Premier Rugby Rethinks Wealth Redistribution Plans

Premier Rugby has moved to ensure that its new agreement with the Rugby Football Union over the management of elite players does not lead to a significant financial disparity between sides in the Premiership. But it has shelved any plan to force clubs to hand over some of the money they will receive from the RFU next year for each player they supply to the senior England squad.

The agreement, which comes into force from next July, will see clubs receive an initial £145,000, a sum that will eventually rise to £175,000, for each player they provide to the 32-strong England senior squad which will be chosen at the beginning of August every year. Three clubs, Wasps, Leicester and Bath, provided half this year's World Cup squad, while three other Premiership sides, Gloucester, Worcester and Leeds, were all unrepresented.

Clubs were warned in a letter from the RFU last month that they would be in breach of the agreement if they handed over to Premier Rugby any of the money they received for their England players, so, in order to avoid an increase in disparity, Premier Rugby has decided to look at the way it distributes the £30m annual income it receives from the tournaments Premiership sides take part in. Instead of essentially dividing the total 12 ways after deducting running costs, clubs who have no or few players in the England squad would get larger portions, at the expense of those who supply significant numbers.

"We have always had a policy of equalization in the Premiership and it has worked well because we have avoided football's example of having a top four and the rest," said a Premier Rugby spokesman. "There will still be a difference in income between those who have a number of current England players and those who do not, but it will not be stark and we envisage that, long before the end of the eight-year agreement, things will have evened themselves out and all 12 will be represented in the national squad."

Not all the clubs are happy at the proposal, which will be debated at Premier Rugby's board meeting next week. Some believe it flouts the spirit of the agreement with the RFU which was designed to encourage clubs to develop local talent and bring young players into their senior squads. It is understood that a compensation scheme that will reward clubs who have at least 14 England-qualified players in their match-day squads will not be subject to redistribution.

The board will also consider the case of Bristol's Mark Regan, who defied instructions from Premier Rugby and his club not to play in last weekend's Barbarians match at Twickenham. Regan led the invitation club and was due to meet club officials yesterday to explain himself, with a fine the expected outcome, but it was put off until later this week. "We will be discussing the matter because the policy not to make any players available to the Barbarians was taken unanimously by the clubs themselves," said the spokesman. "Our discussion will not hinge on what action Bristol may or may not have taken."

The Springboks' defeat by the Barbarians marked Jake White's last match as South Africa's head coach. His successor will be announced on January 9. Four candidates are in the frame, with the Blue Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer the favorite.

New Zealand will interview a four-man shortlist for the job of All Blacks' head coach on Thursday and there was welcome news for the current incumbent, Graham Henry, when it was revealed that the team's poor showing in the World Cup will count for less than the 42 wins in 48 matches under him.

Warriers get into gear

Rico Gear arrived in Worcester yesterday, but Sixways probably felt much like home for the All Black as he was greeted with a traditional welcome by Maori warriors. The wing, right, and his fellow Kiwi Sam Tuitupou then led a haka in front of the Warriors back-room staff. Leeds center Anitela Tuilagi has been suspended until Boxing Day for striking during his side's Premiership defeat to Leicester last month. A Rugby Football Union hearing last night imposed a four-week ban, backdated to start on November 28, four days after the incident. Sale have signed the Wales lock Brent Cockbain who has been without a club since being released by the Ospreys last season.