We Need To Talk About London Irish

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Surely there are enough people who love sports so would be willing to get paid less to be involved to still keep the costs down. And plenty still get paid peanuts even at prem football clubs because of it.

Can't pay bills with peanuts.
Plenty get paid peanuts at prem clubs but usually because they are in a non skilled job, of which I doubt rugby clubs have many.

Everything is relative. Cost of living crisis goes on then people start to look at what pays the bills rather than for the love of the game. This is full time work we are talking about not part time on match days.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Is marquee players good for the game?
Why is marquee players a thing v say pay what you want for academy produced lads it won't count to the cap?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Is marquee players good for the game?

I don't think so - it's part of what's driven the wages to even more unsustainable levels as well
Players look at Piutau on £1m a season and say to their agents "well if I'm going to be a marquee then I better be on close to that too"

Ironic that Coleman's salary this season is about what LIs unpaid tax bill is

I'd be all for rewarding clubs producing their own talent

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

I'd argue being able to keep your best players in the country (even wearing same jersey for multiple years) outweighs the ability to bring in players from another league.

The nba has a rule that allowed teams to go over the cap to re-sign their own players (plus they have a higher max contract with team that drafted them). Nba put it in cause players would leave small cities first chance they could. I think rugby needs something similar so that teams can keep their own players if they can afford it.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Probably already been posted:

London Irish’s demise should terrify those in rugby’s corridors of power | Gerard Meagher

The reasons behind Irish’s downfall are different to that of Worcester and Wasps but no less chilling for the sport

www.theguardian.com

 

[stus768]

Can't pay bills with peanuts.
Plenty get paid peanuts at prem clubs but usually because they are in a non skilled job, of which I doubt rugby clubs have many.

Everything is relative. Cost of living crisis goes on then people start to look at what pays the bills rather than for the love of the game. This is full time work we are talking about not part time on match days.

I get that. My point is more around not agreed if that staff salaries will be massively affected by football due to the fact lots of people still want to be involved with elite sport.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Legend Ojo on 'heartbreaking' times for London Irish

London Irish legend Topsy Ojo says the club's suspension from the Premiership is "heartbreaking" for all involved.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Kicking them when they're down a bit
They didn't show every game anyway - as long there are still three games a weekend they've got their fill, just stick a couple of extra Prem cup games in the schedule to fill out the weeks

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Supposedly the IRFU want to buy LI

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Supposedly the IRFU want to buy LI

to what end? just out of mercy to save the club? do they feel there are more irish players that could be getting game time and buying an existing club is better than tryingto form a new one?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

to what end? just out of mercy to save the club? do they feel there are more irish players that could be getting game time and buying an existing club is better than tryingto form a new one?

Probably the latter,
They also run an exiles programme in the UK, imagine they'd look to tie that into LI's academy

 

[Reiser99]

Probably the latter,
They also run an exiles programme in the UK, imagine they'd look to tie that into LI's academy

Fund LI into the academy, get them in the championship and then have a feeder to the Irish system.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Fund LI into the academy, get them in the championship and then have a feeder to the Irish system.

Yeah, I imagine they'd be looking to make them a phoenix club - it's gonna be a money pit regardless but championship would cost a lot less than trying to make them a fifth URC side, though I'm not sure where they'd play - think there's two years left on the Brentford ground share but they want LI gone regardless, and that stadium is way too big for Championship (and for Premiership, realistically), could just be a parting of ways by mutual agreement
If they move closer to central London and big up the Irish connection to tap into the expat/diaspora community and they could get decent crowds (for the championship)

 

[Kiwiwomble]

never really locked down a Premiership team, looked out for Irish and wasps back in the day as they often had kiwis playing for them, Quins was probably closest to where i use to live...but we have a quins in the club scene in melbourne and they're dicks so cant follow them anymore....if irish move in with wimbledon then i think i could get on board

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Yeah, I imagine they'd be looking to make them a phoenix club - it's gonna be a money pit regardless but championship would cost a lot less than trying to make them a fifth URC side, though I'm not sure where they'd play - think there's two years left on the Brentford ground share but they want LI gone regardless, and that stadium is way too big for Championship (and for Premiership, realistically), could just be a parting of ways by mutual agreement
If they move closer to central London and big up the Irish connection to tap into the expat/diaspora community and they could get decent crowds (for the championship)

What's a Phoenix club? Second time I've read that.

Would rather we left it very much alone to be honest. Still have a lot of work to do in Connacht and Ulster re production lines as well as grassroots club rugby in general, focus on the more controllable aspects.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

What's a Phoenix club? Second time I've read that.

Essentially means they can jump back in at the championship level instead of being forced down to the lowest league - they still get punished for going into administration (automatic relegation) but if a new owner materialises sharpish they're "resurrected" before being kicked out of the Union completely and reapplying/rejoining at level 10 (or however low the leagues get to where they're based)

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I can't see the RFU allowing Irish to join the URC.

But honestly if they want to increase the championship allowing Scotland and Ireland to invest in London irish and Scottish it wouldn't be IMO the worse thing in the world.

But I make it so that they had to reach an EQP level still. Don't want them to just become an extra region.

 

[will311293]

I can't see the RFU allowing Irish to join the URC.

But honestly if they want to increase the championship allowing Scotland and Ireland to invest in London irish and Scottish it wouldn't be IMO the worse thing in the world.

But I make it so that they had to reach an EQP level still. Don't want them to just become an extra region.

Maybe we should allow this more.... You wouldn't know this but the Japanese love Wasps/Hornets and they are very common in Japan. There is actually a team called the Tokyo Wasps and maybe we should link up with them to encourage Japanese rugby and continue the growth of the game.....

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Saracens did that with a...Romanian? side before, didn't they?