Tony Copsey has denied rumours concerning London Welsh and the Kassam Stadium © PA Photos

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News: London Welsh keen to purchase Kassam Stadium

Players/Officials: Tony Copsey | John Taylor

Tournaments/Tours: Aviva Premiership

Teams: England | London Welsh | Wales

London Welsh chief executive Tony Copsey has denied that the club are in discussions to buy the Kassam Stadium.

The Premiership side, who share the 12,500 capacity ground with League Two football club Oxford United, were first linked with a possible purchase back in July having secured promotion to English rugy's top flight. And on Friday, Exiles managing director John Taylor was quoted as saying that "conversations had been had" with stadium owner Firoz Kassam.

But London Welsh have since released a statement claiming that "this information is incorrect" and that any suggestoin that the Exiles were looking to purchase the stadium is premature.

"There is no doubt that we as a club have enjoyed a very successful start to playing our home matches at the Kassam Stadium," Copsey said. "We have worked hard to begin bedding into the local community in Oxfordshire.

"Achieving an over 10,000 crowd at the recent Wasps match, supports our belief that there is a good appetite for rugby in the Oxfordshire area. However any talk of us as a club buying the Kassam, is premature at best. Our immediate focus is on Premiership survival and developing our club as a business to compete within the top echelons of English rugby.

"Certainly any purchase of the Kassam in the future, if we remain in the Premiership, would be something we would consider, but not without consultation with many stake holders including Oxford United Football Club."

These views were echoed by the Kassm himself who told BBC Radio Oxford: "They have made no approach. We have a rental agreement for the one term, with an option for a second - there have been no discussions about a purchase."