London Welsh anger at week delay in promotion row
BAFFLED London Welsh chiefs have still not been told exactly why they have been banned from entering the Premiership – seven days after the controversial verdict given by the Rugby Football Union.
The Exiles quickly requested clarification after learning the shock news in an RFU statement on Wednesday last week, just hours before their Championship final first leg win at Cornish Pirates.
London Welsh are adamant they meet all criteria necessary for admission to the top flight, particularly so-called primacy of tenure of a suitable home ground, having struck a deal to share Oxford United’s Kassam Stadium.
Yet a week on from the bombshell that threatens to wipe out a season of hard work, and as they prepare for tonight’s second leg at the Kassam, they are still in the dark over the precise reasons for their snub.
“One of the things we’re most upset about is that we know no more officially at the moment than anybody else because all they’ve come out with is that statement from Wednesday afternoon,” former Wales and Lions flanker and current Exiles managing director John Taylor told City A.M. yesterday.
Chairman Bleddyn Phillips, a leading legal mind, will meet RFU officials today to discuss the row, but the club have vowed to appeal regardless and have sought advice should they need to take it further.
“You can take it as read that we’ll be fighting the decision whatever,” Taylor added.
“We’re trying desperately to be patient and polite but there has now been some progress and there will be a meeting that should clarify things in the next 24 hours.
“Our chairman is a senior partner at Clifford Chance, so he has got some heavyweight legal expertise around him as well, and the feeling is certainly that we have very strong grounds.”
While careful not to take for granted the completion of a two-legged victory this evening, having won an entertaining first leg 37-21, the club are mindful that time is pressing, with no date set for an appeal hearing and the new season less than three months away.
Having maintained close dialogue with the RFU throughout, they are deeply puzzled as to why their application has been rejected, and did not hear back from the governing body at all until Monday.
“We think it [the Kassam] will be one of the top five grounds in the Premiership, in terms of its facilities and its spectator appeal,” said Taylor. “There is no question that the Kassam is a terrific facility for Premiership rugby. It’s absolute brilliant, and looks even better with the posts up and the pitch marked. It looks great. There are proper run off areas and everything, it’s great. Having put that in place, it’s very, very hard that we’ve been knocked back on what appear to be technicalities.”