Vision of TV cash helps London Welsh chase targets

Lyn Jones has been the green light to make further signings to bolster London Welsh's survival bid after details of the proposed £152m windfall from the BT Vision deal were revealed.
The Exiles are in advanced talks with two players and further recruits could arrive in the New Year after the Premiership new boys got their campaign up and running with a 25-24 defeat of Exeter.
With Premiership clubs set to receive at least £1m per season if the BT deal is signed off ahead of the 2013-2014 season, Exiles managing director John Taylor has been given all the incentive he needs to loosen the purse strings.
“The new television deal is an opportunity you have to seize – this is one of those situations where the timing might just be dead right,” Taylor told The Rugby Paper. “That £1m per season per club makes a hell of a difference to club finances.
“We are budgeting for a loss this season and our investors know that but we have a little bit in the kitty and are tracking two players.
“There are a couple of places we need to strengthen and although they might not be household names they are proven good players.
“If we get to Christmas and Lyn says we have definitely got to do this to stay up then we have the kitty to do something.
“Survival is the key to nearly everything we are doing.”
Just as daunting as that challenge is Taylor's mission to attract 6,000 paying punters to the Kassam, in previously untapped rugby country.
That target was met for their first game, a 38-13 defeat to Leicester, but just 3,150 attended their historic defeat of the Chiefs. Taylor remains confident the project will be successful in the long term.
He added: “We are very aware we have to build a completely new audience.
“We now have a community marketing manager based in Oxford and starting next week we have the first of our rugby development officers. Those appointments are as important as a marquee signing like Gavin Henson, absolutely.”
DANIEL SCHOFIELD