LONDON (Reuters) -The Rugby Football Union, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players Association revealed an eight-year plan on Wednesday that they say should align and strengthen the organisations across a host of areas after 18 months of wrangling.
The Men’s Professional Game Partnership (MPGP) aims "to create world-leading English international teams and thriving professional leagues with players and fans at the heart of it", the RFU said in a statement.
Among the developments is an enhanced England Playing Squad (EPS) from which coach Steve Borthwick will be able to select up to 25 players to prepare for internationals. He will also have the final say on all medical matters relating to them.
Those EPS players will be paid a set annual salary by England, on top of their club salaries, with those outside the EPS getting the traditional match fee for any international appearances.
In theory, Borthwick still does not have any power to influence selection for club games but, on the back of medical data, the practical outcome is likely to be that he does.
"This has been one of the areas that Conor (O'Shea of the RFU) and I have spent a lot of time trying to get right because it’s very easy as a concept but actually putting it into practice is a bit more difficult," Premiership Rugby Director Phil Winstanley told reporters at a Twickenham briefing.
"Steve Borthwick will have the final say on S&C and medical issues for those players in the enhanced EPS. Club directors of rugby will have final say on medical for the non-EPS and the question is 'how do we ensure what is a reasonable decision?"
INDEPENDENT ARBITER
In any cases of conflict, there is an independent arbiter from the PGB who could intervene, but it is not expected for that to be a regular scenario.
RFU CEO Bill Sweeney said that senior team's performances since winning the World Cup in 2003 have been "sub-optimal" but said the impressive recent displays of the under-20 teams suggested they were on the crest of where they "should be" - regularly challenging for Six Nations and World Cup titles.
As part of smoothing that often challenging pathway where young players struggle for game time at their clubs, there will be improved international playing opportunities for the Under-20s, which will be expanded to 50 players, and there will be up to four England A matches per season.
"This eight-year commitment will reshape the rugby landscape and reset the professional game to support, showcase and fund our game for the next decade and beyond," Sweeney said.
"It really is a significant milestone in turning our spend into the professional game into a true investment partnership with shared strategy, goals and risks." Simon Massie-Taylor, Premiership Rugby CEO, said: "What we have learnt from the challenges of the last few years is how important healthy clubs and a successful men’s England team are to the rugby ecosystem."
After two narrow defeats in New Zealand, England head into November internationals against the All Blacks, Australia, South Africa and Japan in a state of flux after the unexpected resignation of assistant coaches Aled Walters and Felix Jones.
Sweeney described them as "deeply disappointing," adding that defence coach Jones's announcement seven months after his arrival was completely "out of the blue" and that the RFU was in discussions with him over his future as his contract still has four months to run.
Asked about the departures, following a high turnover under predecessor Eddie Jones, Sweeney said Borthwick "categorically has the full support of the RFU and 100% of the squad".
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, Editing by Ed Osmond)
