Cash-strapped Premiership clubs veto Twickenham final after reluctance to meet RFU staging fee to host the match without fans next month
- The Premiership Final is set to be moved from Twickenham for the first time
- Clubs have voted to hold next month’s final at one of their own grounds
- RFU were unwilling to grant a discount to account for the absence of fans
The Premiership Final is set to be moved from Twickenham for the first time to save money, amid growing fears that some of England’s biggest clubs could go bust without a Government bailout.
Sportsmail has learned that the Premiership clubs have voted to hold next month’s final at one of their own grounds after reluctance to meet the RFU staging fee for the use of Twickenham, which has hosted the match since 2001.
The RFU were unwilling to grant Premiership Rugby Limited (PRL) a Covid-19 discount to account for the absence of fans at the final on October 24, as the governing body are facing crippling financial losses of their own. Chief executive Bill Sweeney warned earlier this week that the impact of the virus would cost them £138million.
Maro Itoje celebrates after Saracens beat Exeter in the final at Twickenham last season
The FA were sounded out about hosting the match at Wembley, but that option has been dismissed by the clubs as too expensive.
As a result PRL are conducting a consultation process to find an alternative neutral venue on the grounds that a club could host the final for negligible cost, given there would be no staging fee and little need for stewarding or security without a crowd.
Saracens and Worcester have been ruled out as their grounds have 4G pitches which the clubs have deemed unsuitable for the final, while it will not be taken to a club that could be involved.
Exeter have already qualified for the play-offs, with Bath, Wasps, Sale and Bristol competing for the other three places.
The RFU demanded a fee to stage the match at Twickenham without fans next month
In addition to the cost of hiring Twickenham, there were also concerns about gaining permission to hold the final there from Richmond Council, because the game is likely to be moved to an evening kick-off to avoid a TV clash with the Ireland v Italy Six Nations clash on the same day.
There is no other date available at Twickenham because England are due to play the Barbarians at the stadium 24 hours later on October 25. With Twickenham now ruled out, Wasps’ Ricoh Arena in Coventry and Bristol’s Ashton Gate have emerged as the favoured venues, but only if those sides are not involved, with Kingsholm in Gloucester another option.
Many Premiership clubs will be relieved that a pragmatic decision has been taken to cut costs at a time when they are each losing between £750,000 and £1m each month.