Club with no full-time players have won promotion but will not be changing their ethos or their pay structure
Richmond’s return to the Championship is a parable for the most challenging period rugby has faced. A club that do not have contracts with their players and whose priority is the organisation and everyone involved in it rather than the first team stood alone the last time they were first promoted to English rugby’s second tier three years ago. But their model is set to be copied by others as the financial impact of the coronavirus lockdown deepens.
“The finances of the Championship simply don’t work,” says Steve Hill, Richmond’s director of rugby for the past 10 years and first-team head coach. “With the cuts to it that will be made by the Rugby Football Union, more clubs will have to look at our model. Outside Ealing Trailfinders, who have a wealthy backer, virtually all are losing money and it cannot continue. You do not want clubs going out of existence but we are in danger of that happening as things stand.”
Written by Paul Rees
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/apr/14/richmond-may-be-sustainable-model-for-the-future-of-championship-rugby under the title “Richmond may be sustainable model for the future of Championship rugby | Paul Rees”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
