England’s second tier clubs are exploring the shock prospect of joining the Guinness PRO14, reports Wales Online.
The dramatic move comes as multi-millionaire owned Championship clubs consider their next move amid reports they will be denied entry to the Gallagher Premiership.
I wonder how happy Premiership Rugby would be if Ealing took their riches off to the PRO14 next season? Taking shots at teams that use rich benefactors to become competitive and then seek sustainability is taking a saw to the branch you’re sitting on.
— Alex Shaw (@alexshawsport) August 21, 2018
Ealing Trailfinders benefactor Mike Gooley, who has already pumped £25m into the club, has revealed he is ready to take the dramatic action.
England’s top-flight could become ring-fenced and a closed shop, with money ploughed in and relegation from and promotion to disbanded.
That has prompted the likes of mega-rich Ealing, who are second in the table behind London Irish and hope to go up, examining the possibility of joining Welsh, Irish, Italian, Scottish and South African sides in the PRO14.