RFU & Premiership Rugby Agree Partnership

24 Jul 2016 | tshego

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The Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Premiership Rugby Limited (PRL) have agreed a new partnership for the next eight years, running through until July 2024, which will see Premiership clubs benefit from the successful financial performance of England Rugby for the first time.

PRL and the RFU have agreed an appropriate share of rugby revenues as a basis for the investment over the life of the deal.

The aim of the partnership – worth over £200m, with the first four year payment fixed at £112m – is to ensure all parties work together to make the domestic game and England international teams stronger in the future.

The second four-year payment could potentially be higher than £112m subject to financial performance under the rugby revenue share partnership approach.

The funding model for the clubs is based on the English Qualified Player (EQP) threshold being met, the Elite Player Squads (EPS) and standards for club academies being achieved.

The Professional Game Agreement will see the England Elite Player Squad (EPS) increase from 33 to 45 players and greater flexibility during international periods so 36 players can be selected for the camp instead of 33. The England head coach will now also be able to make the final selection of 45 squad members in the first week of October. A reduced number of 20 players will be selected as part of a Next EPS squad for training camps and possible Saxon fixtures.

The announcement follows on from a new five-year funding deal between the RFU, Rugby Players Association and PRL last season which sees a minimum of £7m injected into the RPA welfare, personal development and education programmes to support 650 current and over 350 former RPA members.

The new agreement will include increased funding of academies, and new academy licences have been awarded to 14 professional clubs. The new partnership will not affect the level of investment the RFU puts into the community game, while the national governing body and Premiership Rugby will also commit to a multi-million-pound community programme.

Ian Ritchie, RFU chief executive said: “This is a true partnership focused on making English rugby the best in the world for club and country. A strong partnership between the RFU and the PRL is critical if we are to grow professional rugby across the country for the benefit of the players, fans and the game.

“Player welfare, as ever, is a priority for us all, and so further rest periods have been built into the season. The RFU is focused on investing in Premiership clubs, to ensure they are sustainable, thriving businesses, which will develop players for the national game.

“We look forward to working with Premiership Rugby over the next eight years to promote and support rugby in England.”

Mark McCafferty Premiership Rugby CEO, said: “Success for England and the clubs depends on an effective partnership between the RFU and Premiership Rugby on many levels.

“We’ve seen that emerge from the last few years of the previous agreement and this new one is capable of setting the platform for a period of sustained success for both club and country, as we look to build on the strong finish to last season.

“The next year will also be very important in working together to secure the necessary improvements to the global season structure.

“The significantly increased monies to the Premiership clubs, alongside their own increased TV and commercial revenues, will ensure that Aviva Premiership Rugby continues to go from strength-to- strength based on world-class England Qualified Players and a very strong academy pipeline of talent. In addition, this is intended to underpin further European success.”