London Irish offered takeover deadline extension if RFU conditions are met

The Rugby Football Union is prepared to give London Irish a stay of execution for a week if certain conditions are met before Tuesday’s 5pm deadline. Irish must guarantee that May’s pay roll is met and must deliver key documents regarding the proposed takeover from a US consortium to the RFU.

It would represent a temporary reprieve for Irish and a loss of nerve by the RFU, who had made clear that either the takeover would be completed or that the current owner would prove he could fund the club for the entirety of next season, or they would be suspended from the league. The concern is that the extension is merely kicking the can down the road, further into the coming summer and closer to the start of pre-season.

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London Irish players were on Tuesday morning sent a message from the club hierarchy outlining that the RFU chief executive, Bill Sweeney, was prepared to grant an extension. It is understood that the RFU’s club finance viability working group will still meet on Tuesday evening and make a recommendation to the board. It is, however, willing to grant an extension if wages are guaranteed and documents are received. As of lunchtime on Tuesday the RFU had received no such documents but it is believed the current owner, Mick Crossan, has indicated that he is willing to cover May’s wages as he belatedly did for April’s.

The extension would give the US consortium more time to complete the takeover but there remains scepticism it will go through. The RFU had been determined to ensure the situation was resolved and did not drag into the summer but while Irish are not going to meet either of the