Owners Atlas have announced that Worcester Warriors have abandoned their plan to compete in the Championship next season and will instead rebrand as Sixways Rugby.
The Rugby Football Union had given the Warriors a deadline of February 14th to fulfill the requirements to play in the second tier. However, Jim O’Toole, who was part of the Atlas takeover with James Sandford, stated that they have ended discussions on the matter.
But Jim O’Toole, who led the Atlas takeover alongside James Sandford, said they have pulled out of talks.
“There were a number of key clauses in the contract that we couldn’t sign,” said O’Toole.
He told BBC Hereford & Worcester: “This decision will clearly upset and annoy a number of people.
“The sad fact of life is that the Worcester Warriors brand and the Worcester Warriors business is gone.
“The name sadly will disappear. We are rebranding as Sixways Rugby.”
The new club will instead partner with fourth-tier side Stourbridge, who ex-Warriors chief executive O’Toole says will play at Sixways for the rest of the season.
Next season, under the new name of ‘Sixways Rugby’, they will compete in the National League 2 West.
Two more Premiership clubs in trouble as league’s debt topples £500m
#13. Exeter Chiefs – £13m
#12. Gloucester – £27m
#11. Northampton Saints £26.5m
#10. Worcester Warriors – £26.5m
