Two high profile rugby clubs entered administration at the end of 2022.
Julie Palmer, Julian Pitts and Andrew Hook of Begbies Traynor were appointed as Joint Administrators of the Worcester Warriors Premiership rugby club on 26 September 2022, and Andrew Sheridan and Raj Mittal of FRP Advisory were appointed as Joint Administrators of the Wasps Rugby Football Club on 17 October 2022.
Wasps had debts totalling £95m when the club went into administration, and despite receiving a £14.1m Covid Sport Survival Package (SSP) loan from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, administered by Sport England, failed to recover from their financial struggles.
In another blow to taxpayers, Worcester Warriors entered administration owing the government £16.1m from their SSP loan (the biggest of the combined £124m package of loans given to all 13 Premiership rugby clubs), as well as £2.1m in unpaid taxes to HMRC.