Welsh Journalist Says English Clubs Are Taking Over Rugby
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Premiership chief executive Mark McCafferty last night said the Lions tour to New Zealand this summer will be the last in its existing six-week format.
This comes after RFU boss Ian Ritchie echoed the same sentiment, proposing the Lions tour be shortened by one week, reducing the amount of games played. The RFU also recently revealed that they want one of the rest weeks from the Six Nations removed.
English rugby also played a huge part in changing the format of the European Cup, replacing the old Heineken Cup with the Champions Cup. Welsh journalist Andy Howell reckons ‘jumped up’ English clubs are taking over rugby.
With Europe under the control of the clubs, the English have now turned their guns on perhaps the greatest institution of the lot and the one that captivates rugby supporters the most in these parts – the Lions.
Playing in a Test series for the cream of British and Irish is the pinnacle of a players’ career and it can be argued it’s the same for opponents in the countries – New Zealand, Australia and South Africa – they tour.
But, lo and behold, the jumped-up Premiership Rugby Limited, the umbrella organisation for the 12 English clubs in the Aviva, has stuck its oar into the most popular rugby trip on Planet Earth.
It’s chief executive Mark McCafferty has confirmed the eagerly awaited and much talked about end of season trip to New Zealand will be the last in its existing six-week format.
You can read his piece for WalesOnline in full here. What do you think? Does he have a point?
