WRW #17: SOUTH AFRICAN BEEF & POPCORN

RUGBY ON TV THIS WEEKEND

Guinness Six Nations

Saturday:
Italy v Wales, 2.15pm ITV1
England v France, 4.45pm ITV1

Sunday:
Scotland v Ireland, 3.00pm, BBC1

Gallagher Premiership

Friday:
Bristol v Wasps, 7.45pm, BT Sport 1

Saturday:
Newcastle v Bath, 12.30pm, BT Sport Extra
Exeter v Harlequins, 12.30pm, BT Sport Extra
Northampton v Sale, 2.45pm, BT Sport Extra
Gloucester v Leicester, 3.00pm, BT Sport Extra

Sunday:
London Irish v Worcester, 1.00pm, BT Sport 1

Guinness Pro 14

Friday:
Zebre v Leinster, 5.45pm, Premier Sports
Munster v Scarlets, 8.00pm, Premier Sports
Glasgow Warriors v Ospreys, 8.00pm, Premier Sports

Saturday:
Dragons v Ulster, 7.35pm, Premier Sports
Connacht v Edinburgh, 7.35pm, Premier Sports

Sunday:
Benetton v Cardiff Blues, 1.00pm, Premier Sports

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ALL CALM AFTER THE POPCORN

Another popcorn Monday has been and gone, with a flurry of contract extensions and three new signings - two of them already linked with the Tigers, Northampton’s Francois van Wyk, Bulls’ Marco Van Staden as well as Benetton’s Eli Snyman. Let’s be careful not to forget either Daryl Marfo who joins on a short term deal till the end of the season.

Not quite sure I get the hoopla among fans - with one exception, though I don’t want to come across as the grinch here.

There’s nothing regressive in any of these signings, which all look promising. I am intrigued to see Van Staden and whether he can fill the role Taufua fit so well, while remaining on the field more consistently. Van Wyk is arguably Northampton’ best scrummaging loosehead and a rare catch from down the A509.

Both fit in with Leicester’s pattern of recent signings, by view of the fact they are all forwards. Discounting loan deals, not one back has left Tigers and not one has been signed. What you do see in them, is the athleticism and power and they are especially remorseless in the set-piece and the tight.

Snyman is the one unknown, coming from Benetton having been born near Harare and been brought up in Pretoria at the Blue Bulls Academy. Talk from Italy is encouraging. The question is whether he can replace Lavanini, assuming no further locks are brought in, and keep a lid on penalties. Replacing Enever may be a better bet.

If it’s too early to bring in George Kruis or someone of top international quality, is it worth spending the money, which would also put Chessum, Henderson and Martin behind another import.

The extensions all make sense especially if Nadolo and Cole have signed on for another year. Kelly has certainly done enough for a contract and Whitcombe did not look out of place when he made his Premiership debut at Bristol.

We may well not see many more arrive in truth, given the pandemic and finances. I can see a number of players leaving though this summer with so many unable to get a game (23 members of the senior squad are yet to play..

Why don’t I get the hoopla then? Probably because there’s nothing to surprise me here. and maybe that’s the biggest shock of the lot.

What is exciting is that when you reassess the list of players involved in half the fixtures so far, so many of them have room to develop and grow. Players listed below with ages, those 30 or above are in bold. (Internationals and those joining next season added. Loans not included.)

Props: Leatigaga 27, Cole 33, Heyes 21 (+ Genge 26, Van Wyk 29)
Hookers: Tom Youngs 34, Clare 29 (+Montoya 27)
Locks: Wells 27, Green 30, Lavanini 28 (+ Snyman 25)
Backrow: Liebenberg 25, Brink 27, Reffell 21, Wiese 25, (+Van Staden 25)
Scrum-Halves: Wigglesworth 37, White 22, Van Poortvliet 19, (+ Youngs 31)
Fly-Halves: Henry 26, (+ Ford 27)
Centres: Scott 30, Porter 24, Murimurivalu 31, Moroni 29
Back Three: Van Wyk 29, Steward 20, (+ Nadolo 33)

What we overlook is the age profile of this squad. This is not Dad’s Army. It’s also not the local sixth form. In large part, this is an international or future international quality squad, many of whom have at least 2-3 years of development ahead of them.

