Unions should concentrate on amateur side of game

Last week’s Rugby Paper gave fuel to those who want to claim that the game is in rude health, and those who believe the game is in deep trouble – you pays your money and you takes your choice.

- COLIN BOAG

The headline that CVC and the Six Nations are having preliminary discussions about the private equity firm taking a stake – 30 per cent was mooted – in the tournament for around £500m was mindboggling.

If it came to pass then they’d have part of the Premiership, the PRO14, and the Six Nations – good for the game or deeply unhealthy? It’s impossible to answer that question as nobody outside of CVC really knows what the masterplan is: the Premiership and PRO14 have a good idea of the plans for their leagues, and the Six Nations presumably are having discussions about the future of their competition, but how do all of these plans come together?