London Irish claim that all their staff will be paid this month as concerns over their financial position have grown of late.
The club is on the search for new owners, as current owner Mick Crossan is even willing to let the club go for free with the assurance the club will be funded correctly.
Staff will be paid
Recent reports suggested concern within the club that staff would not be paid this month. However, the club released a statement confirming that staff will be paid.
“It has been public knowledge that the club is exploring its options with regards to investment. However, no comment will be made until there is anything to announce,” a statement read.
“In regards to recent media reports, London Irish can categorically confirm that all staff will be paid this month. Anything reported to the contrary is pure speculation.”
Irish are not the first club to come under financial pressure in the Premiership, with both Wasps and Worcester Warriors going into administration earlier this season.
If it were not for a £13 million cash injection, defending champions Leicester Tigers may have also been in serious trouble.
10-team league?
With the league consisting of 11 teams, Premiership Rugby chief Simon Massie-Taylor admitted there are discussions of a 10-team league.
“It’s under discussion at the moment,” Massie-Taylor told the PA news agency.
“There’s a general theme around less is more, both in terms of player welfare, loading and congestion with the international calendar generally.
“From a high-performance perspective as well, so less is more for England too. How you get there is clearly a debate.
“We need to balance standards with strategy as far as regional representation and where our fans are.
“No decision has been made around that at the moment – we’re an 11-team league and we will still be that next season.
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“People have recognised that 10 is an optimal number but you need to balance that desire with the practical realities of having 11 shareholders at the moment.”