SRU trying to buy Worcester Warriors

vapor trails

So the Scottish Rugby Union is trying to by the Aviva Premiership club Worcester Warriors.

I often thought to myself the IRFU should make an attempt to buy London Irish. I think Irish people and supporters might be galvanized better behind a team they know are owned by the IRFU. Also, it could be a way of getting second generation Irish people into a centrally controlled system which could end up with them being capped for Ireland. I know at one stage London Irish had the best average attendances for any club team in the UK. This leads me to believe they wouldn't be a black hole for money. If we had 5 teams (4 domestic provinces) and LI all pooling together for the benefit of Ireland as a whole it can only be a positive thing.

LeinsterDub

Any links?

Surely if the SRU have that kind of money it would be better invested in relaunching the Border Reivers or keeping there players fr
from going to France

The Lost Sheep

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Any links?

Surely if the SRU have that kind of money it would be better invested in relaunching the Border Reivers or keeping there players fr
from going to France

Would Borders be profitable/better use of funds?

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/scottish-rugby-union-favourites-buy-worcester-warriors-reports/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2017/12/17/scottish-attempt-invade-england-buying-worcester-signal-intent/

CIARAN_BOYLE

The reason this won't float is that premiership rugby can and have fined clubs for releasing players to international sides outside of international windows.

This limits the utility that the sru or IRFU would get from owning an English club.

There's also bitterness from the IRFU towards London Irish. How can a club call itself Irish when it has encouraged players who are qualified for both Ireland and England to declare foe England.

LeinsterDub

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

The reason this won't float is that premiership rugby can and have fined clubs for releasing players to international sides outside of international windows.

This limits the utility that the sru or IRFU would get from owning an English club.

There's also bitterness from the IRFU towards London Irish. How can a club call itself Irish when it has encouraged players who are qualified for both Ireland and England to declare foe England.

Also I was listening to a Podcast about German Rugby and one of the issue they have is there are plenty of German qualified players but if they are capped by Germany they are no longer an English Qualified player and the club loses all manor of grants and they count as one of the the limited numbers of foreign players allowed.

irishbucsfan

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

The reason this won't float is that premiership rugby can and have fined clubs for releasing players to international sides outside of international windows.

This limits the utility that the sru or IRFU would get from owning an English club.

There's also bitterness from the IRFU towards London Irish. How can a club call itself Irish when it has encouraged players who are qualified for both Ireland and England to declare foe England.

The reason PRL fine clubs for releasing players is because they have an agreement with the RFU and they do not have an agreement with the WRU.

If the SRU sign an agreement with PRL then it's no bother to them. Whether or not that's possible or how much PRL would want is another question, but if it meant investment into the Premiership then PRL may well be open to it.

pickarooney

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Also I was listening to a Podcast about German Rugby and one of the issue they have is there are plenty of German qualified players but if they are capped by Germany they are no longer an English Qualified player and the club loses all manor of grants and they count as one of the the limited numbers of foreign players allowed.

I can't make any sense of this.

German teams get grants for having English qualified players and if a German player gets capped for Germany he's considered a foreign player in the German league?

Podge_irl

pickarooney wrote: »

I can't make any sense of this.

German teams get grants for having English qualified players and if a German player gets capped for Germany he's considered a foreign player in the German league?

German qualified players in the Premiership (are there any!?) can't play for Germany I guess it the point. Or even in the Championship?

CIARAN_BOYLE

Podge_irl wrote: »

German qualified players in the Premiership (are there any!?) can't play for Germany I guess it the point. Or even in the Championship?

English players born in Germany.

A lot of English people were born in Germany due to the permanent deployment of British army in Germany.

For example since 2006 4 German born players have played for England in rugby.

A few years ago there was discussion of mass recruitment of German born British players (someone produced a list of 20 players who were at least in the championship). Fortunately or unfortunately these players enmasse turned down German representation. Either because the international appearance fee was too low or because it would alienate their clubs to play tier iii international rugby.

Not sure what grants he is talking about though.

Burkie1203

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Any links?

Surely if the SRU have that kind of money it would be better invested in relaunching the Border Reivers or keeping there players fr
from going to France

Borders were getting crowds in the hundreds. Buy an AP side and the income is far greater so the cost base is far lower to SRU.

Podge_irl

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

English players born in Germany.

A lot of English people were born in Germany due to the permanent deployment of British army in Germany.

For example since 2006 4 German born players have played for England in rugby.

A few years ago there was discussion of mass recruitment of German born British players (someone produced a list of 20 players who were at least in the championship). Fortunately or unfortunately these players enmasse turned down German representation. Either because the international appearance fee was too low or because it would alienate their clubs to play tier iii international rugby.

Not sure what grants he is talking about though.

Hmmm...they are not really German players though are they. Do they even qualify by WR rules? I wouldn't have much sympathy for that viewpoint to be honest. They could have refused for any number of reasons - not least of being they aren't German.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Podge_irl wrote: »

Hmmm...they are not really German players though are they. Do they even qualify by WR rules? I wouldn't have much sympathy for that viewpoint to be honest. They could have refused for any number of reasons - not least of being they aren't German.

German born and qualified.

I agree with you though the fact that they dont feel German most likely has more to do with it than anything.

