London-centric bias

National 2 - East

Why the need to feed only the ‘top clubs’ with these academy players. Not all will be good enough for this elite level but many will add quality to clubs further down the national leagues. 

I don't know, looking at the leagues this season Nat 2 North and West look stronger than East........................

I hate to raise the £££s but if what I was told last season and NW don’t pay players even expenses what motive have players to go as the costs would be high and I would imagine no public transport even if it was a higher level and pardon my ignorance but I don’t know what level of teams play in Norwich and Ipswich the nearest cities (?) so how do you attract players

Have to agree with Rabbie that when it comes to playing at National League, £££s and chimney pots count.  There will always be a talent drain (especially from rural areas) to the bigger clubs and Academies. North Norfolk is a lovely place to live but unless you have a well paid job, there is a fair chance your going to move for work...if you can then supplement that income by being paid to play Rugby, then even better!   Love my friends at Barnes, but why would anyone want to play there on that pitch in front of 40 people than 400 at Scottow... if you want to play at this level, you have to pay - and probably pay more to persuade talent to play out here.... It is a mystery as to why Norwich and Ipswich do not have higher placed clubs rather than the relative backwaters of Walsham and Bury St Eds...but I think that is down to how well those clubs have been run in comparison... Cambridge's rise to the Championship may help E Anglian rugby who knows. 

Greg wrote: Why the need to feed only the ‘top clubs’ with these academy players. Not all will be good enough for this elite level but many will add quality to clubs further down the national leagues.  The present system would appear to condemn those clubs furthest away from London to a future of mediocrity.  We must try to grow the game outside of the Premiership - although something of a rugby backwater Norfolk is producing some quality players (as Leicester might confirm). It is a shame that this is not being reflected at a local level.

looking forward to a pitch side pint in March...hopefully the ground will have dried out by then

no, it was just a bit of banter between clubs Thatbloke! We have actually worked hard in recent seasons to increase supporters, both home and away, and online with video streaming each game live (regularly getting 200/250 watching from all over the UK and overseas) and we get 150 to 250 actually attending most games, sometimes more, sometimes less.