London Welsh Rugby Football Club has avoided a winding up order and been given more time to pay outstanding debts after an insolvency hearing was deferred until December.

On Monday, October 31, Judge Nicholas Briggs adjourned the Bankruptcy and Companies Court hearing until December 12.

The High Court had dismissed an HMRC petition to wind up the club and place it into liquidation on September 5.

Following the dismissal, a club spokesman confirmed the Kew Road club was on the verge of being taken over by “a major Californian based investment group”.

The club’s most recent statement on its website – issued after Monday’s insolvency hearing – makes no further reference to the potential investors.

The statement read: “The club remains confident that it will be able to satisfy such outstanding amounts over the forthcoming weeks.”

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London Welsh, which was founded in 1885, went into administration in June 2009 while playing in National Division One. The club were eventually saved by majority shareholder and chairman Kelvin Byron.

From June 2009: London Welsh hit cash crisis

The Exiles spent three seasons at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford between 2012/13 and 2014/15.

The team was promoted to the Premiership in 2011/12, relegated and then promoted again at the end of the 2013/14 season. They were relegated in 2014/15, having lost all 22 games.

London Welsh returned to their traditional Richmond home of Old Deer Park in 2015.