BBC SPORT | RUGBY UNION | Blueprint for England rugby success

England's rugby officials have developed an eight-year blueprint designed to win the World Cup.

And the new structure will look to bring to an end the internal bickering that has marred bureaucracy in the game over recent years.

Part of the plan is an agreement to limit the number of matches international stars play in a season. They will also be given an 11-week break in the summer.

This has come about as a result of an agreement between the Rugby Football Union and the clubs that make up the English Premiership, Premier Rugby.

TV deal imminent

They have proposed a strong economic management plan to ensure the success of the new structure, with Premiership clubs receiving an equal share of �4m in the coming years.

And the sport's officials are hoping to capture a large slice of their future funding with the imminent signing of a new multi-million pound television deal.

Major points of rugby's new agreement:

The formation of England Rugby Ltd, a 50-50 partnership between the Rugby Football Union and the top 12 clubs who make up Premier Rugby.

An eight-year strategic plan with a single management team to run the game and its finances at international and club level.

The elite rugby plan will consider a possible further cross-border competition, expansion of the Premiership and a Conference-based system in the tiers below.

This includes joint RFU/Premier Rugby funding of Division One.

One automatic promotion and relegation to be played in seasons 2001/02 and 2002/03.

This will be reviewed by a panel of three Premier Rugby representatives and three from National Division One as well as an amalgamation of National Division One and the NCA Divisions.

Austin Healey played over 50 games last season

The formation of an elite of up to 60 England players on single-playing contracts paid by the clubs.

These men would be restricted to 32 matches a year including no more than 10 internationals with a maximum of eight in any one season.

In an arrangement similar to that struck in English cricket, clubs would be forced to release players for all representative games.
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A summer "rest and recreation" break of 11 weeks and an injury management programme which would allow top players to recharge their batteries as part of each player's performance programme under the control of the RFU performance director.

Each Premier club will receive an equal share of a �1.6m handout in 2001/02 along with a share of a �4m "bridging loan", repayable by Premier Clubs in 2003, to put them on a solid financial base.

In future years the handout will be a guaranteed shared �4m with an extra �1m in World Cup years.

All previous debts to the ruling body will be wiped out.

The establishment of development academies, supported by Sport England, who will contribute �8m until 2004, with an aim of developing 300 England qualified players.

A development programme to produce both elite coaches and referees.

The formation of a single negotiating team to maximise revenue from television, and other commercial activities.

This will include a marketing plan and the exploration of other joint ventures including ticketing, travel and new media.

The overseeing of the England Sevens squad, as part of the national set-up.

It will play in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.


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