RFU Promises End To Club V Country Row

In presenting its ‘Way Forward’ document, the RFU has stated that the ongoing
club versus country rift will be resolved by the end of June.

RFU chief executive Francis Baron announced that the governing body was close
to an agreement with the 12 Premiership clubs over the use of England players.

Said Baron: ‘It ends in June. We have a new way forward in June. We all feel
the same. This time we are going to fix it because everyone is fed up with the
bickering.’

The proposals included in the RFU document incorporate central contracts for
England internationals, measures for increased player safety and welfare and
changes to the structure of the season.

‘The strong thing uniting the RFU and the clubs is the desire to fix it and
this is what we are going to do,’ added Baron.

‘We are going to find the solutions which have eluded previous attempts. Some
great names have had a crack at this in the past but they didn’t have all the
information and data we have now.

‘The game belongs to everybody. It isn’t the preserve of the people at HQ
here, or the 12 top clubs. Everybody needs to have a say.’