Saints’ Phil Dowson fears Premiership clubs ‘sleepwalking’ towards financial crisis

Director of rugby backs plans for franchise leagueExpansion would end promotion and relegationThe Northampton director of rugby, Phil Dowson, fears the sport is “sleepwalking” towards another club going bust and endorsed plans for the Premiership to become a franchised league on the basis it would be more appealing to investors.Premiership and Rugby Football Union executives have drawn up plans for an “expansion” league, akin to a franchise model, that would allow for tea