Worcester Warriors suspended from all competitions
The club has been suspended from all rugby competition by the RFU.
Last updated 26th Sep 2022
Worcester Warriors had until 5pm today (26 September) to provide evidence to the Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby that they had a credible financial plan, and could cover insurance and staff wages.
This deadline hasn't been met.
A statement from Bill Sweeney, CEO of the RFU said: “We appreciate this is incredibly difficult news for fans, staff and players. We would like to thank the staff and players who have worked tirelessly over recent weeks to enable matches to continue.
"We met with players and staff last week to explain why this action would be necessary and regrettably without assurances in place we have had to take this action to protect everyone’s best interests.
“We hope a buyer can be secured to allow Worcester Warriors and The University of Worcester Warriors to return to professional league rugby.
"While it is the responsibility of each business owner to manage their individual finances, we will look at learnings from this situation to see what regulation can be put in place to provide all parties with more financial transparency.
"Rugby is a relatively young professional sport and it has been widely recognised that clubs have been facing financial challenges even before Covid.
“Successful professional leagues are vital for the wellbeing of the whole game. They inspire current and future players, delight fans by showcasing high skill levels and the exciting nature of our game.
"This is why it is so important that we continue to work with Premiership Rugby to improve the structure, governance and business model of rugby union in England.
“The RFU will continue to support community rugby in Worcester and is fully committed to ensuring local academy opportunities are provided for pathway players.”
"The RFU will work with Premiership Rugby and DCMS to establish next steps for the club and what this will mean for the Gallagher Premiership, the men’s Academy and Allianz Premier 15s competitions."
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said it had agreed with a request from club directors to place Worcester into administration.
"We understand the past few months have been difficult for the players, staff and fans of Worcester Warriors Rugby Football Club," a DCMS spokesperson said.
"We have worked around the clock with the club's directors, the PRL (Premiership Rugby) and the RFU to explore all possible options, but during this time the owners have been unable to secure new investment for the club.
"In order to give the club the best possible chance of survival, and to protect a significant taxpayer investment, we have today agreed to the directors' request to place the club into administration.
"We will now apply to the court to appoint administrators and will begin work to explore all possible options to protect creditors and preserve the local rugby offering in Worcester."