LONDON IRISH’S RELEGATION from the Aviva Premiership was confirmed today as Bedford Blues suffered defeat to Bristol in the Championship play-off semi-finals.
Defeat to Harlequins last weekend meant Irish were certain to finish bottom of English rugby’s top flight.
The Exiles, who have been in the English top flight since 1996, retained slim hope of avoiding relegation due to Bedford not meeting Premiership entry criteria.
However, the Blues were comfortably beaten by Bristol over two legs, the latter triumphing 45-19 at Ashton Gate on Sunday to wrap up a 90-35 aggregate win and book a promotion decider with Doncaster.
Doncaster were beaten 17-14 at home by Yorkshire Carnegie, but that was enough to earn a 44-34 aggregate triumph.
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What’s happened to all the supposed investment they were making the last few years. Bit shocking. Not saying it’s to blame but Andy Goode has some cheek, gets all his medical treatment at Irish and then retires only to come back and help ensure they go down. Admittedly clutchin at straws but they could’ve done with him at times this year. Shocking season though would have gone down anyway and deservedly so. They have been shocking.
They really could have, seriously lacked an experienced hand at 10. Apparently when Newcastle came in with their offer he went back to LI and said if they matched it he would sign for them. But Newcastle were offering a ludicrous deal which LI wouldn’t match. I think it’s not quite as bad as it first appears, but still not great. Extremely elaborate way to get out of pre-season training!
We’re sadend to hear this, through our experience great club, players and supporters. Hoping they rebuild as there is strong foundations.
They’ll be back. Harlequins made it back after the blood gate scandal
Are there still players of Irish descent coming through their youth ranks……Or has that all stopped? I don’t see anything “Irish” about that current squad.
The new owners when they took over said they wanted to ‘put the Irish back in London Irish’ or words to that effect, but in truth I can’t see it happening seeing as in terms of its academy they’re one of the more important development sides in England. The likes of the Armitage brothers, Corbisiero, Watson, Joseph and Yarde all came through at London Irish and they’re supplying quite a lot of England’s U20 and U18 sides too. Not sure the RFU would take too kindly to all that being pushed aside for them to live up to their name again to be honest.