The shrinking map of English professional club rugby has lost another familiar name with London Irish’s formal ejection from the Premiership. The Exiles are the third Premiership club in nine months to dissolve financially, reducing the country’s flagship league to 10 teams and leaving around 100 players and staff jobless.
As widely anticipated, the mooted US consortium failed to complete their proposed takeover of the club by the deadline of 4pm on Tuesday, triggering the club’s removal from the English league pyramid. The London Irish amateur club still compete at Level 6, however, so the 125-year-old club identity will not entirely vanish.
