Seriously? The man is a out and out mine of disinformation, all of which is designed to support his and the farts' arguments and agenda.

If we were privy to the playing budgets of the clubs for the last 5 yrs give or take a couple of places the team at the top would have the biggest budget and the team at the bottom the lowest year on year.

Yes you may get the 'Leicester' freak result (football reference, apologies) but in the RFU Championship it is about money.

Bill S has pretty much said the Championship is 'dead' as soon as the World Calendar comes into being

Looks like I need to mention the elephant in the room here. "The Womens game remains a major priority for us."

90% of players are male, the Womens Premiership doesn't attract great crowds across all games and they are now stuggling to find a major new sponsor, obviously the old one perhaps didn't see a return on the investment.

Politically they have to promote the women's game. Women have equality in other sports and rugby, as a sport with a macho image, is vulnerable to criticism from the usual quarters.

Even boxing has a strong female following. As someone who was an amateur boxer for nine years and doubts the effect it has on brain health, I'm surprised.

Both my daughters were very sporty and I encouraged them. Boxing and rugby were never mentioned, although my son played for his school team. 

To sum up, they have to be seen to be promoting the women's game, however much it costs them. That's fine with me.

But have the RFU really capitalised what they have?

Wales has 4 pro teams. Yet somehow the RFU cannot generate income to a second tier.

I recall a rugby correspondent at a local paper who suggested NCA1 clubs find a broadcaster, not to generate money from the broadcaster but promote the names. Has having had Championship on Sky increased people’s awareness, knowledge that a rugby club of a standard plays in their community?

Maybe being abandoned it feels, could a Championship and NCA joint effort find a free to air broadcaster and sponsor?

Which is why it will be a priority for them as they’ll want to narrow the %age gap.

What other area of rugby is growing like that ?

I actually find reasonable level women's rugby pretty good to watch, better handling and faster recycling than mens game, more of a movement of ball game than a gruntfest

I actually find reasonable level women's rugby pretty good to watch, better handling and faster recycling than mens game, more of a movement of ball game than a gruntfest - only real area of noticable weakness is the kicking game

Also the distances the parents may need to drive.

It is getting better, but I was facing two to three hour drives home every time my daughter played.

which, cynical money grab notwithstanding is a good thing IMO.

Mrs billesleyexile is currently pregnant and we're not finding out the gender until the birth. I'm absolutely not going to force my future child/ren to play rugby, but it's a big part of my life so they're going to be around it. If it's a daughter and she wants to play then I'd rather there was something on the doorstep than not. 

Perhaps I'm biased though, the only England international I know is a Red Rose, and the first person from my cohort at university and in the forces to make it to a national position with the RFU is also female. 

I'm not for a minute arguing with you by the way, I'm just amplifying the point. If it comes down to making the men's game a bit better, or diverting the money to put rocket boosters under the women's game then we should do the latter. It's (IMO) just the right thing to do. Even if the men's game stood still for a bit. 

We might *never* make the money from the women's game that we do from the men's, and it *might* never be the same spectacle (although, as someone who prefers national 1 to the prem I actually like watching the women's game at international level - because it's proper running rugby), but I'd rather the opportunities were there for anyone who wanted to play than not, and it should be as easy for a daughter to get into it as a son.

She was onboard with M&Js. 

She was less on board with the 140 mile round trip for *Moseley* M&Js.

Work needed I feel.

2 seasons ago i watched the final Worthing game of the season as it was on the saturday immediately preceding the Worthing 10's girls festival - it was ok, more interesting than watching Rams (I am a fwd but i prefer watching fast flowing rugby) still say watching the u18 girls semi's and final's in the blazing sun with a beer in hand was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon

I totally agree. Somewhat cynical reasoning in relation to the Sport England funding, but it's great to see the growth of the Women's game. It adds new vibrancy to rugby clubs and clubhouses across the country.

My original point wasn't meant to come across as negative. It's fantastic that girls have more and more options to play the game

https://www.ncarugby.com/features/nca-chats-bill-sweeney/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ncarugby.com/features/nca-chats-bill-sweeney/

"In the past decade alone England internationals Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje and Tom Curry have spent their time developing in the National Leagues with Richmond, Old Albanian and Sale FC respectively."

Of the current England Squad I think he has missed one or two:

Benjamin Earl Ampthill

Ellis Genge Clifton / Hartpury

Jamie George Southend (OK just over the decade)

George Kruis Barking (ditto)

Joe Launchberry Rosslyn Park

Lewis Ludham Coventry

Joe Marler Barking (ditto)

Alex Moon Cambridge

Will Stuart Blackheath/ Moseley

Sam Underhill Cinderford

Mako Vinupola Clifton (ditto)

Harry Williams Loughborough

Mark Wilson Blaydon

Fraser Dingwall Coventry (Cambridge M&Y)

George Furbank Cambridge

Josh Hodge Darlington MP

Jonathon Joseph Barnes

Alex Mitchell Amthill

Jacob Umaga Hinckley Broadstreet

Def improving at a rate of knots - but this season still saw a SW Area of the U15 & U18 cup that contained teams from Devonport to Cinderford to Trojans (Eastleigh) to Cobham - and all played on Sunday afternoons - yet we see Adult men apparently won't travel !!

Umaga did a bit of time at Cov too. (Albeit not too memorably).

Mike did quite a bit. Jacob was on loan/DR for a short spell.

Edit: Mentioned here -  https://www.coventryrugby.co.uk/2017/12/01/jacks-the-lad-for-park-trip/" rel="nofollow - https://www.coventryrugby.co.uk/2017/12/01/jacks-the-lad-for-park-trip/