The immediate future of Cornish Pirates RFC is a little clearer after the club confirmed that it is lifting the break clauses in player contracts.
The clauses were inserted into players’ contracts in the summer, due to concerns that reduced funding could lead to the club being unable to maintain its professional status. Financial backing from owner Dickie Evans runs out at the end of the year, while funding from the RFU has also been cut since the pandemic.
Cornish Pirates CEO, Sally Pettipher, commented: “Confirming that break clauses were recently lifted from the players’ contracts, I can add that the team at Pirates have made great strides in commercial development and, while we’re not over the line yet, with current and upcoming initiatives I was confident enough to give the players that security.”
The Pirates, along with other clubs in the Championship, are unhappy with the funding it receives from the RFU and are backing a vote of no confidence in chief executive Bill Sweeney.
Pettipher added: “I also yesterday posted a letter to the president of the RFU, and personally delivered a copy to our MP Andrew George, asking for Cornish Pirates to be counted in the number of clubs calling for a motion of no confidence in the RFU chief executive and chairman. This is in addition to being signatories to a collective Championship clubs’ motion for the same.”
Talks are said to be ongoing with a number of parties regarding a takeover of the club, although the current uncertainty as to the future of the second tier beyond next summer is making it difficult for any new prospective owner to commit.
