English rugby on verge of expensive courtroom wrangle

ENGLISH rugby is set for a return to the courtroom and another expensive legal wrangle after Premier Rugby threw England’s autumn international against New Zealand into doubt.

The controversial extra fixture, announced yesterday for November 5, has been arranged to celebrate the official opening of Twickenham’s new south stand and to kick off England’s World Cup preparations.

Ticket and hospitality packages were due to go on sale yesterday and a deal has been struck with BBC1 for live television coverage.

However, it has been met with strong opposition from Premier Rugby Limited (PRL), the clubs’ umbrella body, who believe they are under no obligation to make players available.

Clubs cannot be forced to release players for the game because it falls outside of the International Rugby Board window.

Despite that, the RFU insist the 2001 Long Form Agreement (LFA) stipulates players must be released for any England international – but the clubs disagree and are set to chase clarification in the courts.

“Regrettably, in view of the urgency caused by the situation and in the interests of all parties, PRL will be writing to the RFU before seeking a court declaration on the issue of the proposed game,” said PRL chief executive Mark McCafferty.

It all means more bad headlines and another blow to rugby’s image, less than six months after the RFU and PRL were locked in a costly court battle over the validity of the LFA.

The RFU do not believe more court action is in the best interests of the game and it is something the clubs would also rather avoid.

But one PRL official explained: “If you have a governing body that unilaterally sets up a fourth international without consulting the clubs that will result in conflict.

“This fighting is damaging to our business but we won’t roll over anymore.”

If a court ruling was to go against them, the RFU could have to field a weakened squad against the might of the All Blacks or face the doomsday scenario of having to cancel the game altogether.

The PRL are taking their legal advice to ensure they are not liable for any refunds to ticket-holders or rights-holders should the game not go ahead.

The PRL’s response to the New Zealand fixture has dismayed the RFU, who felt they had removed all possible obstacles to the game.

Chief executive Francis Baron wrote to McCafferty last week offering a commercial package – Premier Rugby dispute claims it amounts to £1 million – plus additional compensation to those clubs affected by the game being staged on a Sunday.

Baron outlined how no player would be involved in all four autumn games — a second string side is likely to be employed against Argentina before two full-strength Tests against South Africa — and that the 10-game-a-season limit stipulated in the LFA would not be affected.

“We want them positively involved and to not sit sniping on the sidelines,” said Baron.