Ealing Trailfinders 1871

I joke (probably too cynically) but I think that's great that the local Ealing amateurs will get a chance to play under their home area's name.

I don't think it's cynical at all - I'm sure that'll be a part of why they've done it, and not because I think there's anything sinister in it either. Any pro/semi-pro club backed by a limited company with aspirations to be anything more than a team and some floodlights should do the same. Professional rugby is a fickle business, and many clubs have been grateful to have an amateur arm to step up for them when the wheels have come off. 

Mose were quite famously saved years back from oblivion by their colts and 2nd XV (but probably for safety reasons those days are long gone). LW by contrast had a long tradition of its open amateur XV so when the pro team went pop I had no problem whatsoever with the amateurs assuming the mantle of the senior side. 

What's sad about the recent events at Birmingham & Solihull is that while they've got M&Js, etc, when the 1st XV collapsed that was the end of adult rugby within the structures they'd got. I know they're rebuilding in the merit leagues, but that in itself is symptomatic of a bit of a gap in their previous structure. 

I don't suppose for a second that Ealing are expecting to fold any time soon, but a good community club should do this, both to provide opportunities for local amateurs, and as an insurance policy that the fans might always have an adult side to watch if the worst did happen.

Clubs that don't have open-age amateur sides associated, especially when they're playing in the national leagues with all the attendant risks and expense, are seriously chancing their arm IMO. 

My thought on this is that they could be looking for in-house development opportunities down the line for their own players in their newly-launched academy with Brunel University. Previously they've loaned out players to London Irish Wild Geese, Chinnor, and others, but perhaps if this Ealing 1871 side climbs the leagues a bit, then that'll be a good proving ground.

What Level is this? 12?

10.

Definitely not for tax reasons  ( not sure who you think would save paying the Inland Revenue tax ) but to enable the amateur section of our club to have a long term goal in RFU competitive rugby. It is a separate club with all of the criteria required to be a separate club.

Instead of loaning out players to all and sundry we want players to play for our club . The really talented players will be given the opportunity to play at a higher standard. There are still trials held with our youth teams and open to outside players to make the elite player programme run by the pro Ealing Trailfinders. This is a route to Brunel Academy and to the Pro team.

The aim is level six and it is a long way ahead and will be hard fought. Having watched the first ever league game against Actonians I was amazed at the quality of the rugby on show at level 10. 

Darlington Mowden Park (DMP) in National 1 recently addopted a similar approach registering DMP Elizabethans into the league structure. 

My feeling it is a way to keep good club players who may not have the required talent to play in National Leagues however want to continue to play club rugby at the club where they may have played Juniors, Minis etc. 

Over the last 5-10 years only a handful of players have come up through the ranks and made the first 15 so they either drop out of the game or move clubs, I think it is a commendable move if for right reasons.

Perhaps the split did us a favour as we now have former Juniors & Colts coming through the system and competing for 1st team places.

An update on where this newly formed team sit halfway through the season. Only the top half of the league play each other after Christmas . I understand this is to avoid high scores against the lower teams.

I have watched a few games home and away and I am amazed at the standard. Actonians for example play a great brand of rugby and have Buster White ( ex Wasps first team flanker ) as a forwards coach .