Champ 2025/26 signings and retentions

Doctor David wrote:

Statement signing from Caldy. Wilkinson from Falcons, ex Sale and Tigers.

Kieran Wilkinson is the younger brother of Caldy centre Connor Wilkinson. If Kieran is as good a bloke and player as Connor he will love becoming a Raver.........

''The future isn't what it used to be''

This was in regards to that Austin Hay fella that signed for Scottish

Mickyboy wrote:

It’s 6 DR max in a match day squad. As I understand it loan players are different but they must be signed for the whole season.

Found this

"In the Championship (Champ) league, the RFU (Rugby Football Union) allows clubs to utilize both dual-registered (DR) and loan players, but with specific limitations. Dual-registered players, typically from Premiership clubs, are permitted in unlimited numbers, but only a maximum of six can be included in a matchday squad. Loan players are capped at a maximum of three in any matchday squad. These rules are in place to help young players gain experience and to allow clubs to manage squad depth, particularly in specialist positions, while also ensuring a level of parity within the league. "

So 6 Drs and 3 loans in a match day squad.

It feels like a real missed opportunity by the RFU to me. Still allowing 9 non-contracted players in match day squads is simply ridiculous and does nothing to improve the integrity of the league. I suppose it’s a few less than the 10 / 11 / 12 we’ve regularly seen turn out against Cambridge over the past couple of seasons but it is still farcical. For me it should have been a maximum of 5 DR / Loan players in a match day 23 which is still a number that Cambridge and a few notable others have rarely (if ever) reached. I also feel that once you’ve turned out once as a DR player for a club then you should be tied to that club for the remainder of the season to prevent the scenario where 2 or 3 players that have played for a club then turn up playing against that club for another side later in the season.

What is the alternative though? No "A" league for the pro players, which the PRL and RFU should be promoting and financing, so where do they get game time. Championship cannot afford to pay these players and sign them up.

Players come out of the academies and are then looking for adult rugby experience, the National leagues and Championship is the only place for them. Now there could be a better way for all sides to benefit from this rather than a chosen few few, but it's down to geography. If you are not near a Premiership side, then your chances are reduced, ditto if Championship sides want to also loan out young players to Nat 1.

Leicester Lions are geographically placed well with Leicester Tigers, Northampton Saints and Coventry rugby all loaning. dr-ing players to them. But as previously stated, this is a double edged sword, you think you have a player signed up for a season, then the parent club moves them to another club, so it is not a golden ticket to talent. If it was the Lions would not be in a relegation scrap every year would they?

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Edited by FHLH - 6 hours 40 minutes ago at 22:55

"My father told me big men fall just as quick as little ones, if you put a sword through their hearts."