The PRL apologise to New Zealand for the RFU and England Rugby teams behaviour...!

It appears according to the newspapers this morning that Premiership Rugby Ltd, the organisation that represent the Premiership Rugby Clubs in England have been to New Zealand apologising to people for the behaviour of the RFU and the England Rugby team.

From this mornings The Independent Newspaper...

"Premiership Rugby executives felt compelled to apologise to the New Zealand Rugby Union for the behaviour of the England team during the World Cup "in the absence of any contrition" from Twickenham."


Chairman Quentin Smith, who is in New Zealand with chief executive Mark McCafferty, said:

"They (England/RFU) have performed badly on and off the field as a representative body in the eyes of the International Rugby Board and in the eyes of the host nation.

"Mark and I found the opportunity to apologise to the All Blacks, to the management, the chairman and chief executive in the absence of any contrition.

"It is not our team, we are here as representatives of the Premiership and all the players but we felt embarrassed there hadn't been an acknowledgement that the event had been tarnished by bad behaviour.

"They thanked us. It was not a big statement. It doesn't have to be very much but it has to demonstrate acknowledgement of what has gone on - not the 'we'll sort it out when we get home' and 'hey, rugby players go out for a drink'."

Smith and McCafferty have been enraged by the RFU's decision to engage Fran Cotton to undertake an external review of England's World Cup performance.

McCafferty accused the RFU of not running the game in a professional manner and Smith described their actions as "panic management".


This will surely upset the RFU, as the PRL seem to be trying to supersede them in their role. Quentin Smith considers the PRL as a body of importance in England recognised by the IRB...?

The PRL in most peoples eyes is like a trade union for rich club owners to get what they want.

This is most likely going to turn into a huge fight, if the RFU can sort this out within six months they should be hired by the UN and sent to the Middle East as peace brokers...

Are you the same person who was moaning about people banging on about Wales and winding Welsh fans up?

Time to wake up and look in the mirror...

Why would this wind people up...?

Your right, as a proud welshman this doesnt wind me up. Its far less irritating than English people suggesting that wales might nowt win today which is utterly unnaceptable.

maestegmafia wrote:Why would this wind people up...?

Amazing, you have the start of what will be the biggest story in English Rugby for the next six months to a year and all the English fans are interested in is who is trying to wind who up...

If you gave a toss about rugby rather than trolling internet sites people might have higher opinions of you...!

Well coming from a neutral erm... Scottish position, can I just say that Maes is entitled to quote from the Independent. The story also appears in The Herald today also so why should'nt he ask for comment.

BTW did you hear the interviewer say to Bradley Davies, I think, post match, that the Welsh have been a credit to their country throughout their time in NZ. Wonder who he was digging at there eh ????

If you know anything about the relationship between the RFU and PRL, it's pretty clear that although there may well be some sincerity to McCafferty's actions and comments, it is primarily a set up for a power struggle between the two organisations, with PRL looking to gain dominace for its club's interests.