Of profits the latter could repay the 28

On the margins of the meeting of rugby France-England which takes place Saturday night at the France Stadium in plain-Saint-Denis and designate the winner of the Six Nations tournament this season, Howard Thomas, Executive Director of Premier Rugby limited, the company that manages the English Championship, and Patrick Wolf, Vice President of the national rugby (LNR) League, will meet to analyze the financial benefits on the English of the title of champion rugby world obtained by the national team fall Australia last. "It is quite remarkable, stages displayed in our neighbours an attendance up more than 25 and partners flock." "It is good omen for French rugby, which organizes the next world in 2007", indicates the leader of the national rugby league.

This wealth is found in (arrested June 30) accounts of the English Federation of rugby (RFU) for the 2002-2003 season, with a result an increase of 21, to EUR 27.6 million, net sales rose by 49 to 117.3 million, and EUR 34.5 million in cash. "The financial health of the RFU is the Foundation on which we will have the opportunity to develop in the months and years to come for the good of rugby," commented Francis Baron, Chief Executive of the Federation English. Of profits, the latter could repay the 28.5 million to the renovation of the Twickenham stadium which it owns. All indicators are green with a jump of 51 for sales of tickets (EUR 24.4 million), 24 for TV rights (EUR 23 million), of 11 (EUR 16 million) sponsorship, of 18 (EUR 29 million) restoration and 35 for merchandising (EUR 7.4 million).

To congratulate the English team of his victory in the World Cup, the organisation Sports England, responsible for the distribution of revenues from the lottery awarded EUR 12 million to the RFU. "This money is intended to help England to defend his title in France in three years, including the training of young players," said an official. "With his victory in the world, the English rugby enjoys a resurgence in popularity that it to capitalize when it will renew its sponsorship contracts in the coming months", says Patrick Wolf. This was the case with the mobile phone operator 02, partner Jersey to 2007 champions of the world for an amount that can be estimated at around EUR 10 million.

Property of rich patrons

The success of the men of the Rose, the symbol of the English team, affects the national championship, sponsored by the Swiss insurer Zurich which gave its name to the competition contested by 12 clubs (Bath, Leicester, London Wasps, Northampton, Saracens, etc.) whose global turnover is about 120 million. The RFU reverse them overall in respect of the provision of the international compensation, TV rights and contract Zurich EUR 32.4 million, while in France the national rugby league gives 26 million euros to 32 clubs. The comparison ends there. English clubs are the property of wealthy patrons Dave Thompson, Newcastle, Nigel Wray to the Saracens, Tom Walkinshaw to Gloucester , which manage their popular stages on weekends by 7,000 or faithful 8500; they are signatories to a beer contract that allows them to exploit lucrative pubs in stages and sometimes display the name of a mark on the Jersey. "We do not act Evin in this country", said Paul Vaughan, commercial Director of the English Federation.

According to a report by Deloitte & Touche of November 2002 comparing different professional sports, the rules themselves are given English rugby clubs have avoided their wage inflation. While the football in 2001, had a salary income of 101 ratio, rugby clubs were 68, and those of the Rugby Super League (rugby XIII) 77.

"Structurally deficit".

The average salary of a player in the Zurich Premiership revolves around of annual euros 77.000, complete amount to nearly equivalent to the Top 16 in France. But the recent victory in the World Cup pushed auction. According to the "Daily Mail", Jonny Wilkinson, the lighthouse of the English team player, should receive nearly 3 million this year, while former Captain, Martin Johnson, is to close to 1 million euros. French Thomas Castaignède, evolving to the English club Saracens, has 400,000 euros per year (image rights and including advertising revenue), the authors of "The secret money of rugby" (Editions Plon). Among the clubs the best managed figure Leicester, indicates the same book, passing the incredible betting in 2001 to announce almost 1 million euros in profits, while confessing to keep EUR 1.5 million in cash. The secret The creation of a Public Limited Company with 400 shareholders without any is over 10 of the shares. "However, English clubs remain structurally loss-making majority", provides Patrick Wolf.