Worcester Warriors return as a competitive team in next season’s Championship may have caused polarised opinion but has England’s second tier done itself a huge favour in gaining more recognition?
The West Midlands outfit went into administration in September 2022 with debts of over £2.5million, the first of three Premiership clubs that went out of existence with Wasps and London Irish following soon after.
Now though they are back, with new ownership, and a promise to repay their creditors in full (a process already underway). It certainly pleased the Rugby Football Union (RFU) who sent Director of Performance Conor O’Shea along to the photoshoot, less so London Welsh.
MIXED REACTIONS
The Exiles went under in 2016 after two seasons in the Premiership. They were forced to start from the bottom level and returned to national rugby last week, after which Director of Rugby Cai Griffiths vented his anger at the decision.
Richmond and London Scottish - two other clubs who went on similar treks up the leagues – kept their counsel, but it will be interesting to see how their fans respond when they meet next season.
You can understand both sides. From London Welsh, why is banishment to the basement good for them, but not for others? For Worcester, look at what they have to offer a league scrabbling for relevance, a league where RFU funding has fallen from £600,000 to just over £100,000 in a few years.
Chief is their 12,500-capacity, Sixways ground. A smart, compact arena that has hosted Premiership rugby. Should the Warriors finish as champions then the Premiership can not use ground capacity as a reason to deny them promotion as they did with Ealing Trailfinders and Coventry this season.
THANKS, BUT NOT THANKS
They also bring a large fanbase that will boost Championship clubs’ coffers. Both reasons are different to Wasps and London Irish, two teams that moved home multiple times in the professional era, and who don’t yet have one despite taking their first steps on a return to professional life.
For the Premiership it gives Newcastle Falcons, the perennial bottom-place team, a chance to drop down, take stock, and rebuild again as they have done before. English elite club rugby needs more than 10 teams, especially when one of them requires bailing out just to maintain the status quo.
It is still early days for Worcester, but it has brought attention to the Championship, a few weeks after Ealing and Coventry received their thanks, but no thanks letters.
It will be interesting to see how Ealing and Coventry respond, while the Warriors now have a few manic months ahead, as players and coaches are signed. It has been a rough couple of years for the Warriors, and with the Championship sticking their neck out to expedite their return, they will have to do their utmost to make their return worthwhile.