250 players unemployed as Irish face extinction

ENGLISH rugby is set to be left with 250 unemployed players if London Irish are put out of business this week.

The Exiles are likely to be suspended by the Premiership on Tuesday after takeover talks stalled with an American consortium.

On a virtual meeting on Friday evening, players were told they are free to talk to other clubs as the uncertainty continues.

However, most Premiership clubs have limited spending power due to the salary cap and a flooded market following the collapse of Wasps and Worcester.

Mail Sport understands the Rugby Players’ Association already has a staggering list of 170 professional players without a club.

That figure will increase to 250 if the Exiles’ prospective new owners fail to come up with funding, resulting in the termination of first team and academy contracts.

Speaking before Friday’s meeting, Exiles lock Api Ratuniyarawa told Mail Sport: ‘We’ve got families. We’ve got bills to pay. It’s quite stressful thinking about — hopefully it goes through. We are just hoping for the best. Hopefully it gets sorted but at the back of your mind you think what happens if it doesn’t go through.

‘You’ve got to have a Plan B. I might have to look for a job or find another club. Maybe a nine to five job, but I think I still have a few years left to play rugby.

‘I’ve been speaking to my agent and I’ve got plans in place if this thing doesn’t go through. Maybe I’ll look at opportunities in France. Most of the Top14 and PROD2 teams do their recruitment late.

‘Thinking about what Worcester and Wasps players have been through, looking for clubs, not getting contracts, it’s not good for your mind and your mental health.’

Long-term owner Mick Crossan was invited to Friday’s meeting but did not attend, increasing fears that he is no longer prepared to support the club.

Crossan told Mail Sport in September that he was ready to offload the club but did not respond to a request for comment this week.

Both Crossan and CEO Adrian Alli emailed staff this week to offer assurances, although scepticism has been growing since last month’s wages were paid late.

About £500,000 in monthly wages are due to be paid on Wednesday but players and staff are preparing for the worst.

In an attempt to ease fears, Crossan wrote in an internal email: ‘The deal remains very much alive and we are continuing to have positive calls with the prospective new buyers daily.

‘Although we are still awaiting funds, on a call last night the group confirmed that we should expect them to arrive with us imminently. This was reaffirmed this morning by email and we now have details of the remitting bank.

‘I fully appreciate and share your frustration that the deal is yet to be completed. Over the weekend we will continue to work closely with the prospective new buyers.

‘We are working tirelessly, around the clock, to get this completed to protect the future of the club.’

Finishing fifth in the Premiership this season, the Exiles boast some of the brightest young players in English rugby. Bath are among the clubs to have already enquired about the likes of flanker Tom Pearson and speedy England winger Henry Arundell.