete ar$e of it then the RFU are peerless.
>
--- End Quote ---
What would you do, then?
#Post#: 127473--------------------------------------------------
Re: England gain more control over stars in £264m deal
DIR By: Squint
Date: September 5, 2024, 1:28 pm
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--- Quote from: Domestos link ---
>
> What would you do, then?
>
--- End Quote ---
Reward clubs properly who produce English players through their
academy. Start there.
#Post#: 127490--------------------------------------------------
Re: England gain more control over stars in £264m deal
DIR By: A222Quin
Date: September 6, 2024, 11:06 am
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--- Quote from: Squint link ---
>
>
> Reward clubs properly who produce English players through
their academy. Start there.
>
--- End Quote ---
How much do they get now and how much would you propose they
get? Genuinely interested.
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