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BlueButHappyReturns 
Mini and Juniors 
Joined: 09 May 2023 Location: St. Neots Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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 Posted: 09 May 2023 at 18:22 |
I heard that the 14th team was going to be the RFU Barbarians, comprised of all the surplus to requirements players that Premiership clubs have to offload to meet salary cap, but the Championship clubs can’t afford. Squad rotation will be mandatory to ensure that all 120 squad players get at least 2 games per season.
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Only dead fish go with the flow..
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Roseyandjim
Academy player 
Joined: 15 Apr 2023 Location: Coventry Status: Offline Points: 16 |
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Posted: 09 May 2023 at 21:05 |
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So, what are the pitch sizes in the championship? How different to the 100m x 70m mentioned?
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Camquin
World Cup Winner 
Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Location: Cambridge Status: Offline Points: 11121 |
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Posted: 09 May 2023 at 22:30 |
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The following are estimates made by using Google Maps measurement tool. I cannot vouch for them being totally accurate. If any club feels I have made a mistake, then please correct me. Ampthill 65 x 100 m 7 m in-goal Bedford 70 x 100 m 7 m in-goal Caldy 67 x 97 m 10 m in-goals Cambridge 70 x 100 m 10 m in-goals Cornish Pirates 67 x 100 m 10 m in-goals Coventry 69 x 100 m 5 m in-goals Doncaster 70 x 100 m 7 m in-goals Ealing 70 x 95 m 7 m in-goals Hartpury 70 x 100 m 10 m in-goals Jersey 70 x 100 m 5 m in-goals London Scottish 70 x 100 m 5 m in-goals Nottingham 70 x 100 m 7 m in-goals Feilds originally marked for soccer, tend to be narrow. Leicester Tigers' pitch was so short, they could not be used for the last World Cup in these isles - so they were forced extended the pitch. But I think it is still only 95 metres. Salfrod Red's pitch, being set for league, has 5 metre in-goal and is only 67 metres wide. Bristol City only gives the Bears 67 x 97 m with 5 m in goals. The memorial Stadium has a larger pitch and I believe they were able to mark out at least 70 x 100 with 10 m in-goals when the rgby clb owned it. |
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Sweeney Delenda Est
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The Blues
World Cup Winner
Joined: 05 Aug 2007 Status: Offline Points: 4788 |
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Posted: 09 May 2023 at 23:11 |
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Whenever the Jersey forwards turn up the pitches seem to shrink to 50m wide.
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Brizzer
World Cup Winner
Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Location: Jersey Status: Offline Points: 3398 |
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Posted: 09 May 2023 at 23:25 |
Just wide enough for a good rolling maul TB 
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Tackle Low!!!!!
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Marylebone
First XV squad 
Joined: 17 Mar 2022 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 35 |
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Posted: 10 May 2023 at 16:35 |
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https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ruck-rugby-podcast/id1201302391?i=1000612330835
The Jersey Reds director of rugby Harvey Biljon is on The Ruck Podcast from The Times.
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“ Adventure and error go together”
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FHLH
World Cup Winner
Cambridge Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Location: Cambridge Status: Offline Points: 5239 |
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Posted: 06 Jun 2023 at 12:02 |
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Please excuse copy/paste errors. Google read it for me from my local paper. Aim is clear, avoid bottom 4 finish. CAMBRIDGE Rugby Club director of rugby Richie Williams has set his side a "really ambitious target" of a mid-table finish next season to ensure they retain their Champion- ship status. Unlike this season where just one team was relegated from the second rugby said. tier, Williams believes there will be at least two sides going down next year, and even as many as four. The Blood & Sand chief said that "every club will want to be clear of that bottom three of the Champion- ship" owing to a potential league restructure for the 2024-25 cam- paign, which could lead to there being more relegation spots this time around. While recognising it would be a tall order to achieve, Williams is con- fident his side can finish above the drop in what will be their first-ever season in the Championship. "If we look at what the Champion-ship and Premiership could look like in a year's time, I think that the RFU want to reduce the Premiership to 10 teams - that's currently at 12- and I think they want the Championship to be ten teams as well, so it's almost Premiership A and B," the director of "For us, if we want to be in that competition in a year's time, we're next season. going to have to make sure that we finish mid-table in the Champion- ship next season, which will take some doing. "I think that's a really ambitious target, looking at some of the calibre of teams that are in that league, but I think for us, there are half of the teams in the Championship that are semi-professional, and that'll be the model that we're going to imple- ment next season. "If we want to stay in that league, we're going to have to finish top of ship." that bunch, so that's ahead of teams like Nottingham, Ampthill, Hartpury College and Caldy, and these are all teams that have been in the Cham- pionship for a number of seasons. "With the group of players and coaches that we've got, we're an ambitious group, we work really hard for ourselves, and I wouldn't bet against us achieving that aim for "It's all depending on what hap- pens with London Irish in the Pre- miership at the moment (the restructure). "I think best case scenario there'll be two teams relegated from the Championship next season, but worse case scenario it could be any- thing up to three or four teams, so without saying too much, that prob- ably paints a picture in itself that every club will want to be clear of that bottom three of the Champion- Last time around, Nottingham finished the campaign fourth from bot- tom on 43 points from 22 matches played, winning seven of those fix- Williams does not believe that. number of victories will be enough next year, with the director of rugby looking for the Blood & Sand to win around half of their fixtures to stay up. "It's probably going to be 10 or 11 games that we're going to have to pick up wins from next season," he added. "Traditionally the teams that win National One and go up to the Championship win around about eight or nine games a season, so it's going to take some doing. "I think having a stretched goal or target in place like that will definitely motivate players in the off-season, and it'll definitely give everybody a real clear focus when we come back
 Edited by FHLH - 06 Jun 2023 at 12:31 |
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"My father told me big men fall just as quick as little ones, if you put a sword through their hearts."
