Daily Times

LONDON: Former Worcester director of rugby Steve Diamond has launched a bid to rescue the financially stricken club from administration in the hope of returning them to the English Premiership within the next four years.

Diamond is leading a consortium, Sixways Village, that also includes former Leicester chief executive Simon Cohen, and he now hopes to achieve preferred bidder status with administrators Begbies Traynor.

Earlier this month, Worcester were placed into administration and partially liquidated, with British tax authorities chasing an unpaid bill estimated at £6 million ($6.95 million, 6.96 million euros).

The Midlands club are currently suspended from the Premiership and face relegation from English rugby union’s top flight at the end of the season.

“My goal is to create a sustainable business that is able to compete back in the Premiership within the next three or four years, and allows professional rugby to thrive in Worcester,” said Diamond on Thursday.

“It took us a month to put the plan together and we presented it last week to the RFU (England’s governing Rugby Football Union) and the PRL (Premiership Rugby). “Now a decision needs to be made and hopefully that decision is for the right organisation to put Worcester Warriors back on the map.”

Following Worcester’s collapse, the contracts of all players and backroom staff were terminated.

Diamond, however, said he had no qualms with the ruling that sees Worcester heading to the Championship, where they are set to be joined by Wasps after their former Premiership rivals also entered administration this month.

“I think due punishment and sanction is required — I’m prepared to take the relegation and it may take us two or three years to get back to a position where we can challenge to get back into the Premiership,” said Diamond.

“It is a big opportunity to take the club into the Championship, where I’ve never coached or played.

“I think I’ve got a vision that could revolutionise the Championship and make people in the Premiership look down and say, these guys are running sustainable rugby businesses, how do we follow suit?”