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Jan 10, 2024

London Irish suspension will leave people feeling hearts have been 'ripped out'

Last updated on 13 hours ago13 hours ago.From the section Rugby Union London

Last updated on 13 hours ago13 hours ago.From the section Rugby Union

London Irish's suspension from the Premiership will leave people feeling like their hearts have been "ripped out", says club legend Topsy Ojo.

Irish were punished on Tuesday after missing a deadline to pay players and staff or complete a takeover.

The club, who finished fifth in the Premiership in 2022-23 and reached the Premiership Cup final, will not be able to play in any league next season.

"It is gutting. Really, really gutting," Ojo told BBC Sport.

"It is heartbreaking for many good people. It is their life and their heart and it sort of feels like it has been ripped out of them.

"It is difficult to put into words. I have probably still not processed it, but I am maybe still half in denial."

Ojo, 37, made 301 appearances for Irish between 2005 and 2019, scoring 80 tries.

His former club's suspension was announced in a statement from governing body the Rugby Football Union.

Despite plans announced in 2021 to expand its top division to 14 teams, English rugby now faces the prospect of a 10-team Premiership next season after the earlier demise of Worcester Warriors and Wasps.

Tom Ilube - chair of the RFU board - said rugby needed to "professionalise its management off the pitch".

"Covid accelerated the impacts of underlying structural challenges and had a major effect on PRL clubs and the RFU," he added.

"Given the cost-of-living crisis, the post-Covid bounceback has been weaker than expected, and that has meant clubs with unsustainable business models have gone out of business - regrettably so for players and their fans.

"All three clubs that have failed this season have had fragile business models for many years."

Ojo said there were "a lot of questions" that needed asking.

He added: "I am sitting here thinking, 'How has London Irish become a part of this?'

"You would think somewhere along the line this could have been seen happening and something could have been done to stop it.

"It is a sad way for the club to demise, and the knock-on effect will be huge."

RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said it was "desperately sad news" and added his organisation would work with the club, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players' Association to "do the utmost to secure the long-term viability of the club".

Ojo said the game - and the running of it - needed "a complete overhaul".

"I've been covering it all season and hearing these stories, and yet here we are again," he said.

"What is the solution? What does rugby union need to do to ensure this never happens again?

"We now have 10 teams. We started with 13 this season. It might solve a problem for a lot of people but the pain to get here, I've never known anything like it. It is pretty brutal.

"You just like to think between Premiership Rugby, the RFU and the RPA they are sitting down and thrashing out what the game looks like going forward so that it just doesn't happen again."