English union prompts Lions row with clubs

The Rugby Football Union has prompted a row with premiership clubs by withholding a compensation payment for any English member of the British and Irish Lions who played within a stipulated 11-week period. An RFU statement said it would pay £15,000...

The Rugby Football Union has prompted a row with premiership clubs by withholding a compensation payment for any English member of the British and Irish Lions who played within a stipulated 11-week period.

An RFU statement said it would pay £15,000 compensation only for those players "who have been given the full and agreed 11-week rest and recuperation period".

Nine members of the Lions party who lost 3-0 in New Zealand this year have appeared for more than the agreed 40 minutes in any one premiership game.

The nine are Jason Robinson, Mark Cueto, Charlie Hodgson and Andrew Sheridan from Sale, Martin Corry, Julian White and Ben Kay from Leicester along with Matt Dawson and Simon Shaw from Wasps.

Premiership Rugby said in a statement it was "extremely disappointed that the RFU have adopted this position".

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