2020-21 Championship - Round 8

Just bought the match Donny v Blues from Ticketco, 12:40 start.  Just checked my 2nd jab time same day, 12:40.  Solution - wife to drive, mobile phone and earphones.

Trolltime wrote: Coventry          4 - 1    h Pirates : The rumours of a Wasps takeover at Cov, like Northampton at Bedford. People could be playing for new contracts if thats true.

Hopefully Wasps players will have any sting heavily removed?

Scrumtime wrote: OldNick wrote: Trolltime wrote: The rumours of a Wasps takeover at Cov, like Northampton at Bedford. People could be playing for new contracts if thats true. Do your homework. Cov have plenty of DR players this season, to cover for players released due to Covid 19. They come from all over the country, Wasps nor being a dominant contributor.  Sit tight over the next couple of months and wait Announcement won’t be far away

Whilst within the regulations, I am truly saddened by the number of clubs extensively using DR/loan players in the Championship. I understand this is a cheap method of gaining good calibre players, and Covid has exasperated this. But we are heading slowly to a situation where in many cases it will be the Barbarians versus the Barbarians on a Saturday in the Championship rather than two sets of players with some kind of allegiance to the club for whom they are playing. To be able to have 13 players from a different club in your starting XV makes a mockery of any idea of club identity or culture. With rumours of no A league competition next season this situation will get only get worse-does the Championship want to become simply part of a pathway for players to get a Premiership contract. This situation strengthens my belief that the Premiership and Championship should be 10 full time clubs and be totally separated from the Community game where hopefully the notion of ‘a rugby club’ can remain and thrive.

Camquin wrote: Everyone on rolling maul has detailed knowledge of the accounts of every other club and knows for certain that they are spending far too much on players

People need to wind their neck in re DR and loan players.  This has been going on for years and I doubt many teams in the Championship have not had their fair share from time to time as needs must and this year is no different.  If they are youngsters surely thats better for rugby in general as they are playing meaningful games. This is how Bedford have had Dan Cole, Tom Youngs, Billy Twelvetrees, 5 of the starting England World Cup final squad playing for them over the years and I would like to think have helped further their career.  Whats the difference between that and some 28-32 year old journeyman who turns up, gets a 1 or if he's lucky 2 year contract and then moves on?

Ampthill have 4  Saracens in their starting XV tomorrow + 1 Wasp. They stand out as they are wearing their 'parent club' shirt in the club visual. But it's not unusual - the Reds XXIII for the game has 3 Prem loanees in starting XV + 2 more on bench...