Andrew confident about way forward

ROB ANDREW has hailed “an English solution for the English game” after the Twickenham unveiling of a new detailed agreement governing professional rugby in England.

Months of talks between the RFU and Premier Rugby Limited have culminated in a way forward being thrashed out.

The new eight-year agreement — which runs from July 1 next year — will incorporate two World Cups and cover critical areas such as elite player squads, player management programmes, season structure and an England-qualified players compensation scheme. Around £110m will be provided by the RFU to Guinness Premiership clubs between next summer and June 30, 2016.

And a newly-formed Professional Game Board comprising membership from the RFU, PRL, Professional Rugby Players’ Association and First Division Rugby will oversee matters.

It is hoped the wide-ranging document, established following years of bitter political dispute that scarred English professional rugby, can bring an end to that feuding.

Andrew, the RFU’s elite rugby director, said: “Disputes of the last 10 or 12 years have dogged the game.

“I believe this is an English solution for the English game — not an Irish model, New Zealand model or whatever model — and I hope, once and for all we have put club versus country behind us and we can talk about club and country.

“It is the first time we have reached an agreement, which is a sustainable English solution for the English game, since the game went professional in 1995.”

From next summer, there will be 32-strong elite player squads established at senior, England Saxons (formerly England A) and under-20 levels, with each player having nominated positions.

Players in the senior squad will be released for autumn international, Six Nations and summer tour block periods, plus a five-day August training camp during non-World Cup years.

Players will be released from their clubs to England duty around two weeks before the autumn Test programme and Six Nations start, remaining with England throughout those periods.

On weekends during the Six Nations window when there are no international games, the England head coach can ask clubs for players to be included in their matchday 22s.

There will also be a strict medical protocol followed, with England and the clubs using a single computer-based information system.

Day-to-day responsibility will lie with club medical teams during club blocks of the season, with England’s medical team taking over during international periods.

Any disputes on whether an elite player squad member is fit to play for club or country will be resolved by a third party specialist.

Elsewhere, clubs will be compensated for the number of England-qualified players they include in matchday squads, starting from more than 14 among the 22 between years two and five of the agreement.

And for the first time, there will be separate legally-binding one year agreements between the RFU, elite player squad member and the player’s club.

This will cover subjects like match fees and win bonuses, player intellectual property rights and disciplinary procedures.

For their part, the clubs will retain player contracts, with Premier Rugby solely responsible for Guinness Premiership broadcast and media rights, title sponsorship and partner rights, its marketing and promotion.

* Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan has predicted a “fire-cracker” of a match when Ospreys visit Kingsholm in the Heineken Cup tonight. The victors will put themselves in pole position to qualify from Pool Two after both teams recorded wins in their opening games.

Alex Brown has been ruled out of the match due to a shoulder injury suffered at Ravenhill, so Marco Bortolami comes into the second row, while fellow lock Will James takes his place on the bench after learning of his axing from the Wales squad yesterday.

GLOUCESTER: I Balshaw; J Simpson-Daniel, M Tindall, A Allen, L Vainikolo; R Lamb, R Lawson; N Wood, O Azam, C Nieto, P Buxton (capt), M Bortolami, A Strokosch, A Qera, L Narraway.

Replacements: A Titterrell, C Califano, W James, G Delve, M Prendergast, C Paterson, O Morgan.

OSPREYS: L Byrne; N Walker, S Parker, G Henson, J Vaughton; J Hook, M Phillips; D Jones, H Bennett, A Jones, I Gough, I Evans, J Thomas, M Holah, F Tiatia (capt).

Replacements: R Hibbard, P James, A Jones, H T-Pole, J Marshall, S Connor, M Taylor.

Referee: G Clancy (Ireland).