On the face of it the notion is ridiculous. How could English rugby remain competitive at club and international level should this happen? Players would go abroad en mass or leave altogether.
However it may not be as fanciful an idea. Let us be honest Saracens apart - and I do not want this to become a discussion on the nefarious deeds - no other club really challenges in Europes top tier anymore. Since the last PGA agreement where ?200 million was given to the clubs, our national team has wandered between average to woeful. The RFU Sue Day financial findings are reported to show a ?50 million loss which could raise to near on ?80 million by 2025. The clubs are all losing money hand over fist, and if the next PGA does not give further funds more strife could occur. Add in that a 10 team closed shop of a league hardly inspires & the Premiership rugby cup is a poor event that is poorly supported, which all allied above is unlikely to be catnip to potential investors or sponsors, then suddenly amateurism does not seem so far off. It?s being run in a fairly amateur and increasingly non unified way already, with the RFU, PRL, Championship and grass roots more like individual factions rather than the same family. Sugar daddies prop up clubs, and those without are starting to fall, who?s next? London Irish? But I doubt it will stop there.
Yes amateur status would be a tough pill to swallow, however for those of us who remember the amateur days, it isn?t altogether such a bad notion? More clubs could possibly thrive in an environment that is less about the bottom line, and more about having fun. The top league elitism vs the rest could potentially dissolve overnight. Yes the chances of success international & European club level would be vanishingly remote. But would it lead to a competitive game at all levels domestically? It?s not impossible.
Perhaps the above is extreme and even more unlikely to occur, but one thing is for certain, the game is heading for a cliff edge with disastrous consequences if unchecked. Sometimes extreme circumstances require extreme solutions.