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#Post#: 127694--------------------------------------------------
Premiership considering merger with URC to form British and
Irish league
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: September 13, 2024, 3:10 am
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Exclusive: English clubs understood to be leaning towards new
competition without South African and Italian clubs involved
Gavin Mairs
and
Charles Richardson
12 September 2024 • 8:56pm
A proposal for a merger between the Premiership and the United
Rugby Championship – which features teams from Ireland,
Scotland, Wales, Italy and South Africa – is being explored,
Telegraph Sport can reveal.
The Premiership board is currently undertaking a strategic
review to explore ways of increasing the value of future
broadcasting deals ahead of going to market early next year for
a new broadcasting deal for the start of the 2026 season, having
signed a two-year deal with TNT earlier this year.
It is understood that the preference of the Premiership clubs,
after a board meeting in London on Thursday morning, is to
further explore the possibility of the creation of a British and
Irish league, without the South African and Italian clubs part
of the merger.
A number of options were presented for consideration.
A proposal for an Anglo-Welsh league was also considered as part
of a strategic review to seek ways of increasing the value, as
was the impact of reducing the Premiership to eight clubs, or
increasing it from 10 clubs to 12, 14 or 16 teams.
The British and Irish league option is said to have attracted
the most interest however, given that it has the potential to
drive the greatest commercial value – but it would also be the
most complicated to achieve.
‘A very high bar has been set’
Telegraph Sport revealed the four home unions took part in
discussions over the possibility of establishing a British and
Irish league during the World Cup in France last year.
While the Rugby Football Union confirmed they would look at the
proposals, there is understood to be strong support for combined
competition within the Celtic unions.
Exploratory work to determine whether the concept was viable
both from a commercial and sporting perspective was carried out
and significantly CVC, the private equity firm that holds
significant stakes in both Premiership Rugby and the URC, were
said to be open to the idea.
The discussions centred around examining competition structures
and how that would potentially impact the value of the next
broadcasting deal, at a time when the broadcast market has
fractured and their values flatlined.
A document outlining options was issued to Premiership clubs
last weekend ahead of the board meeting and it explored various
options for league structures from 2026 when the international
game is due to be restructured with the launch of the Nations
Championship.
“It is what drives broadcasting rights and how does that impact
on different decisions we can make over the short and medium,”
said one source. “That includes looking at league structures.”
However, it is understood that Premiership Rugby would only
consider making any changes to their league structure if there
was a guarantee of a significant uplift in revenues.
“We have a very strong product and are in control of it so a
very high bar has been set if we are to consider any changes,”
said one source.
‘Nothing is ever off the table’
The impact of Welsh regions joining the league to potentially
increase the league from 10 to 12 clubs was also discussed. The
move, which would involve the Welsh regions leaving the URC,
also has the support of some Premiership clubs because of the
uplift it could have on gate revenues as well as because it
would renew the great Anglo-Welsh club rivalries that were so
popular in the amateur era.
The clubs are already tapping into the Welsh market, with Bath
and Bristol due to play their Gallagher Premiership fixture at
the Principality Stadium in Cardiff next May and Cardiff were
also buoyed by attracting a sell-out crowd for their Investec
Champions Cup defeats by Harlequins and Bath last season.
An Anglo-Welsh league was first proposed in 1999, when the Welsh
Rugby Union controversially turned down the offer of five places
in the top two divisions of English rugby.
Another source said that all options were on the table. “Good
organisation and governance mandates that leagues, teams and all
stakeholders within rugby should always be exploring ways to
make the competitions in which they compete better,” said the
source.
“So clearly over the forthcoming period, here will always be
conversations about existing and potential competitions, about
where for the benefit of fans, players and owners, we can make
enhancements. So, nothing would ever be off the table.
“We are going into the new season off an incredibly exciting
Premiership last year, including semi-finals and final that were
one-score games. The standard has never been higher, so we feel
we are in a good place.
“But we’re conscious that we also want externally to feel like
there’s a pathway where that then results in improved economics,
not just of our clubs and our games but likewise is a hope and
expectation for other teams playing in other competitions. So we
are all committed to exploring options.”
Impact on European Champions Cup
One of the previous sticking points to the concept of uniting
the English Premiership and the URC has been the detrimental
impact it would have on the European Champions Cup.
But one solution has been advanced for an ‘FA Cup-style’
knock-out competition involving clubs from the French Top 14 to
ensure it retains its point of difference within a revised
European domestic structure.