That encourages me to think that the turnaround may not be as slow as some think. I notice Bobby Bridge thinks this squad can go for the title in future seasons. With one top-class lock, one more fly-half, maybe a centre or a winger, plus time, I wouldn’t rule it out.

LOOK OUT FOR THE TAXMAN

In the middle of England v France week, Cornish Pirates beating Saracens and all manner of Leicester signings, a rather significant story appears to have slipped under the radar.

The i Paper reported on Monday night that HMRC were investigating Premiership Rugby clubs over image rights payments to players and a very illuminating article outlines the issues at stake. Lots of detail there for you to get stuck into.

The subject has been touched on, within football for some time, as Daniel Geey explains. And by heaven, it’s profitable to the taxman, at least. Bear in mind, the issue image rights at the heart of why Rangers were relegated within Scottish football.

I doubt that players will be the main focus of this Premiership investigation. But the clubs - currently being furnished with Government largesse amid the pandemic - might not be so lucky.

Bear in mind a few things on this might affect the salary cap:

1. Given the massive difference in income tax and corporation tax, this will inevitably lead to differences in valuation where the salary cap could be breached if the taxman feels they should have had double the tax they received. This was at the heart of the Saracens case.

2. You are allowed to receive image rights payments direct from the club as a player, but not from a third party. Cue dozens of journalistsnow scouring Companies House records….

3. Creativity is formed in many ways so don’t think these are the only two way of breaching the cap. Questions would be raised at any offshore arrangements.

4. Image rights has not always been included under the cap. How far back can HMRC go in their enquiries?

5. What is the line between inadvertent breaches and driving a wholesale coach and horses through the regulations?

The i paper report refers to Saracens but also to 3 directors at unnamed clubs who were familiar with enquiries. From what I am aware, there are any number of clubs who should be cacking it at the moment.

HMRC take their time. They move silently. And ruthlessly. Watch this space.

HOW TO HELP THE CHAMPIONSHIP

What was the difference ultimately between Cornish Pirates and Exeter Chiefs? Why did the Chiefs get promoted and go on to be Champions of England and Europe and Pirates remain in the Championship?

For a more in-depth study of Exeter, I heartily recommend Rob Kitson’s book, Exe Men. But to compare the two clubs, you should look at bricks and mortar and go back to the summer of 2006.

Camborne RFC where Cornish PIrates were briefly tenants between 2006-2008

Those of a certain age may remember a fine pre-season friendly involving the Pirates and Leicester at Camborne in August 2007 (thanks Stuart Farmer for jogging my memory), fuelled by lashings of Tribute. While the Pirates stayed there for two years - and surely it should have been possible to keep them there - they then had to revert back to Penzance (the club was originally called Penzance & Newlyn, after all) and their beloved Mennaye Field.

On the other hand, Exeter took strategically the best long-term decision, selling the County Ground for housing and moving to a brand new site by the M5. While the Pirates beat Exeter in 2007 in a non-Premiership cup final at Twickenham, it was the Chiefs who were looking stronger and were the first to secure promotion in 2010. I distinctly remember the view at the time that there wasn’t enough commercial support for two Premiership teams in Devon & Cornwall. So far the Pirates are yet to knock down that thesis.

Now, Exeter are in another stratosphere, but even with the Premiership’s reluctance to take on the Championship as in France, the biggest problem at second-tier are the facilities. Some clubs within the Championship look much more likely to find commercial sustainability, including Cornish Pirates.

They are within touching distance of their own 10,000 seater stadium near Truro but cannot get over the line to start construction. Get it built and they have a chance to progress commercially.

