Rugby

Six Nations investment offer could be worth €116 million to Ireland

Six Nations considering private equity firm bid for 30 per cent stake in Championship

Ireland are the defending Six Nations champions. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho

Wed Mar 13 2019 - 10:46

The Six Nations is considering a large offer from CVC Capital Partners that would give the private equity firm a minority stake in the Championship.

CVC secured a 27 per cent share of the Gallagher Premiership for £200 million and are also interested in the Guinness Pro 14.

The Six Nations would be their first move into international rugby and news of the offer comes on the eve of a World Rugby-hosted meeting in Dublin in which the controversial Nations League is to be discussed.

According to the BBC, a deal with CVC could provide a windfall of more than £100m (€116m)to each union - but they wold have to partly surrender control of the competition.

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CVC’s offer - for an approximate 30 per cent share in the tournament - could also prove terminal for the Nations League proposals, which were revealed at the end of February.

However, a Six Nations source has sais that the CVC deal is just one of several options being considered to help launch ‘Project Light’ — the proposal for all the teams in the tournament to pool their commercial revenue.

It has been stressed that outside investment is not needed to get ‘Project Light’ off the ground.

The challenge facing World Rugby on Thursday is to convince the attending Six Nations teams — all tier one sides plus Fiji and Japan will be present — that their plans for an annual global tournament climaxing in a final is more beneficial than the pooled TV rights deal that they are negotiating.

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