THE coincidences are all too much — yesterday an apparent outbreak of peace between the RFU and the Guinness Premiership clubs, today Rob Andrew taking up his position as the union’s director of elite rugby and tomorrow the most open Premiership for years kicking off. Who knows, in 12 months’ time, England may also make a successful defence of the World Cup.
A new season should not begin clouded by cynicism, although, after the squabbles that have disfigured domestic rugby in England for so many years, it is hard to avoid. Even so, the mutual expressions of goodwill from the RFU and Premier Rugby Ltd are what the sport’s players and followers have longed for. They must hope it will last not only for the year leading into the 2007 World Cup , but for many years to come.
The clubs crave the opportunity to build their businesses over at least a five-year period, knowing precisely where they stand. As significant as anything in the new spirit of accord is that Premier Rugby has withdrawn its appeal after the recent court action with the RFU and that the union will meet its own costs and has guaranteed no fourth autumn international in 2008.
There will be a payment of £1 million from the RFU to the clubs as compensation for the extra international on November 5 between England and New Zealand that has created so much friction and led to the High Court in July. Both sides agree that they have to move away from the rigid positions that they had previously occupied, for the good of the national cause and the long-term health of the 12 elite clubs.
The appointment last month of Andrew to his new position has reassured the clubs. As director of rugby at Newcastle Falcons for the past 11 years, Andrew knows intimately the club-versus-country issues, but he must establish a productive working relationship with Andy Robinson, the England head coach, who is now assured of his 16 training days with the elite playing squad.
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He will have his players together at Loughborough University for three days in late September and early October, which allows them recovery time from club fixtures yet still enables them to achieve meaningful work with the England coaching staff. There will also be wind-down periods together after the 2007 RBS Six Nations Championship matches against Italy and Ireland so that, even if the players do not remain in camp during the free international weekends, their prospects of playing club rugby in between are virtually nil.
“Both sides have maintained dialogue in an effort to reach a negotiated settlement,” Mark McCafferty, the Premier Rugby chief executive, said. “We can now look forward to the opening of the South Stand [at Twickenham on November 5] and to engaging in discussions on the future of the game in England in a spirit of co-operation.”
The sides will meet again next week to build on the foundations laid in the past few days and will continue to press the IRB on the matter of uncontested scrums. The RFU has bowed to a ruling by the international governing body that a law change is required if an additional player is to be removed from any team forced to go to uncontested scrums.
The Magners League begins this evening with the return to action of Chris Cusiter, the Scotland scrum half, for Borders against Connacht, after a six-month absence recovering from a chest injury. Glasgow Warriors parade five new signings against Newport Gwent Dragons and Cardiff Blues take on Munster.
Anthony Buchanan, the former Wales prop, is standing down as Llanelli Scarlets team manager after a 25-year association with the club.