English Rugby seems to be a financial mess. As an Ireland supporter I cannot say that I shed many tears and my Welsh speaking younger kids will be delighted about this. These days Wales supporters have little to cheers so allow them this rare dose of schadenfreude.
Top clubs keep going bust, none of the big clubs seem to make money and meanwhile you are asked to take out a second mortgage to watch the National side. My 4 year old daughter Jaya plays just over the border in England, at Chester RFC, and thus we’ve been invited to apply for tickets for the Autumn England Internationals at Twickenham.
To see Australia or the Argies would set us back £132 a seat. New Zealand is £142 and even Fiji would be £91. So, for a decent game which England might just lose it would set me back £272 for just myself and Jaya.
By the time we have paid for a taxi to bring us back from Crewe (the Mrs might drive us there) and trains to and from London plus a burger and a soft drink for each of us at the game there would not be much change, if any, from £450. That is a mighty expensive afternoon out.
How on earth does the RFU think that normal folks from outside London would fund such a jolly? Even if you live in London there are surely better ways to spend your cash. Ludicrous prices for national games but club sides in financial crisis: something does not add up.
