Championship sides Chinnor and Cambridge will compete in the Not The Premiership Rugby Cup after being excluded from the original competition.
On Friday night at Mennaye Field in Penzance, Cornish Pirates will fancy themselves against a winless Exeter Chiefs in the opening fixture of the Premiership Rugby Cup.
The competition has been one of the most progressive moves Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football Union have made amid concerns over the future of promotion and relegation, and the stability in the English game.
But two clubs – Cambridge and newly promoted fellow Championship club Chinnor – have been excluded simply because the numbers don’t add up.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to thinks it is absolutely appalling in terms of the treatment, and I’ve spoken about it a number of times, it’s not going to make any difference,” Chinnor director of rugby Nick Easter tells City AM.
“But it’s quite incredible that the custodians of the game in this country are willing to cast aside two teams in a second tier so easily to satisfy Premiership Rugby teams. They [those in charge] did not fight our corner.
“It was like the rug was pulled from underneath us when pre-season started, and all of the planning and budgets that go into it. It is a disgraceful way to operate but it is not really surprising.”
Logical, not fair
Added Cambridge chair Tim Hague: “I get the logic, It’s just not fair. Fairness would be to draw [the excluded teams] out of a hat but logic says you exclude the two lowest seeds.
“And for us, I’ve calculated it’s about £120,000 in revenue that we won’t get, which equates to around £85,000-£90,000 of profit – a massive dent to our numbers.
“It’s roughly eight per cent of our turnover. We got some compensation but it’s not an appropriate or adequate level of compensation.”
Former England No8 Easter says the compensation offered to Chinnor by the RFU equates to less than a quarter of what they are losing. Cambridge estimate they’re down £250,000 in total when you add in a reduced RFU funding model for the second tier.
Premiership Rugby declined to comment, but an RFU spokesperson said in August that “the RFU, Premiership Rugby and Championship Executive” had collectively decided on the exclusion of Chinnor and Cambridge.
“It was agreed that a 20-team competition provided the optimum competition format as the competition evolves, with on-going discussions on future formats and qualification processes already happening,” their statement added.
Premiership Rugby Cup alternative
So facing the prospect of five weeks before Christmas without rugby and another seven in 2025, Chinnor and Cambridge have instead decided to take matters into their own hands.
The “Not The Premiership Cup” will be a two-legged tie between the two sides, with each team contributing some cash towards an outsized, tongue-in-cheek trophy.
“It’s laughable what has happened so we might as well continue that humour,” adds Easter, who has also coached at Worcester Warriors and Newcastle Falcons.
“Coming out of full-time elite club coaching, as I have, you rely on the local community to generate the fan base and brand. We’re the only club in the area for miles and we cannot be relying on sugar daddies or the RFU.”
Says Hague: “Between ourselves and Chinnor, we’re going to buy a big old trophy and make a big song and dance with it.
“A lot of people are saying ‘stick it to the man’ and all that sort of stuff. I don’t think the RFU deserves any flak. PRL has caused this.
“And there’s a sense that if we were in the competition, we wouldn’t be complaining about this so much, right? But you’re kicking the people least able to afford it and advantaging our rivals.”
Chinnor and Cambridge finding humour
Cambridge say they would have spent the money they are being denied on meeting next year’s toughened Championship minimum standards for stadia and facilities.
And on the players’ side, the exclusion of Cambridge and Chinnor has prevented a crop of potential stars a chance to test themselves against top opponents.
“When I sign players up I do a lot of my negotiations on match fees,” says Easter.
“A lot of guys have signed on the premise that they’re guaranteed a start in some of our 22 games, but six of those games are no longer happening – and four of those were going to be against top-level opposition.
“An opportunity like that rarely comes along so you completely crush those dreams and aspirations. I would love to have known what the conversation was when it was suggested and we seem to be the only two clubs left in limbo.”
The first leg of the Not The Premiership Rugby Cup takes place at Chinnor on 15 November with the return leg during the Six Nations.