An Open Letter to Mark McCafferty & Francis Barron
By Andy Brown
July 4 2006
It seems as if every few weeks there's another potential crisis between the two main authorities in England that causes controversy. I've addressed my analysis of the situation in a letter to Mark McCafferty, Chief Executive of Premier Rugby Ltd, and Francis Barron, Chief Executive of the RFU.
Dear Messrs. McCafferty and Barron
First of all, congratulations on another successful season of Premiership rugby. What a packed programme we had, with all sorts of thrills, spills and excitement, right up to the end of the season. For the first time ever, the winners of the league actually got to call themselves champions by winning the playoff bit as well. Sale are indeed worthy champions.
Congratulations too to both of you for your efforts in continuing to grow the sport at the professional level. Attendances at club games are on the up, both collectively and club by club. Rugby Union can now truly call itself a premier professional sport, with a large following in the country. Some would've said in 2004 that legacy of the Webb-Ellis trophy win was all that was keeping the crowds up, and the 2005/6 season would see a dip to a more natural level. How wrong they are! And it is in no small part thanks to you.
There is a problem however.
At international level, England rugby is in a bit of a mess. The team has finished fourth in the Six Nations championship for the last two years, and - horror of horrors! - was actually beaten by Scotland last year! Things are bad indeed!
This is not good. Not good at all. And it is not just bad for the England setup, and Mr. Barron. Its bad for the clubs too, Mr. McCafferty. The international game is the shop window for the sport of rugby union to a large portion of the British public; many people tune in to the Beeb for the Six Nations and that's their only view of rugby every year. A poor England performance means less chance of bums on seats for the clubs in the long run. The current upward trend will tip over to downwards unless there is a strong England team.
It is clearly in both your interests for the England team to be a strong team, winning matches and playing well. I don't want you to think there will be unrealistic expectations here; I'm not saying England should be winning the World Cup every four years (this isn't football, after all), but the England team should always be competitive with the best teams in the world. That has to be the minimum vision.
I think you've both made it plain (individually) that that's what you both want.
However, you're behaving like an old married couple who have just had enough of each other and won't talk to each other any more, save for through a third party; in your case the press.
A case in point. The new South Stand is nearing completion, and it would be great to have a celebratory match played there as a fitting opening for the new stand and the fully completed Twickenham Stadium. So Mr. Barron asks New Zealand if they'd like to come and play. A match is arranged and announced to the press without any kind of consultation with Premier Rugby. "Tell Mr. McCafferty", Barron seemed to be saying, "that I've checked the agreements and it says we can have a fourth international in the Autumn". "Tell Mr. Barron", says McCafferty, "that we don't think we have to release any players at all". "Tell Mr. McCafferty", says Barron, "that its already arranged and anyway we're the RFU so we can do what we like". "Tell Barron", says Mr. McCafferty, angry now, "that we're taking legal advice and he'll hear from our lawyers".
And then the long silence sets in, while each one waits for the other to make a move.
Another case in point. Andy Robinson would quite like a bit of time with his players to prepare the squad for the internationals. Last Autumn, the team had a number of days together before each of the internationals. The squad was together for a nice long period of time, and, although the results weren't particularly brilliant, they were encouraging. Up comes Six Nations time, and Andy Robinson, not unreasonably, would like the same sort of set-up, and give the squad a chance to build. "Tell Messrs. Barron and Robinson", says Mr. McCafferty, "that they can't have much access to the players, because the agreement we had says only sixteen days, and he's used most of them already". "Tell Mr. McCafferty", says Mr. Barron, "that we insist on having them, and those clubs involved in the Powergen Semis won't be allowed to field their England players". "We'll see about that", says Mr. McCafferty, and the England players play in the Powergen, and the Six Nations is a bit of a shambles.
Amidst all this huffing and harrumphing, someone is caught in the middle. While the parents are giving each other the silent treatment, the children are suffering. Andy Robinson is being given flak for things that are completely outside his control, and the whole sport is constantly setting itself up for ridicule by the outside media observers.
Mr. McCafferty and Mr. Barron you are tearing the sport apart with your petty, childish bickering, and as leaders of your respective organisations, you should be in constant, PRIVATE dialogue with each other to find ways forward that suits one and all, not constantly washing each other's dirty linen in public.
Quite frankly, you should be ashamed of yourselves.
Its very easy to sort out the problems with the game - most observers can see it. The season is structured all wrong and needs to be changed. What to change it to is a separate debate, and one that I'm happy for you both to take away and decide upon. But change is required. And you should both take it away and agree what the solution is, BEFORE you announce anything to the press.
Rest assured, if you carry on the way you are, both of you will be responsible for the consequences, and that just could be another almighty schism the like of which hasn't been seen since 1896.
For God's sake both of you GET A GRIP and start behaving like professionals!
Yours
Andy Brown
Rugby Fan