DEAN Richards says he is “staggered” by the number of Premiership players who have not secured contracts for next season.
And he believes it is a consequence of having only one tier of professional rugby as the drop in the salary cap enforced by the financial fall-out from the pandemic starts to bite.
Richards, the director of rugby at Newcastle Falcons, who last year bounced straight back from the Championship after being relegated for the second time, wants the second tier to become fully professional, as it is in France where a 14-strong third division was set up last year.
“The number...