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Exclusive: English professional rugby facing its 'death knell' unless fans return before Christmas, says RPA

Leicester Tigers Joe Heyes reacts during the Gallagher Premiership match at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. PA Photo. Picture date: Wednesday September 9, 2020.  - PA
Leicester Tigers Joe Heyes reacts during the Gallagher Premiership match at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. PA Photo. Picture date: Wednesday September 9, 2020. - PA

Professional rugby in England is facing its “death knell” unless fans are allowed to return to matches before Christmas, the players’ union has warned.

Damian Hopley, the chief executive of the Rugby Players’ Association, said the impact of the government’s decision last week to extend the ban of supporters attending live sporting events for another six months would have an “absolutely devastating impact” for Premiership clubs and the broader game.

Hopley says his organisation has been contacted by players from across the game who fear widespread job losses following dire financial forecasts that could see up to three clubs go out of business by January.

“There are a lot of very nervous players, the clubs have already suffered significant financial losses this season,” Hopley told Telegraph Sport.

“We have spoken to a number of very concerned players who recognise the absolutely devastating impact this will have on their employers and the broader game.

“The message and feedback and significant concerns that are being raised from players at all clubs is: ‘will I have a club, will I have a job and what are the RPA or Premiership Rugby going to do about it?’

“If you go back to the essence of what the players’ association is about, it is about providing players with as much certainty as possible but clearly no-one is immune to what the latest government announcement is on no crowds.

“It will have a devastating impact. This is about players having jobs and some of the harder discussions that we have had with players is not about taking pay cuts but the fact that they might not have a job because their club might go under.

“The impact of last Tuesday’s announcement is that clubs might not be here by January.

“That would have a seismic impact on communities, fans, the outreach programmes across the entire sport and many are quite rightly saying this could be the death knell of the game.”

Gloucester have laid bare the extent of the financial crisis gripping the sport last week, with the club’s chief executive Lance Bradley telling Telegraph Sport that the 147-year old club is facing losses of £6.2 million and will go out of business within six months without a government bail-out.

A general view of play from the stands, where fans observe social distancing, during the Gallagher Premiership match at Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester.  - PA
A general view of play from the stands, where fans observe social distancing, during the Gallagher Premiership match at Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester. - PA

The economic forecast is equally dire for the Rugby Football Union who say they will lose £138 million in revenue if no supporters can attend England matches at Twickenham during the autumn series and Six Nations Championship and a further loss of £86 million for the community game.

Players have already accepted 25 per cent pay cuts following the impact of the first lockdown in March that led to the suspension of the Premiership and Hopley admits that more cuts are likely to be on the table without government support and a U-turn on the restriction on fans.

Negotiations between the RPA and Premiership clubs broke down during the first lockdown, reaching a standoff over how the cuts were implemented but Hopley said following robust and constructive talks, alignment was now key for the sport’s survival.

“The stark reality exposed by Covid about salary levels and affordability and as painful as it has been for everyone, there is also an understanding across all playing groups that the cuts have been accepted,” Hopley added.

“I have got no doubt if this current situation continues we may well have to revisit the initial cuts. That is the reality of the economics of the game now.

“It is binary as to whether you have a job, or you don’t have a job and the single biggest cost base (of the clubs) is around salaries so I suspect that it is a watching brief as to whether that will happen.

“We have all learned a lot from what happened the first time around and would seek to redress that but clearly you can’t say that if the current situation doesn’t improve that it won’t be near or at the top of the agenda.”

Bill Sweeney, the RFU chief executive, and his Premiership Rugby  counterpart Darren Childs, met with Oliver Dowden, the Culture Secretary, last week to make the case for government financial support.

Hopley said government support was critical but insists the return of crowds is also required to keep the fabric of the game intact.

Gloucester had been one of the clubs selected to trial pilot events, with 1,000 supporters allowed to attend their match against Harlequins earlier this month and have spent £35,000 on measures to enable up to 8,000 supporters to attend matches while remaining socially distanced.

“The test events have been successful which is why last week’s announcement was so frustrating,” Hopley added. “We are so close and yet so far.

“This has brought into focus the fragility of the fault lines or no crowds and what that means for match day revenues. We are calling upon players, fans as the clubs are to raise this issue and try to get fans back in this side of Christmas because otherwise I think we are staring down a precipice and no-one wants to see that.”