London Irish face ejection from English rugby’s league system TONIGHT unless they pay wages in full

London Irish must pay back wages to players and staff or face expulsion from the English league system on Wednesday night, according to reports.

The Premiership club was given a dramatic stay of execution on Tuesday, as revealed by Mail Sport, to allow a US consortium to complete a takeover, with the RFU granting a one-week extension to seal a deal and avoid it Fate of Worcester and Wasps is followed in dropping from the top flight of English rugby.

Players “were given an ultimatum over their salary at a crisis meeting” as the club’s future remains in the balance.

But if the Irish fail to pay salaries in full by 7pm on Wednesday, they will be suspended from the Premiership.

If they do, an extension of the deadline is expected to be given.

The players were reportedly summoned to a crisis meeting on Tuesday night and told the club they will fold if they don’t accept the offer of half wages now and the rest paid later.

The RFU’s decision came after the potential buyers provided further financial information, although senior RFU figures remain skeptical about their ability to take over the club.

The times added that there was another twist on Tuesday night when Irish reneged on a crucial commitment to pay their team May’s full salary.

Paying player and staff salaries on time was a condition of the RFU granting a stay of execution.

The Times reports that London Irish workers were told over lunch on Tuesday that Mick Crossan, who owns the club through his company Powerday, would pay the £500,000 payroll for May in full.

The players responded with an air of “cautious optimism” that they would receive their money as planned on Wednesday.

By dinnertime, however, the offer of full salaries had been withdrawn. The players were called for an emergency meeting fifteen minutes before and given an ultimatum.

They were reportedly asked to accept 50 percent of their May salary and not submit breach of contract letters, promising the new owners would cover the rest in due course.

The Times said the players were told that if they refused to accept the compromise they would receive no wages at all and the club would fold.

There were indications that the team was leaning towards accepting the deal.

Irish had been told by the RFU that they had to meet a deadline of 5pm Tuesday and prove that the US Consortium had the finances to buy them or that Crossan could fund the team for next season.

Club owner Mike Crossan needs to show he can fund the club or secure a sale next season

Mail sports revealed on Tuesday that England’s governing body had extended the deadline for the takeover by seven days.

However, serious doubts remain that the potential buyers will be able to complete the acquisition in the additional time allotted to them, having previously failed to tick the appropriate RFU boxes in the past two months or more.

Mail sports understands that Crossan nevertheless has high hopes that this will happen, but what is certain is that the Irish have been given an unexpected lifeline.

The RFU’s willingness to meet the strict deadline they previously imposed on Irish reflects their desperation not to see a third Premiership club disappear this season.

A letter to the Irish players seen by Mail sportsexpressed the uncertainty still facing Declan Kidney’s team and the club’s staff.

“The hope is that the above information on the funds will provide Mick with the comfort and backstop that the funds are there from the investors’ side and that he can do what he needs to do to support us in the meantime,” the statement read. letter.

“I appreciate that we are still working here on verbal commitments and not hard facts, but we are now on the deadline. We have no room to move.

Irish supporters are anxiously awaiting whether their club will retain their place in the Premiership next season

“My gut feeling is that it would be very strange to make these assurances if the wheels weren’t moving properly to get (the takeover) done.”

Getting the deal done is what everyone at Irish, their potential buyers and the RFU want, but it’s now up to those from the US to make the most of the extra time they’re given.

If they don’t, Irish will follow the same disastrous path as Worcester and Wasps, leaving them on the verge of disappearing and their players – most importantly Henry Arundell – being targeted by other clubs. There is also a very real danger of many losing their rugby jobs altogether.

London Irish question and answer

What’s the latest on London Irish?

The Exiles are still alive, but just barely. The willingness of the RFU to give Irish’s potential US owners a seven-day extension on the deadline previously given to them to complete their takeover offers a glimmer of hope. It is one that the American consortium interested in the Premiership club must take.

What happens now?

The US consortium – which includes prominent figures from American sport – must prove to the RFU that they have the resources to take on the club before the end of the competition on June 6.

The club is unlikely to get a second extension from the RFU if they are unsuccessful

The RFU had previously said the deadline was 5pm Tuesday but has now allowed this to be pushed back by a week. It means the next seven days are do-or-die for the Irish. If they can’t satisfy the governing body of English rugby next Tuesday, it’s game over.

Will the takeover go ahead?

Irish’s current owner, Mick Crossan, will fund player and staff salaries in June, due on Wednesday to provide club employees with financial security as their futures remain uncertain.

Crossan, Irish’s US investors, and the RFU are confident the extra time can complete the takeover, but that is far from guaranteed. The clock is now ticking again.

What happens if next week’s deadline is not met?

It is almost certain that the RFU Irish will not grant a second extension as, surprisingly, room has been left before the first deadline they had given, which was 30 May.

If the American group cannot complete the takeover by 5pm on June 6, Irish will be suspended from the Premiership and Worcester and Wasps follow in the tumble from English rugby’s top flight.

Many London Irish players are facing the prospect of looking for a new club next season

In such a scenario, Irish players and staff would lose their jobs and the club would likely plummet to the bottom of England’s rugby pyramid.

Some players, such as Henry Arundell, would be quickly snapped up by other clubs, but many would find it difficult to find work elsewhere given the money shortage of England’s rugby landscape.

What is the RFU doing to ensure that the club does not go bankrupt?

The RFU are desperate to avoid losing a third Premiership club, which is why they have allowed movement on Irish’s deadline.

Work is being done around the clock to make sure this doesn’t happen, both in Twickenham, in the corridors of power at Premiership Rugby, and in the US.