Takeover.

Premiership Rugby owners are set to hold a board meeting next week to discuss a potential £275 million takeover of the league.

The deal is being reported by The Times, and would be the biggest of its kind in club rugby history, with former F1 owners CVC Capital Partners looking to buy a 51% share of England’s premier club rugby competition.

The deal valued Premiership Rugby at £550 million, and would mean a huge windfall for the 12 Premiership clubs, with many suffering huge financial losses in recent years. But CVC’s valuation of the league reportedly falls short of the clubs’ expectations.

“The board is always considering options for further expansion and the best ways to support that,” said a Premiership Rugby spokesperson.

However, there are concerns that a deal of this kind could drive a further wedge between the club game and the Rugby Football Union.

The Premiership Rugby spokesperson added:

“This interest is of course very good news for Premiership Rugby and is a reflection of its growing international appeal. But a decision is not imminent.”