There is said to be support within the Welsh regions, who are
struggling financially, for an Anglo-Welsh league, given the
travel costs of participating in the United Rugby Championship,
which includes sides from South Africa. A resumption of
cross-border clashes would also be expected to increase
attendances.
The Premiership clubs who are in support of a merger would also
have to gain support among all 10 clubs. It is understood there
are concerns as to whether a merger would drive up the value and
also require the Premiership clubs to increase their squad sizes
to cope with the extra fixtures.
#Post#: 127707--------------------------------------------------
Re: Premiership considering merger with URC to form British and
Irish league
DIR By: northstand
Date: September 13, 2024, 5:35 am
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I wouldn’t trust the RFU with my keys lets alone with trying to
get as something as complicated as this off the ground.
#Post#: 127709--------------------------------------------------
Re: Premiership considering merger with URC to form British and
Irish league
DIR By: Fearless Fred
Date: September 13, 2024, 6:06 am
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Meanwhile the Super Rugby has had another format shakeup.
Details here
HTML https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/527942/fans-front-of-mind-in-new-format-for-super-rugby-pacific
#Post#: 127721--------------------------------------------------
Re: Premiership considering merger with URC to form British and
Irish league
DIR By: East Stand Warrior
Date: September 13, 2024, 12:25 pm
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Perspective from Scotland is that this is just PRL/Welsh
fishing. There's not going to be a lot of interest from
Ireland/Scotland in this. We have a pretty good product at the
moment in the URC, made better by the South African presence.
English club rugby has been a mess recently, and there would be
significant concern that we'd get overshadowed, outvoted and
dragged down with it.
I think we'd also be unwilling to cut the Italian teams loose -
partly out of a moral obligation, partly because it would open
the door to it being us next time, when the arrangements no
longer suited. Plus, as I saw somebody point out, Treviso is a
much better away trip than Leicester!
#Post#: 127722--------------------------------------------------
Re: Premiership considering merger with URC to form British and
Irish league
DIR By: Narbia
Date: September 13, 2024, 12:37 pm
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BKT URC statement :
--- Quote ---
> Contrary to media reports the BKT United Rugby Championship is
not engaged in discussions regarding a British & Irish league.
>
> Since the introduction of the four South African teams in
2021, the league has enjoyed a sustained period of outstanding
success achieving record audiences, attendances, social media
growth and new levels of competitiveness.
>
> This is due in great part to the efforts of all 16 teams
across Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales which
has elevated the league to new heights.
>
> The BKT United Rugby Championship is committed to continuing
this pace of growth ahead of the new season and far into the
future.
>
> ENDS
>
--- End Quote ---
Given the rude good health the URC is in, that should come as a
surprise to no-one.[emoji41]
#Post#: 127738--------------------------------------------------
Re: Premiership considering merger with URC to form British and
Irish league
DIR By: Thegp
Date: September 13, 2024, 4:42 pm
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It’s a good idea but not sure why the URC would go for it as
said before
Keep the Italian teams though they are definitely worth their
spot. It’s a European competition so give the Saffers the boot.
Great teams and players but no place in this tournament
But as it would also degrade the European trophy then not sure
it’s ever going to happen
Makes sense for the Welsh perhaps, they could join the league
easily
#Post#: 127747--------------------------------------------------
Re: Premiership considering merger with URC to form British and
Irish league
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: September 14, 2024, 3:14 am
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So, how about URC and Premiership merging into Div 1 and Div 2
with proper Cup Tournaments and proper Promotion and Relegation?
#Post#: 127750--------------------------------------------------
Re: Premiership considering merger with URC to form British and
Irish league
DIR By: Brown Bottle
Date: September 14, 2024, 4:35 am
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--- Quote from: deadlyfrom5yardsout link ---
>
> So, how about URC and Premiership merging into Div 1 and Div 2
with proper Cup Tournaments and proper Promotion and Relegation?
>
--- End Quote ---
The promotion and relegation could only work between Div 1 & 2.
Only the English teams have anywhere vaguely appropriate to go
below Div 2.
#Post#: 127765--------------------------------------------------
Re: Premiership considering merger with URC to form British and
Irish league
DIR By: Andy Watson
Date: September 15, 2024, 12:58 pm
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Is this a sly way to get Wasps back into a league perhaps?
#Post#: 127766--------------------------------------------------
Re: Premiership considering merger with URC to form British and
Irish league
DIR By: Brown Bottle
Date: September 15, 2024, 1:15 pm
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--- Quote from: Andy Watson link ---
>
> Is this a sly way to get Wasps back into a league perhaps?
>
--- End Quote ---
Don't think they'd be needed. There are 20 teams in the four
home unions already.
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