LONDON IRISH FACE DEADLINE DAY OVER PREMIERSHIP FUTURE

The RFU are set to confirm today whether a takeover of London Irish can proceed, amid fears the club will go into administration.

The Exiles have been in protracted talks with an American consortium over a takeover and earlier this month were given a deadline of May 30 by the RFU for one of two conditions to be met.

English rugby union's governing body stipulated either the takeover must be completed and approved, with the buyers undertaking to provide all required working capital to meet the club's obligations as they fall due for at least the 2023/24 season, or the club produced evidence it will continue to be funded and operate throughout next season.

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The RFU added failure to meet either of those conditions before the deadline would result in London Irish being suspended from the Premiership and other competitions, which could see them relegated to the Championship.

It is understood that, as of Friday before the Bank Holiday weekend, no proof of funds from the US consortium had emerged, making it increasingly likely that Irish will be suspended from the Premiership in a meeting later on Tuesday.

Irish, who since 2020 have played their home games at Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium, are £30m in debt and last year owner Mick Crossan said he would sell the club for £1, if he could.

Employees of the club received their April pay a week late and the club had to cover their salaries, with payments eventually going through two days prior to their final match of the Premiership season against Exeter Chiefs. The players also demanded proof that their insurance premiums had been covered before taking to the field for that match.

It is understood that Irish players have already begun making contingency plans for next season, should the club be in breach of their contracts. Under RFU rules, players can leave their clubs for free if they are not paid within 14 days of their schedules payment date of wages.

The troubles at the Exiles follows a season in which fellow Premiership side Wasps and Worcester Warriors both collapsed due to financial problems.

On the pitch last season, Irish narrowly missed out on the Premiership play-offs as they finished fifth while Declan Kidney's side were also Premiership Rugby Cup runners-up for a second successive year.

2023-05-30T08:24:58Z dg43tfdfdgfd