By Mitch Phillips
LONDON (Reuters) – The Rugby Football Union, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players Association revealed an eight-year plan on Wednesday that they say should align the three organisations across a host of areas after 18 months of wrangling.
The Men’s Professional Game Partnership (MPGP) aims “to create world-leading English international teams and thriving professional leagues with players and fans at the heart of it”, the RFU said in a statement.
Among the developments is an enhanced England Playing Squad (EPS) from which coach Steve Borthwick will be able to select up to 25 players to prepare for internationals and will have the final say on all medical matters relating to the management of the EPS players.
In theory, Borthwick still does not have any power to influence selection for club games but, on the back of medical data, the practical outcome is likely to be that he does.
There is also a commitment to create world-leading English teams and thriving professional leagues delivered through a fully optimised performance system.
That will include improved international playing opportunities for the Under-20s England squad, which will be expanded to 50 players, and there will be up to four England A matches per season.
All three organisations have also committed to a more collaborative approach to player welfare.
On the back of the demise of Wasps, Worcester and London Irish, there is a new structure to the Premiership’s academies with boundaries and satellite centres set up with a commitment to reduce travel time for teenage players.
All three parties will establish a Player Support Fund that will initially focus on medical support for retiring players, mental wellbeing support for current and retired players, and providing a safety net for players and staff affected by unforeseen club situations.
“This eight-year commitment will reshape the rugby landscape and reset the professional game to support, showcase and fund our game for the next decade and beyond,” RFU CEO Bill Sweeney said.
“Today we have reached a significant milestone in turning our spend into the professional game into a true investment partnership with shared strategy, goals and risks.” Simon Massie-Taylor, Premiership Rugby CEO, said: “We have worked hard with the RFU and RPA to provide more financial stability, better governance and a joint high-performance plan that will help make the England Team and the Premiership clubs as successful as possible. “What we have learnt from the challenges of the last few years is how important healthy clubs and a successful men’s England team are to the rugby ecosystem.”
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, Editing by Ed Osmond)
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