Championship clubs can cash in during World Cup
Unlike the Premiership, whose clubs are expected to close their doors due to contractual agreements between the RFU and IRB, it will be business as usual for Championship and National League sides throughout the seven-week jamboree.
“The Championship and National League competitions will continue,” RFU chairman Ian Ritchie confirmed this week.
“There are going to be loads of rugby fans wandering around this country and they’re going to want to watch rugby games, so there’s a lot of potential.”
With over 400,000 visiting supporters expected, the vast majority of whom will pass through the capital, London Scottish president Rod Lynch has identified the World Cup window as a golden opportunity for his club.
Lynch told TRP: “It’s terrific news that we can play through the World Cup. London will be the rugby capital of the world for a few glorious weeks so you would be absolutely nuts not to make the most of it.
“That’s what London Scottish will be doing and with HQ in full swing a couple of miles down the road and us being the only current Championship club in London, it will allow us to draw in people who are here for matches.”
East Midlands club Nottingham also hope to take advantage of the top-flight shut-down, which remains the subject of ongoing discussions between Premiership Rugby and the RFU over compensation payments.
‘Greens’ chief executive Simon Beatham said: “People love watching live rugby and the Championship will have a full quota of games during the World Cup, with a good spread of teams throughout the country. We’re hopeful new people will come and have a look.”
Ritchie believes an agreement with the Premiership clubs over compensation will be reached “in weeks rather than months”.
Premiership clubs are threatening to play through the World Cup unless demands for £14m compensation are met, but Ritchie revealed a compromise could be reached that allows top-flight matches to be played during the knock-out stages.
Ritchie said: “We’ve got to find a balance. I understand the effect on PRL’s business and we’re trying to address that, but we must also recognise the huge financial boost to rugby around the country if we have a successful World Cup.”
NEALE HARVEY
*This article was first published in The Rugby Paper on September 7.
