PRO12 deny they’ve held discussions with English clubs about joining league

Don't book the flights to London just yet.

The Pro 12 have denied they have had discussions, formal or otherwise, with London Welsh and London Scottish, about leaving English rugby. The Evening Standard earlier reported that the two Premiership clubs had held "informal" talks about joining the Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Italian sides in the league, but it has since been refuted by a Pro 12 source. The report said that both sides, who are members of the Rugby Football Union, and the Welsh and Scottish unions respectively would only make the move if they get permission from the respective rugby bodies. On the pitch, London Welsh have had a truly awful season, losing all of their 20 games so far in the Premiership, and picking up just one losing bonus point along the way, conceding an average of more than six tries a game. London Scottish are in the semi-finals of the Championship playoff to make it into the top tier in England, but their ground is not up to Premiership standards, meaning they can not secure a place in next season's Premiership. It's unclear what impact, if any, an additional two teams in the Pro 12 would have on European qualification.