Championship: RFU confirms Wasps' place for 2023-24 but not Worcester Warriors
- Published
Sixways could still stage Championship rugby in 2023-24 if Wasps moved in
The Rugby Football Union has confirmed that Wasps - currently without a home - will play in next season's Championship.
But, having first rejected Worcester Warriors' application to participate on 16 December, the RFU has also now confirmed that they will not take part.
This followed discussions with Warriors' new owners, the Atlas Group.
Following their departure from Coventry after going into administration, Wasps remain without a ground to play at.
A Wasps spokesperson said: "We remain in positive dialogue with the RFU and thank them for their continued support as we work to secure our future.
"Recent events have highlighted, more than ever, the importance of long-term sustainable investment.
"Our focus remains on stabilising the club financially and Wasps playing in the Championship next season."
It has been speculated that Wasps themselves will move to Sixways next season - and Atlas co-owner Jim O'Toole had advised that an announcement on that was expected on Monday.
But Wasps have also been linked with playing at Damson Park, the home of National League football side Solihull Moors, and that is still at the negotiating stage.
The RFU confirmed Wasps' place after receiving the necessary financial assurances from their owners, HALO22 Limited, led by Christopher Holland, who owns the club's Henley-in-Arden training ground and was a director with the previous Wasps regime.
They completed their purchase of Wasps on 16 December, the same day that the RFU first announced this same decision - two months ago.
But Atlas, who failed the owners' test in December, have again failed to satisfy the RFU's criteria - and they withdrew their application for a place in the division as they announced plans to scrap Worcester's name and rebrand as Sixways Rugby last week.
Co-owner James Sandford has since said the club may reconsider those plans following a backlash from supporters, and the RFU said they will "continue to work with Atlas over the coming weeks to understand their vision for rugby at Sixways".
But no mention has yet been made of whether the consortium bid, made by former Worcester director of rugby Steve Diamond and club sponsor Adam Hewitt, is still on the table.
Frustratingly for Warriors fans, Diamond told BBC Hereford & Worcester last week that they had passed the same tests as those failed by Atlas and could have guaranteed Championship rugby at Sixways next season.
But they were not the ones chosen as preferred bidders by administrators Begbies Traynor.
Can Atlas pay the rugby creditors?
RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney highlighted the lack of transparency in this whole process in recent weeks, along with the main concern that Atlas, co-owned by former Warriors chief executive O'Toole and business partner Sandford, have sufficient funds to pay their rugby creditors.
He also called for assistance from club administrators Begbies Traynor.
They were appointed when WRFC Trading Ltd, the part of previous owners Jason Whittingham and Colin Goldring's operation which owned the ground at Sixways, went into administration on 26 September.
WRFC Players Ltd, through which the Warriors players and staff were paid, was then wound-up in the High Court in London on 5 October.
"Given Atlas's withdrawal from the process, we remain concerned that there are insufficient funds to pay rugby creditors which is a responsibility of the administrator of WRFC Trading Limited and the liquidator of WRFC Players Limited to determine," said Sweeney.
"We appreciate the disappointment felt by Worcester Warriors staff, players and fans following the Atlas decision will be very significant.
"For a club to continue following insolvency, it is imperative that it has a sustainable and funded business plan, that there is transparency about ownership and funding structures, and that rugby creditors are paid.
"Payment of rugby creditors is an integral part of our insolvency regulation. We cannot approve the takeover of a club without agreement that rugby creditor payments will be made."
RFU statement on Worcester Warriors
"On Thursday, 9 February, Atlas released a statement saying that they had withdrawn the application for Worcester Warriors men's team to play in the Championship.
"The RFU and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) met with Atlas on Monday, 13 February to see if there could be a different resolution to the situation.
"The Atlas position did not change, and therefore Worcester Warriors will not participate in the Championship in the 2023-24 season.
"The Atlas decision to withdraw their Championship application leaves the RFU with no regulatory means to enforce the payment of rugby creditors.
"This responsibility for managing the liabilities of the insolvent club now lies with the administrator of WRFC Trading Limited, and the liquidator of WRFC Players Limited.
"The RFU awaits the detailed proposals from Atlas on how it proposes to maintain rugby at Sixways, and will continue to work with DCMS, local MPs, Atlas and the local rugby community to help find the best rugby outcome.
"The RFU maintains its commitment to running the Midlands academy which it took over in November and the continuation of Worcester Warriors women."
RFU statement on Wasps
"The RFU has received the signed insolvency agreement and proof of funds.
"Wasps and the RFU have been working closely in recent weeks, particularly around the payment of rugby creditors, to establish a clear process for validation and payment of those rugby creditors.
"We will continue to work with and support the club over the payment of rugby creditors.
"The RFU and Wasps have agreed within the insolvency agreement that the payment of staff and players must be prioritised."
Analysis - 'The soap opera that doesn't know quite how to end'
Mikey Burrows, BBC CWR
To say Wasps' move to the Midlands and the years that followed have been something of a soap opera is close to an understatement. The whole thing could be likened to a TV series that doesn't quite know how to end.
The RFU statement has given clarity in some parts, but other issues still remain. Chief amongst them is how viable the club can be without the added income of the CBS Arena.
Many will argue that Wasps were never popular enough to survive in Coventry anyway, even less so now. News of a Championship return won't have gone down well with new divisional rivals, Coventry RFC.
But with their multi-million pound Henley-in-Arden training base just over a year old, the aim to grow the game in this part of the Midlands continues, and history suggests we're not at the season finale of this particular drama just yet.
Analysis - 'Atlas continue to throw up more questions than answers'
Andrew Easton, BBC Hereford & Worcester
The rollercoaster ride Worcester Warriors fans have been on is something Blackpool Pleasure Beach would be proud to advertise.
The announcement last Thursday by Atlas that they were withdrawing from their Championship bid was met by many fans with anger and dismay.
Then came a glimmer of hope on Monday following unexpected talks. Championship Rugby was back on the table. Now that rug has been firmly pulled and dreams firmly dashed.
Whilst there's still hope of lower-league rugby at Sixways next season, under what name will they be playing? And in what colours? And what about those owed so much money by the previous owners?
Every twist in this tale seems to throw up more questions than answers.