The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic could see England’s rugby clubs start going bankrupt before Christmas without a government bailout, Premiership Chief Executive Darren Childs said.
Britain last month postponed plans to allow limited crowds back into stadiums, a decision that hit Premiership clubs hard.
This is because they were already budgeting for some fans to return for the start of the new season in November.
A coalition of over 100 sports bodies have asked the government for emergency funding, and Childs painted a bleak picture of how soon Premiership clubs could go bust.
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“I think for some of the clubs it is before Christmas,” he said. “There cannot be a situation where there isn’t an aid package for six months.