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Premiership II plans announced
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Paul10 View Drop Down
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Points: 710 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Paul10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 7 hours 55 minutes ago at 14:33
Ampthill has several pitches.
The 1st team pitch is the only flat one.

The other pitches have floodlights and are close to the club house so presumably straight forward for an electricity supply.
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Camquin View Drop Down
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Points: 11325 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camquin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 7 hours 50 minutes ago at 14:38
But are often only suitable for water polo.

The upper pitches are much better - and playable in all weathers. 
Cambridge always seems to visit in the middle of a named storm.



Edited by Camquin - 7 hours 49 minutes ago at 14:39
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Points: 2642 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gerg_861 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 7 hours 11 minutes ago at 15:17
I will repeat what I have said many times here: The RFU should restore some of the removed funding, and designate it for capital expenditures (e.g. stands, pitch improvements). Honestly, that should have been the case when each team was getting £625k/annum. A basic, 50 seat covered stand can be had for £20k, and there are plenty of clubs with no covered seats at all.
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Points: 7515 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote islander Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 3 hours 48 minutes ago at 18:40
Some seem to think that the Champ is being reconstituted, with existing clubs having to apply to be in it. But that’s not the case, is it? I thought it was an expansion thing with an invitation to teams who might want to claim the 13th/14th places…

There’s an article in today’s Times on this - refers to various stumbling blocks such as both Wasps & Wuss being under same ownership, the need to pay creditors (including agents) etc
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Originally posted by Se7en Se7en wrote:

Originally posted by gerg_861 gerg_861 wrote:

Originally posted by Marlovian Marlovian wrote:

https://www.englandrugby.com/run/rules-governance/rfu-rules-and-regulations/tier-2-minimum-operating-standards-202526

Just read these front to back. Zero percent chance of most clubs meeting them in particular the media requirements around gantries, Hawkeye, and press conference rooms. Also, the requirements for seating and nearly a dozen full time staff are out of reach of most clubs. Finally, hope Ampthill can afford flood lights, as those are ma datory and at the club's cost. Right now, I think Ealing, Donny, and Cov meet these guidelines. They are light years out of reach for some clubs.

Whilst I completely agree with most of the sentiment from posters on here about the proposed changes by the RFU, I have to say that for a club to be competing at level 2 and not already having floodlights is absurd if that is the case at Ampthill. Most clubs I know of competing at levels 6 and 7 at least have floodlights.

Is that due to the land at Ampthill being protected or similar? I seem to remember Caldy's Paton Field ground actually not being owned by them but leased long term from the National Trust and so limiting what infrastructure/stands could be built if they did want to stay at Level 2 in Prem II come 2025/6.
No, it's because the pitch is about seven miles from the nearest civilisation 😉
Seriously though, it would seem that Ampthill will have to do a lot of groundwork and building work to comply.
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Camquin View Drop Down
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Points: 11325 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camquin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 2 hours 7 minutes ago at 20:21
Ampthill did have a plan to sell the ground and move about a mile to a new site - which would be able to have a main pitch next to the clubhouse and possibly lights.

But it was all set to go in 2020.
But, life happened.
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Nat1 View Drop Down
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Points: 103 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nat1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 1 hour 54 minutes ago at 20:34
Originally posted by islander islander wrote:

Some seem to think that the Champ is being reconstituted, with existing clubs having to apply to be in it. But that’s not the case, is it? I thought it was an expansion thing with an invitation to teams who might want to claim the 13th/14th places…

There’s an article in today’s Times on this - refers to various stumbling blocks such as both Wasps & Wuss being under same ownership, the need to pay creditors (including agents) etc

I'm afraid not. From what I have read it looks to me that whilst all existing Champ clubs would in principle have the right to be part of Prem 2 next season (save for promotion/relegation) that would ONLY be the case if they could evidence that they meet the MOS criteria, with regards infrastructure, media facilities, stand(s), existing and potential expanded capacity numbers etc.

The last two sentences of the extract below appear to confirm this, 'validate and confirm MOS...in order to participate':

To: Universities, Colleges and
RFU Member Clubs
30th September 2024
Tier 2 - INVITATION TO SUBMIT A FORMAL EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
At its September 2024 meeting the RFU Council approved the mechanism for entry for additional teams into the Tier 2 (currently known as the Championship) league from 2025/26. Entry will be via a tender process.

The process for the existing 12 Championship clubs to validate and evidence their ability to meet the ‘Essential’ minimum operating standards, and other matters, in order to participate in the new Tier 2 league, is coming to the end of the validation.

For at least a third if not half of existing Champ clubs this will not be feasible, whether that be due to financial, space, infrastructure, location constraints.

At the risk of sounding cynical, I'd suggest that the RFU are well aware of that fact, hence opening the door for aspiring Nat 1/University clubs who can meet the requirements, along with the likes of Worcester and /or Wasps etc if resurrected.

For the sake of those existing Champ clubs who are set to be left out in the cold, and their many thousands of fans across the country, I hope that I'm wrong.


Edited by Nat1 - 1 hour 37 minutes ago at 20:51
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islander View Drop Down
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Points: 7515 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote islander Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 0 hours 60 minutes ago at 21:28
That's your way of reading it Nat 1, with your choice of bolded words. I read it differently...

At its September 2024 meeting the RFU Council approved the mechanism for entry for additional teams into the Tier 2 (currently known as the Championship) league from 2025/26. Entry will be via a tender process

Have highlighted 'additional' because I sense the existing 12 (apart from possibly the winners going up and the losers going down, with both being replaced) would get places...

Hopefully someone can clarify which of these interpretations is correct.
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Points: 103 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nat1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 48 minutes ago at 21:40
'The process for the existing 12 Championship clubs to validate and evidence their ability to meet the ‘Essential’ minimum operating standards, and other matters, in order to participate in the new Tier 2 league, is coming to the end of the validation.'

This paragraph, bolded or not, is clear and definitive. 'In order to participate' is black and white.

What may be more ambiguous to most of us, including me, is how strict/demanding the MOS will be that the RFU decide to enforce, and what the subsequent effect on existing Champ clubs will be. Ultimately, we will have to wait and see.
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