Rugby needs its Premier League to step up and take control, Raine says

Merchant bank Raine Group has warned that professional rugby union is not sustainable with 'five or six leagues' all operating under different structures, and called for one dominant competition to emerge as the sport's equivalent of football's Premier League. The bank stated it is 'time for someone to put the hammer down' and take control of the sport's direction. Rugby union has seen various leagues experiment with different growth strategies, including the URC's inclusion of South African teams, Super Rugby dropping non-Australasian sides, and the English Premiership exploring franchising.