LEICESTER chief executive Simon Cohen has spoken out against Premiership ring-fencing, insisting its proponents are misguided and that such a move would make the league uncompetitive while failing to deliver any of the perceived benefits.
Pro-ring-fencers argue that by removing the risk of relegation loss-making clubs would be encouraged to trim their wage bills, blood younger players, adopt a more open style of rugby and be less inclined to fire directors of rugby.
Between them Premiership clubs currently lose around £25m annually, while this season has seen Northampton, Harlequins, Worcester and London Irish part company with their head honchos during hugely disappointing campaigns.
However, Cohen, whose club dispensed with the services of Richard Cockerill and Aaron Mauger last season, told The Rugby Paper: “Coaches don't tend to leave because of relegation, they leave when the club's expectations, as defined by their owners or financial criteria, are not met and I don't see how ring-fencing would change that.
“I don't understand why people perceive ring-fencing as a cure-all. “Here at Leicester, for instance, if there was ringfencing and we could break even by cutting the rugby costs and finishing in the bottom half of the table, would that be an acceptable scenario?
Cohen: Relegation part is often most exciting
“Of course not and the same would apply to Harlequins, Bath, Saracens, Northampton or any other club that has ambition to be a champion team.”
Cohen does not buy the argument that by closing off the Premiership, clubs would be encouraged to blood more young English players.
He said: “If you have any expectation, whether that's winning the tournament, being in the top four, top six or competing in the top European competition, you're going to pick your best players with a view to winning the most matches.
“Young players who are good enough will come through and the current system hasn't stopped Marcus Smith at Quins.
“In fact, the only byproduct of ring-fencing I could see is that it would make the league less competitive.
“The relegation part of the league is often the most exciting and without that a lot of the drama and spectator interest would disappear.”
Cohen advocates changes to the salary cap and a more robust A-League programme as a better means of encouraging player development. He explained: “There is merit in a full-blown A-League but if you're serious about it you need to have minimum squad sizes and you need to use the salary cap to manage the number and quality of players you have in each squad.
“For instance, you might say that 25 players in your squad have to be aged 23 or under, with a part of your salary cap set aside for that.
“That way you can field two teams and the A-League would be a far better developmental tool.”
