Tier two players must be ‘part of the union’ – Christian Day

Plans to provide Championship players with full trade union support could become a reality in 2016, according to Rugby Players’ Association chairman Christian Day, who has branded current conditions relating to tier two players “a mess”.
The RPA provide Premiership players with a range of services relating to matters such as contracts, insurance, severance arrangements and post-rugby career development – a facility currently unavailable to the Championship’s 450 professionals.
Funding is the main issue, with many second tier clubs either unable or unwilling to stump up for the additional manpower the RPA require to provide adequate services, but the RFU are being lobbied hard and Day hopes a resolution can quickly be found.
He told The Rugby Paper: “The issue with the Championship is you’ve got a number of clubs who have been doing their own thing. Some are incredibly professional – like Bristol and Worcester who are very well funded – but at the other end of the scale you’ve got clubs who are just happy being in the Championship and who produce good players, but they just don’t have the financial ability to take things to the next level on or off the field.
“The RPA are looking at expanding to bring in the Championship players but there are many differing levels of clubs within the league when it comes to things like contracts, insurance and player welfare – and, if we’re honest, it’s just a mess.
“There’s no uniformity throughout the league, which in the Premiership you do have with standard contracts and regulations. It’s something we want to happen but the Championship is a completely different animal because of its lack of regulations.”
Day feels sympathy for the players, adding: “The standard of players is not an issue because you see how many guys come through from the Championship to play in the Premiership and represent England. It’s the building blocks within the clubs that need putting in place to take the next step towards reaching Premiership standard.
“This issue is very much on our agenda and the aim is for the RPA to be looking after Championship players from 2016.”
Meanwhile, The Rugby Paper understands Championship concussion protocols could be aligned to those of the Premiership before the end of this season.
Tier two clubs are currently unable to temporarily replace players with head knocks for 10 minutes while pitchside concussion assessments are carried out – a situation Day lambasted in TRP a fortnight ago as being “stupid”.
The matter is set to be discussed by the Professional Game Board before Christmas with a view to rolling out education programmes for club medics that will meet World Rugby standards and enable implementation.
NEALE HARVEY