RFU Concerned About Added Club Fixtures

The Rugby Football Union has stated its concern about the proposal to increase the number of domestic club fixtures after Premier Rugby agreed that salaries would be capped at £4m and games would be added to allow for more income.

While the RFU claimed it understands the recession has hit clubs hard – and thus prompted their desire to add more games – it was unhappy with the added fixtures to the Guinness Premiership, which would make an already packed schedule even tighter.

More games would mean less time for international commitments, and the RFU has stressed the importance of maintaining the play structures and the welfare of the players themselves.

The RFU now awaits further details on the proposed scheme, which also need to be within the lines of the governing body’s eight-year agreement with Premier Rugby that took effect last July.