11:25am, 26 April 2018

Wasps have dismissed claims England stars Joe Launchbury, Elliot Daly and Christian Wade are threatening to quit the Aviva Premiership outfit over a lack of financial investment.

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A report in the Daily Mail claims players and coaching staff are frustrated over inadequate training facilities and the backlog in image-rights payments, which are thought to account for about 15 percent of overall salaries. Wasps chiefs dispute claims about image rights and insist they are unaware of any outstanding payment issues.

RugbyPass understands Launchbury, Daly and Wade still have two years left on their Wasps contracts and sources close to the players have refuted suggestions they are set to quit or lead a rebellion. Launchbury, the club captain, turned down bigger contract offers from rival clubs to stay with Wasps who head into Sunday’s home game with Northampton in third place and chasing a home play-off semi-final.

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Wasps have yet to deliver a promised state-of-the-art training complex which was part of the package that convinced the players that a move in 2014 from their London base in Acton to Coventry and the Ricoh Arena stadium would transform the facilities they could work with.

The club is currently sharing training facilities at Broadstreet RFC having previously been given planning permission for a £7million base at the Alan Higgs Centre in Coventry before opting to shelve that plan. It is understood that Wasps have identified a site for a new training complex based at a junior rugby club in South Warwickshire, around 15 minutes outside Coventry but even if planning permission is granted shortly it will not be ready for over a year.

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Director of rugby Dai Young said: “I have been made aware of an article published today which makes a number of assertions regarding our current situation. The construction of new training facilities is taking longer than originally hoped. We had a couple of projects which reached a pretty advanced stage but unfortunately did come not to fruition along the way, but no-one doubts this is the number one priority project for our development team.

“I know a further location is now under serious consideration and that this project could take a big step forward in the very near future. Since September ten of our senior squad have signed new contracts. This includes Joe Launchbury, Elliot Daly and only this week Dan Robson. A number of other players have also signed new deals since we moved from Acton to Coventry at the start of last season.

“Clearly we are all looking forward to being in a permanent home, and in the meantime, we are all fully focused on the remainder of the season and are pushing hard to reach the play-offs for a third consecutive year.”

Wasps are to announce their latest financial results shortly and there will be keen interest to see how they are going to service the payments due on the £35m bond issue launched in 2015 and which requires around £2m to be paid in interest every year.

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The Ricoh Arena complex gives Wasps revenue from the on-site hotel, casino and exhibition facilities as well as sporting fixtures and concerts.