Blame RFU for lack of confidence Halliday

THE Cornish Pirates statement that the future of professional rugby in Cornwall is in jeopardy – citing RFU prevarication over promotion as the root cause in new investors delaying their commitment to the club – has prompted a sustained attack on the RFU by Championship clubs chairman Simon Halliday.

- NICK CAIN

Responding to Sir Dicky Evans, the Pirates life president and majority shareholder, stating that the club’s professional future is in the balance when his two-year ‘Sunset’ plan runs out in January 2025, Halliday saluted his 20-year investment in Pirates before rounding on the governing body.

“Dicky has done a huge amount for the game, and I admire the Pirates hugely for the honesty of their statement,” Halliday told The Rugby Paper. “It reflects the frustration that he and the Pirates board feel with the current situation brought about by the RFU administration – and it is one which is shared throughout the Championship clubs.”

Halliday continued: “Cornish Pirates are one of the top 15 clubs in the country, and yet they are forced to highlight the lack of confidence potential investors have because the RFU is not creating the conditions for our clubs to thrive and grow. A significant part of this is their refusal to provide clear guidelines on the restoration of promotion-relegation, and fair funding.”