Premiership Rugby: “Listen To The Players And The Clubs”

The stakeholders of professional rugby union in England have worked hard to develop a calendar and structure for competition that taking into account the physical demands of the sport on its players.

Phil Winstanley, Rugby Director of Premiership Rugby and a former pro player himself (Sale Sharks), is in the middle of the continuing debates on balancing the interests of players and commercial interests as the money coming into rugby grows.

With the Rugby Football Union and the Rugby Union Players Association, the Premiership has worked out a structure that guarantees rest weeks and minimum off-seasons for the players as well as limiting the number of games.

Looking at the idea of a World League in rugby, he said that world rugby “can’t be fixed” by the international governing body and the national unions alone. The players and the clubs need to be engaged too.

The new investment by private equity firm CVC in the Premiership opens up great opportunities, he said. Rugby union is only 20 years old as a professional sport. Over that time there has been significant private investment. The investment by CVC will make it possible to take the sport to the next level.