Jeff Gage, rugby expert and author of Rugby‘s Blazered Buffoon

Questions: Former All Black prop Ben Franks during his time with London Irish
PICTURE: Getty Images

Many TRP articles through July show the parlous state of English rugby. Yet apart from jettisoning a raft of its ‘grassroots’ employees, the RFU seems to have no concerns.
It is clear the Premiership clubs will continue on their same path, even if that spells financial disaster. Eventually clubs below that level will realise a proper domestic representative stage is needed for their best players; as will c...