The Exiles Rise: Gamechanger Completes London Irish Takeover

London Irish have moved a significant step closer to a return to professional rugby after Gamechanger Investments Ltd completed the acquisition of the club's name, brand and associated intellectual property on Friday, ending more than three years of limbo since the Exiles went into administration in June 2023.

The new owners, led by Steve and Sarah Daniels with newly appointed chief executive Jamie Balls MBE, have made clear their ambition to bring one of English rugby's most recognisable names back onto the pitch, though plenty of hard work remains before the club can actually play again.

The deal, for an undisclosed fee, secures the future of a club founded in 1898 and marks the start of a new chapter after the uncertainty that followed London Irish's collapse. The Exiles were one of three Premiership clubs to fall into financial ruin in 2022-23, alongside Wasps and Worcester Warriors, and their name and intellectual property were secured by London Irish Rugby Football Club Holdings Limited in early 2025 with the aim of protecting the club's identity while suitable new owners were sought.

The deal

"London Irish is a huge name in rugby and means a great deal to a lot of people. We want to get the club back where it belongs – on the pitch and competing again," said Steve Daniels, who will serve as the new chair.

"Completing this deal is a major step, but there is plenty of work ahead. We are determined to get the foundations right and build a club that is competitive, sustainable and gives supporters something to believe in. We want London Irish firmly back on the rugby map."

Jamie Balls, a former chairman of the London Irish amateur club who helped broker the transfer, said the immediate priority was to establish the infrastructure for a relaunch: "Our focus is on creating a resilient, self-sustaining rugby organisation that can stand on its own feet from day one, with the foundations in place to deliver long-term stability, growth and future opportunities."

"The immediate priority is to establish the infrastructure needed for the relaunch, including a dedicated communications and media operation and full access to the club's digital assets."

Daniel McKeown, chair of London Irish Rugby Football Club Holdings Limited, said the transaction had preserved 125 years of history: "When London Irish went into administration, the real risk was that 125 years of history would simply disappear, so we stepped in to make sure it did not. We explored every credible route back, including beyond the English game, and concluded that London Irish is better served playing and building now than waiting on a path that is not viable at this time."

The road back

The Exiles previously explored a return via the United Rugby Championship, where a new London Irish outfit would have given the multinational league a foothold in England – an idea reportedly supported by league officials, particularly with Wales set to lose one of its four professional franchises. But the pitch became politically difficult to drive through given opposition from the RFU, so the new owners are pursuing a return through the English system instead.

The Premiership is now a franchise league open to clubs that meet its entry requirements, but any new entrant must first compete in the Championship. The Championship is therefore considered the realistic starting point, with the club targeting entry as early as next season if possible, though it could wait another year.

There is also ambition beyond the men's game: the new owners are understood to want to launch a women's team to compete in Premiership Women's Rugby.

A return to competition remains subject to approval from the relevant governing and competition bodies. The club has not yet settled on where it would play. London Irish does not currently own a stadium or training ground; reuniting the professional team with the amateur club could provide access to the Hazelwood site in Sunbury-on-Thames, with negotiations over the 53-acre site ongoing.

What happens next

A formal launch is anticipated in December 2026 or January 2027, with work continuing behind the scenes to put the necessary structures in place. News of the takeover has been warmly welcomed by supporters of the exile identity across the UK's Irish diaspora.

Paul O'Callaghan, chair of London Irish Amateur RFC, said: "Reuniting the club as one Exile family would be good for English rugby and tremendous news for our supporters and the Irish diaspora across the UK. This ambition has the full support of London Irish Amateur RFC – and we look forward to helping bring that shared future to life."

From the ashes of administration to a completed takeover, the Exiles' revival is now real – the question is how quickly the name can be back on a team sheet.