Wasps RFC owner hailed for his 'vision and courage'....

...in bringing club to Coventry!

Owner Derek Richardson’s “vision and courage” to move Wasps to Coventry can spur the club back to “the forefront of European rugby”, according to.

Irish businessman Richardson has been a private figure since his April 2013 takeover saved Wasps from bankruptcy, preferring to dodge the limelight despite his rescue act.

Richardson founded Ireland’s first online insurance broker, 123.ie, and was reported to have received almost £30million in the 2010 sale to Royal Sun Alliance.

The Dublin native has helped revive Wasps’ fortunes, with the club hosting Leinster at their new Ricoh Arena home in today’s pivotal Champions Cup clash.

Chief executive Eastwood believes Richardson’s stewardship can now help restore the two-time Heineken Cup winners to their “rightful place” at the pinnacle of European rugby.

“He’s a very modest, private individual, very engaging and personable in person but doesn’t want to attract a huge amount of attention,” said Eastwood.

“Clearly he had a real vision for the club, wanted to return the club to its rightful place in the forefront of domestic and European rugby.

“He’s very much had the view that rugby’s a fairly traditional sport, but where we were as a club we needed to break the mould somewhat.

“If you keep doing the same things you keep getting the same results, and obviously the club was in significant financial issues, so to change that around we had to do something pretty radical.

“We didn’t move to Coventry because of that, but once we’d evaluated all the options this became head and shoulders above all else as the best possible option for the club. And Derek had the vision and the courage to make the best decision on behalf of the club.”

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