British & Irish League plan sparks feisty URC reaction as concerns grow for South African and Italian sides

It would in effect be a merger of the Premiership and the URC but without the South African and Italian clubs. And while it might make sense geographically, it would leave the teams from those latter two territories high and dry. It is also highly doubtful clubs in Ireland and Scotland would agree to the salary cap favoured by the English Premiership.

The URC was created three years ago when the four leading South African franchises joined up with clubs from the Pro14 which comprised teams from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Italy. The 16-team league has been a success in terms of growing its audience both in terms of attendances and TV viewing figures.

The logistics of European teams travelling to South Africa and vice-versa have presented challenges but the fact that South Africa shares a similar time zone to Europe has helped the assimilation.

Glasgow Warriors won the URC in spectacular style last season by beating the Pretoria-based Bulls in the final at the latter’s Loftus Versfeld stadium in June. The new season is due to kick off next weekend and timing of this latest development couldn’t be worse for the URC organisers who have distanced themselves from the ‘proposals’ which emerged after a Premiership board meeting in London on Thursday.

“Contrary to media reports the BKT United Rugby Championship is not engaged in discussions regarding a British & Irish league,” said a statement from the URC.

“Since the introduction of the four South African teams in 2021, the league has enjoyed a sustained period of outstanding success achieving record audiences, attendances, social media growth and new levels of competitiveness.

“This is due in great part to the efforts of all 16 teams across Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales which has elevated the league to new heights.

“The BKT URC is committed to continuing this pace of growth ahead of the new season and far into the future.”

The Premiership board is reported to be undertaking “a strategic review to explore ways of increasing the value of future broadcasting deals” for when its current contract with TNT Sport expires at the end of the 2025-26 season. The English top flight signed a two-year contract with TNT earlier this year and will look to begin negotiations on a new deal early next year for the start of the 2026-27 season.

It is understood that the English clubs feel they can secure a more lucrative TV deal by getting the leading clubs from Ireland, Scotland and Wales on board and forming a British and Irish league.

The English Premiership has been blighted by financial problems in recent seasons and three top-flight clubs - Wasps, Worcester Warriors and London Irish - have gone to the wall.

Different options were said to be under discussion at Thursday’s meeting, with the Daily Telegraph reporting that a proposal for an Anglo-Welsh league also came under consideration. Of the clubs who participate in the URC, it is believed that the Welsh would be most keen to join up with the English. They have the closest historical and geographical ties and many in Wales feel this could be a way out of the financial mire in which the game in the Principality currently finds itself.

But jettisoning the sides from South Africa and Italy would be a high price to pay. The South African franchises, who formerly played in the southern hemisphere’s Super Rugby competition, have also now been integrated into the European club competitions and the Sharks won the EPCR Challenge Cup last season, becoming the first side from South Africa to win a European trophy.

Scottish rugby has developed strong ties with South Africa and both Edinburgh and Glasgow have South African head coaches as well as a raft of players from the republic.

The development comes in the same week that the Scottish Rugby Union appointed a new chief executive in Alex Williamson. He is not due to take office until early next year but his first job looks like being trying to fight Scotland’s case amid a potentially huge upheaval in the professional game.