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The Blues
World Cup Winner
Joined: 05 Aug 2007 Status: Offline Points: 4788 |
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Posted: 06 Jun 2023 at 22:38 |
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Just don’t get too disheartened if the first game is home against the Jersey monster pack turn up or away at Blues who will be aiming for a minimum of 50 points and attack from anywhere.
It often takes ND1 teams a while to adjust to the pace and power, so playing some of the teams aiming for the top at the start of the campaign is probably better. Bonus points play a big role too.
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Brizzer
World Cup Winner
Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Location: Jersey Status: Offline Points: 3398 |
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Posted: 06 Jun 2023 at 23:29 |
Totally agree with your comment about the bonus points TB. If Cambridge can keep their league tally ticking over then they should be fine. The big problem is how. Go too defensive and it is a very long afternoon of getting battered. If they go for the 4 tries, be prepared to concede 50 plus points most weeks. The other difference is that if you make a mistake at this level you get punished. Other than that they will have a fantastic time 
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Tackle Low!!!!!
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FHLH
World Cup Winner
Cambridge Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Location: Cambridge Status: Offline Points: 5239 |
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Posted: 07 Jun 2023 at 12:33 |
The sooner fixtures are published the sooner I can get my marina berth booked in Jersey. I'll buy some sprouts in Bedfordshire as proof of friendship and take champagne to Caldy. We have ways of encouraging bonus points out of teams! I've previously looked at bonus points and their positive effect. However with up to 4 relegation/reorganization places, depending on the RFU, it will be a challenging but enormously fun season |
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"My father told me big men fall just as quick as little ones, if you put a sword through their hearts."
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Camquin
World Cup Winner
Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Location: Cambridge Status: Offline Points: 11121 |
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Posted: 07 Jun 2023 at 13:21 |
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Cambridge have a few Jersey and Coventry rejects, plus a number of others who have been surprisingly overlooked. I am sure we will be adding a few additions over the summer. And anyway, our first run out could be against a Premiership (academy) side. |
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Sweeney Delenda Est
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corporalcarrot
World Cup Winner
Joined: 22 Sep 2013 Location: St Brelade Status: Offline Points: 4724 |
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Posted: 07 Jun 2023 at 13:37 |
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Dont kick it. Pick it up and GO FORWARD.
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FHLH
World Cup Winner
Cambridge Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Location: Cambridge Status: Offline Points: 5239 |
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Posted: 09 Jun 2023 at 15:49 |
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Optimism from Blood & Sand RICHIE WILLIAMS believes Cambridge Rugby Club are approxi- mately "three to five years away" from competing at the top end of the Championship following their pro- motion to the second tier. The Blood & Sand head into their first-ever Championship campaign off the back of a hugely-impressive season, where they won 22 of their 26 matches to secure the National One title. Despite recording 114 points last season, the step up to the second tier will provide a tougher challenge, particularly given that there are full- time clubs at the level. By STEPHEN PAGE stephen page@reachplc.com @stephenpage22 RICHIE WILLIAMS believes Cam- bridge Rugby Club are approxi- mately "three to five years away" from competing at the top end of the Championship following their pro- motion to the second tier. The Blood & Sand head into their first-ever Championship campaign off the back of a hugely-impressive season, where they won 22 of their 26 matches to secure the National One title. Despite recording 114 points last season, the step up to the second tier will provide a tougher challenge, particularly given that there are full- time clubs at the level. Owing to that and the gulf in facili- ties between sides in the league, Wil- liams believes his team are some way off being able to compete at the top end of the division. "We're probably another three to five years away from being competi- tive with the likes of Ealing and Jer- sey (last season's top two)," the director of rugby said. "I think with everything, any time that we go out onto the pitch on a Saturday, it will be with the ambition of winning a game of rugby, whether that's against an Ealing or Jersey, or ward to next year. an Ampthill, Nottingham or Caldy. "That ambition and aspiration hasn't changed, but I just look at some of the top full-time teams and the facilities that they've got in place at the moment, and for us as a club, there's still a lot of work that has to be done off the field to get to that sort of level. Now entering his fifth season in charge, Wil- liams is eager to remain at the helm for the foreseea- ble future so long as the arrange- to work for all. ment continues "I think something that we have "I would like to been really good at the last few sea- sons is not rushing that process, tak ing things in our stride, putting some tangible goals in place, and if we can continue to do that and map out what the next five years looks like, then anything could happen." Cambridge have made significant progress under Williams since he joined the club back in 2018. years ago were winning National One, with them winning the Cham- pionship this season, I think they're two or three years ahead of where they wanted to be, so it is possible. The Blood & Sand avoided relega- tion from National One on the final day of the 2018/19 campaign, but after improving in each of the fol- lowing three seasons, the club has "I think you've got to have like- Championship rugby to look for minded people working at the club, 66 both on and off the field who share those same ambi- tions, and I'd like to think with the peo- ple that we've got in place at the moment, we could really Club. Anytime that we go out onto the pitch on a Saturday, it will be with accelerate Cam- the ambition of winning bridge Rugby a game of rugby. (stay in charge long-term), and I think my ambitions have to mirror up what the club's ambitions are. I think as "I'm a firm believer that with where we're based in the country with our location, there's a genuine appetite for a team to be competitive in the Championship, and poten- tially higher in the next five seasons long as there's that collaboration and clarity of message, then yes why not?" he added. "If you look at someone like Jersey Reds that ten as well.""
Edited by FHLH - 09 Jun 2023 at 15:53 |
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"My father told me big men fall just as quick as little ones, if you put a sword through their hearts."
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ParkBench wrote: