Premiership Rugby not ruling out more clubs being suspended over finances

Premiership Rugby cannot rule out more clubs joining Worcester and Wasps in being suspended from the league on financial grounds as league officials grapple with the crisis engulfing the domestic game.

Premiership Rugby Limited also detailed its reasons against allowing Worcester and Wasps to keep their P shares – which entitle clubs to a percentage of the leagues’s income as well as voting rights on key issues – saying “we have to be strong on this and we will be strong”. That stance appears to deliver a hammer blow to Wasps, who are hoping to achieve a quick takeover on the understanding they will not lose their P shares. Without a quick takeover there are fears Wasps, who are due to enter administration on Monday, will go bust.

Premiership Rugby, meanwhile, is attempting to find a path out of the current desperate situation and views greater financial transparency from the clubs and a revamp of the domestic structure as critical to achieving that. In terms of structure, as revealed by the Guardian, it is understood senior officials favour a 10-team league and a fully professional 10-team second tier below it. Permanent change is unlikely to be introduced until 2024-25, however, leaving PRL (Premiership Rugby Limited) trying to navigate the minefield that is the rest of the current campaign and next season.

At present, Worcester have been suspended for the rest of the season and will be relegated at the end of it. Wasps will also be relegated should they go into administration on Monday and their suspension is currently indefinite. It is also understood there are fears over at least one other club’s finances and asked if Worcester and Wasps would be the last, the PRL chief executive, Simon Massie-Taylor, said: “We