If Cornwall can take 50,000 to Twickenham in the 90s, I cannot believe that there are private equity investors unwilling to get involved. If not, is this a role for the Premiership or the RFU, to offer loans or underwrite the project? It would be a stretch to divert funding from the Premiership, but the RFU working in concert with the Premiership for once, could sort this out - as the WRU has in organising a giant loan for itself and its four regions.

An artist’s impression of original plans for Cornish PIrates’ new stadium, near Truro

Is the Stadium for Cornwall (above) a project, where either the RFU or private equity could either underwrite it or offer loans to guarantee its progress? Costing £14.5m in all, it had already attracted £9m in private funding, plus £3m from Cornwall County Council. Costs are said to be rising, but this surely needs to get off the ground. An loan of £2.5m and underwriting extra costs by the RFU/Premiership would be a very welcome step forward.

Yes it would set a precedent and it certainly must not come from the RFU’s community project, but that’s a precedent I’m happy to encourage if Championship clubs show a level of ambition in return.

Already the RFU offers grants to junior clubs at a certain level for redevelopment - there must be clubs in Leicestershire who have benefitted?

Why not head further in this direction? Ealing? Doncaster? Nottingham? A pocket of 12-18 broadly comparable and sustainable Premiership/Championship clubs would be fundamentally in English rugby’s interests.

QUICK HITS OF A CHAMPIONSHIP VARIETY

This was the winning try on Saturday…and how many times have Saracens done this to opposition teams????

Javier Señarís Senra @RutgerBlume

Historia, versión Cornish Pirates.

Meanwhile, one of Leicester’s favourite Aussies shows us a dark art:

Murray Kinsella @Murray_Kinsella

Classic place-kicker stuff from Matt Toomua when the ref turns his back.

Rugby’s answer to David Beckham?

Major League Rugby @usmlr

Rugby superstar @giteau_rugby is bringing his trophy-winning ways to the @Giltinis. Australia’s three-time World Cup star adds a huge marquee name to LA's already-impressive roster of players from seven countries. #MLR2021

RUNNING FROM DEEP

1. Owen Slot in The Times, (£) outlines where we’ve gone wrong with ring-fencing for the Premiership:

In other words, the Pro D2 is so much more competitive than the Championship and there is a reason for this: the two divisions operate as one. In England, the Premiership wants nothing to do with the Championship. In France, the 30 clubs of the Top 14 and the Pro D2 do their business together. That £97.5 million TV deal? That was for all of them — 65 per cent of it for the Top 14, 35 per cent for Pro D2.

2. A change in the supplier for Covid-19 tests has been quietly introduced, in the Times (£). This is down to an extraordinary mixup at Bath…

Bath placed all players into isolation, closed their training centre at Farleigh House and subjected the facility to a deep clean after being informed of a major Covid-19 outbreak at the club, with 19 positive cases and a further 16 players identified as close contacts.

Randox subsequently discovered that 18 of those 19 cases were actually negative and apologised, blaming “operator error” and assuring the RFU and Premiership Rugby that new “robotic systems” would ensure there was no repeat.

3. Such are the depths that Bath’s anti-rugby NIMBYs wll go to. The Bath Chronicle outlines their obsessions do not stop halting a Covid19 vaccination centre at the nearby Bath Pavilion, all so that the temporary East Stand can be removed for all of…a month..

Mr Flinn said the process of removing the stand turns the Rec into a building site and would put the Covid-19 vaccination centre at the Pavilion out of action for a “critical six-week period”.

He added: “It is not overstating the situation to say that these significant community events are in grave danger if they are not able to plan to take place in 2021 – another year of hiatus could see the city lose key events for the future. Interrupting the vaccination roll out would be worse.”

So reducing the parking spaces for those receiving vaccines is less important than an absurd planning dispute. Every sympathy with Bath and especially when you read the comments…..

Thanks for your company once more. See you on Friday for the next helping of WRW.

Chris