Saints CEO Robson hails Rugby World Cup agreement

ALL SMILES - Allan Robson has welcomed the Rugby World Cup resolution (Picture: Sharon Lucey)

With Rugby World Cup 2015 being held on home soil between September 18 and October 31, the RFU and Premiership Rugby needed to reach an agreement about finances and fixtures.

And on Friday it was announced that the 2015/16 Premiership campaign will begin on World Cup quarter-final weekend (October 16-18).

That means midweek league games will not be needed, but as it stands there will be no LV= Cup competition.

Due to the delayed start to the season, which will bring an inevitable financial loss, clubs will each receive a share of approximately £7million compensation from the RFU and also cash in on a distribution of £6million in match revenues.

The long-awaited resolution means Saints now have the security they need to press on with plans for the new Barwell Stand, with construction set to begin at the end of the current campaign.

And Robson said: “The new agreement between Premiership Rugby and the RFU is good news on all levels, but whatever happens on the national scale our main focus at Franklin’s Gardens is on what is good for the Saints.

“Today’s announcement means that we now have firm dates in the calendar around which to plan the complicated construction of a major stadium expansion, and end any uncertainty about the start of the 2015/16 season.

“Next year’s Rugby World Cup will give a massive boost to the sport in the east midlands, and we are well placed to make the most of the opportunities that this will give us.”