Steve Brown: RFU chief concerned over Premiership club finances

Rugby Football Union chief executive Steve Brown feels the current financial situation at many Premiership clubs is a concern.

Only one top-flight English club made money last year - Exeter Chiefs, who beat Wasps to win their first Premiership title - amid widespread unease over escalating costs.

"It's always a worry," Brown told BBC Radio 5 live.

"It's never good to see clubs in financial difficulty."

One of the principal investors in Saracens, South African businessman Johann Rupert, recently withdrew his financial support for the club, while the BBC has learned of at least two Premiership sides who have been late paying agents' fees and image rights this season.

"I think by definition clubs are spending more than they currently have coming in," said Brown.

"Invariably, with the environment we are in and the cost of players now, there are going to be some challenges.

"Is that about player wages? There is no doubt that players' wages have gone up substantially, and that is a pressure for the clubs.

"Players' wages are one of the biggest costs, but it's about getting the balance right. It's about having a model that works."

However, Brown denies that the RFU has contributed to the problem with the sizeable match fees paid to England players.

An England international can earn around £22,000 per Test, a package which includes image rights and training fees.

"You could argue the opposite applies," Brown said.

"We are paying a decent amount of money to an England player, but that could relieve the overall costs of that player to a club and take some of the burden away."

Brown also feels that the payments the RFU makes to the clubs for player release have provided "a great deal of stability", and points to Exeter as an example of an organisation that is able to prosper financially.

"There should be enough money in the system in order for it to work, and [the league] is continuing to grow," he added.

"I was down at Exeter a couple of weeks ago, and you can see that it can really work in the right environment.

"So I think it is absolutely doable, and one of the things we want to do is to keep encouraging the millions of people who want to see England play to get more and more interested in the club game.

"There is huge interest in the sport, and eventually that will create a much more sustainable model."

Meanwhile, Brown ruled out any chance of England selecting James Haskell if the flanker were to move overseas.

Wasps' Haskell, who has 77 caps and started the final game of the Six Nations, is currently without a club for next season.

Brown said it is unlikely England coach Eddie Jones would be able to invoke the "exceptional circumstances" clause if Haskell left the Premiership.

"Our default is always going to be non-selection," he added.

"I think in this situation we would apply it as the default that we have."