James Haskell: Wasps administration a dark day for rugby | ‘We need a franchise model’ | Rugby Union News

Former Wasps and England flanker James Haskell spoke to Sky Sports News following Monday’s announcement his old club had entered administration; Haskell backed central contracts and a franchise model for the elite level too

James Haskell had two successful spells with Wasps during his playing career

James Haskell believes the financial problems which have forced Wasps and Worcester Warriors into administration are indicative of a wider issue facing professional rugby union in England.

The 37-year-old former England flanker enjoyed two successful spells with Wasps during a 17-year professional career and was devastated by the plight of his former club, who entered administration on Monday with 167 staff, including all players and coaches, being made redundant.

It followed Worcester entering administration three weeks ago, leaving the Gallagher Premiership down to 11 teams after kicking off the 2022/23 season last month with 13, and Haskell sees those incidences as a warning to the rest of the professional game.

“It’s devastating,” Haskell told Sky Sports News. “Your thoughts are with the players and staff, and it’s not just the immediate people you think about, it’s all the support staff.

“Some players are going to be lucky to move on to other clubs, but the nature of rugby at the moment with the salary cap is these players are going to go from earning good money – rightly so for their skills and the way they put their bodies on the line – to reduced salary and some people won’t get a job.

“It’s awful, but I think it’s quite indicative of the way rugby is going. I don’t think Worcester and Wasps are going to be the only clubs, I think some drastic change needs to happen and, unfortunately, I think rugby has been faffing around for too long and not dealing with this issue.

“I think it’s a very dark day for rugby across the whole game.”

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James Haskell feels that rugby should take influence from franchise models and have central contracts for players around the England squad.

Haskell is concerned Worcester and Wasps will not be the only clubs to have this fate befall them, and the likelihood is both will be relegated to the Championship as punishment for entering administration, as per RFU regulations.

There are concerns both clubs will lose their P-shares as well, which entitle them to a share of the Premiership’s central income and voting rights on key issues, with ongoing talk of the top-flight potentially being reduced to 10 teams.

That was a viewpoint espoused by RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney and although Haskell hopes both the Warriors and his old club will be able to regain their Premiership status, he understands the argument for reducing the number of teams in the Premiership.

“At the moment, the RFU have stated none of the clubs in the Championship are fit to move up to the Premiership,” Haskell said.

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Wasps CEO Stephen Vaughan confirms the club are in dialogue with the RFU over their potential relegation from the Premiership after entering administration while head coach Lee Blackett and caretaker Sam Saunders reflect on the mood at the club.

“They’re never going to bring anyone else up, yet as soon as you go into administration you are relegated.

“I do think it is a bit bizarre and we should look after these teams because there isn’t any replacement, but there is an argument a smaller league becomes more sustainable and makes more money.

“I just hope those two clubs aren’t the fall guys to get the rest of it in line, but that’s what it’s looking like.”

Several of Worcester’s players have already secured deals with other Premiership clubs, but numerous others are still looking for employment – along with the entire Wasps squad following Monday’s announcement.

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Former Wasps hooker Phil Greening says the players will be devastated with the news of the club entering administration, with some players searching for jobs already.

There has been talk of whether England internationals should be centrally contracted by the RFU, and Haskell would also be in favour of utilising a franchise model for the elite level similar to the one he experienced when he was playing Super Rugby in New Zealand for Highlanders in the 2012/13 season.

“There are so many different political situations going on and I think having everything centrally contracted, almost like an NFL model [is the way forward],” Haskell said.

“I think the traditions of rugby are great, but at the top level, to make it sustainable, we need to make it an entertainment business, we need to build up superstars, we need a franchise model, everything has got to be centrally managed and the right people in the right places.

“At the moment, all this intermeshed, who’s in charge, who’s making decisions is never going to work and I think the NFL model, or a franchise model is probably the way to with a central commissioner who makes a decision and sticks to it.

“Just look at the concussion stuff; we’re trying to make rugby safer, we shouldn’t be doing contact training in the week, but everybody is faffing around and that’s the problem with rugby – there’s a lot of faffing, a lot of talking and no hard-line decisions.”