LeinsterDub

pickarooney wrote: »

I can't make any sense of this.

German teams get grants for having English qualified players and if a German player gets capped for Germany he's considered a foreign player in the German league?

No. English teams have German qualified players. If those players declare for Germany it has a negative effect on the club.

LeinsterDub

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

.

Not sure what grants he is talking about though.

https://media.acast.com/therugbydungeon/ep-68mouritzbotha/media.mp3

Have a listen.

irishbucsfan

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Not sure what grants he is talking about though.

The RFU funding, which is huge, is based on having players in the EPS. But its almost impossible to lose out on that money.

However there are also salary cap credits to be gained from producing EQ players in your academy and those are valuable for bigger sides who are at the cap.

KBurke85

vapor trails wrote: »

So the Scottish Rugby Union is trying to by the Aviva Premiership club Worcester Warriors.

I often thought to myself the IRFU should make an attempt to buy London Irish. I think Irish people and supporters might be galvanized better behind a team they know are owned by the IRFU. Also, it could be a way of getting second generation Irish people into a centrally controlled system which could end up with them being capped for Ireland. I know at one stage London Irish had the best average attendances for any club team in the UK. This leads me to believe they wouldn't be a black hole for money. If we had 5 teams (4 domestic provinces) and LI all pooling together for the benefit of Ireland as a whole it can only be a positive thing.

Why the IRFU already own 4 teams

vapor trails

KBurke85 wrote: »

Why the IRFU already own 4 teams

That question sounds like you think 4 is the optimal number. Maybe it is..Why do you think so ?

prawnsambo

vapor trails wrote: »

That question sounds like you think 4 is the optimal number. Maybe it is..Why do you think so ?

They can't afford it. Things aren't as bad now as when they were going to drop Connacht, but it's a battle to keep up with wage demands and competition for players from France and England.

Shefwedfan

prawnsambo wrote: »

They can't afford it. Things aren't as bad now as when they were going to drop Connacht, but it's a battle to keep up with wage demands and competition for players from France and England.

The reason a player moves to England is because they get stupid wages. This is because the TV money is massive. The issue is the players are getting more money but the clubs are just going further and further into debt.

IRFU has 4 clubs which they own, they get a Premiership club and they would be expected to pay Premiership wages which means the TV is all wasted on wages so they don't come out with profit. Why would they bother?

They would be better going to Australian Rugby Union. Put a tie in to allow Irish players to move down to a club and maybe some Aussies players up here but they can still play for Australia for international.

The Australian would get better wages when moving up here, Irish players would get a chance to play in southern hemp. Also they could try and mop up between them all the second generation Irish which will be around soon down there.....that would make more sense

Give it a couple of seasons and the Aviva Premiership will go the way of the English second tier soccer divisions, TV money drys up and they all go bust

Squidgy Black

The money needed to survive in the AP far outweighs the income from the TV sponsorship.

It would cost the IRFU and absolute fortune to take over someone like London Irish and build up a stronger squad.

Do we really want to see money invested abroad rather than at home in our 4 provinces? For what gain too?

FrannoFan

Shefwedfan wrote: »

The reason a player moves to England is because they get stupid wages. This is because the TV money is massive. The issue is the players are getting more money but the clubs are just going further and further into debt.

IRFU has 4 clubs which they own, they get a Premiership club and they would be expected to pay Premiership wages which means the TV is all wasted on wages so they don't come out with profit. Why would they bother?

They would be better going to Australian Rugby Union. Put a tie in to allow Irish players to move down to a club and maybe some Aussies players up here but they can still play for Australia for international.

The Australian would get better wages when moving up here, Irish players would get a chance to play in southern hemp. Also they could try and mop up between them all the second generation Irish which will be around soon down there.....that would make more sense

Give it a couple of seasons and the Aviva Premiership will go the way of the English second tier soccer divisions, TV money drys up and they all go bust

but this is the top division and the premier league TV money has anything but dried up!

prawnsambo

Shefwedfan wrote: »

The reason a player moves to England is because they get stupid wages. This is because the TV money is massive. The issue is the players are getting more money but the clubs are just going further and further into debt.

IRFU has 4 clubs which they own, they get a Premiership club and they would be expected to pay Premiership wages which means the TV is all wasted on wages so they don't come out with profit. Why would they bother?

They would be better going to Australian Rugby Union. Put a tie in to allow Irish players to move down to a club and maybe some Aussies players up here but they can still play for Australia for international.

The Australian would get better wages when moving up here, Irish players would get a chance to play in southern hemp. Also they could try and mop up between them all the second generation Irish which will be around soon down there.....that would make more sense

Give it a couple of seasons and the Aviva Premiership will go the way of the English second tier soccer divisions, TV money drys up and they all go bust

Not sure why you are replying to me here?

Shefwedfan

FrannoFan wrote: »

but this is the top division and the premier league TV money has anything but dried up!

I am referring to the magical money that UTV/ITV offered to broadcast the league outside of the Ppermier League. It went bang and so did a load of clubs. The clubs had spent the money based on expectations, not on what they actually had in the bank.

I can't see BT maintaining the money they are giving to the Aviva Premiership, the return is not enought.

The Premier League for Sky is a different story and the Worldwide resale value is huge. How many countries have asked to buy the right to show the Aviva Permiership?