10 of the Biggest scandals in rugby history - Page 7 of 10 - Ruck

10 of the Biggest scandals in rugby history

7. ENGLAND THROWN OUT OF THE FIVE NATIONS

After the RFU signed an £87m TV deal with Sky Sports in 1996, the Celtic countries threw them out of the Five Nations Championship but they were reinstated in time to play in the 1997 tournament. Two years later they were out once again after failing to meet the deadline for accepting the agreement reached over distribution of TV revenue. “The deadline having passed,” read a Five Nations Committee statement, “England ceased to be a member of the Five Nations committee and the Championship.” Things looked gloomy for a while as there appeared no way back for the Red Rose brigade. But former England international Mike Burton was more confident. “I bet my ear to a bag of sweets this will be sorted out in three days, and they will all go out and have dinner,” he predicted. In fact, England’s exile lasted just 20 hours. Brian Baister, RFU chairman and Five Nations committee chairman Alan Hosie thrashed out an agreement over the TV cash dispute and England were back in

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