Rebels president Paul Docherty says he did not know the club was going to fail, telling a court that he had earlier warned rugby’s governing body against centralising the club’s operations before its finances were stabilised. According to the reports, Docherty told the court he raised concerns about moving toward centralisation while the club’s balance sheet had not yet been fixed, arguing that the financial position needed to be addressed first. The accounts are consistent across outlets that he framed the warning as an attempt to prevent further damage and that, despite his position and involvement, he says he had no clue the club would be “toast.” The reports also indicate that the matter is being heard in court, with Docherty providing testimony that his actions were aimed at cautioning the governing body rather than supporting the decision to centralise. While the coverage focuses on his claims about what he knew and what he warned against, it does not provide additional specifics on the court’s findings or the final outcome from the proceedings.