The Run in. The race for the Title.
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Category: League Rugby - www.leaguerugby.co.uk
Forum Name: National 1
Forum Description: Discuss the 14 clubs in the third level of the English game
URL: http://www.leaguerugby.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=20647
Printed Date: 03 Mar 2025 at 23:15
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Topic: The Run in. The race for the Title.
Posted By: Rothman2
Subject: The Run in. The race for the Title.
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2025 at 19:54
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In compiling this, I think the only certainty is that while the top 6 positions may change, and indeed the make up of the final placings may change a little, it is clear that the winner of the league will come from these teams. With just seven games left, it is still far from certain how this will shape up. This is testament to how competitive this league is. I have set out the current top 6 in the table, and below that, the remaining fixtures for each of those teams. It is clear to see that it is going to be an exciting and nerve jangling finish to the season. I must admit that two weeks ago I looked at the remaining Roth fixtures with trepidation, thinking that it couldn’t be any tougher. Looking at the other fixtures it is clear that all teams on this list will be thinking the same thing. Have a look and put your comments below: CURRENT TOP 6
------------- Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx |
Replies:
Posted By: Rothman2
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2025 at 20:08
REMAINING GAMES FOR EACH OF THE TOP 6 CLUBS:
------------- Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx |
Posted By: Mark W-J
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2025 at 20:30
| If my maths is correct, there are twelve games still to be played between the top six sides. Roth and Rams both still have to play all of the other five clubs in the top six. My only prediction is that it's going to go to the wire! |
Posted By: FHLH
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2025 at 22:48
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I tried doing this the year Cambridge were promoted. You will be constantly updating it - you'll prepare a spreadsheet with forecast points and still be wrong. National One is a superb league and you have promotion and relegation. I confess that I wish Cambridge were there, especially seeing the effort Bury St Edmunds are putting in by recruiting James Shanahan from Blackheath. That would give us a true local derby! However, the top 6 have conspired to play each other so many times before the end of the season I cannot see any clear winner - yet (but by my prediction table results I'd ignore that). I'd like to see Rotherham winning - there are too many London clubs in Prem/Champ  ------------- "My father told me big men fall just as quick as little ones, if you put a sword through their hearts." |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2025 at 23:22
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Wishing the Championship on anyone is cruel. And I have nothing against the other fans or clubs. But the structure is terrible. 14 teams, and hence 26 league games, will help. But the discrepancy between the haves and have-nots is not going away. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: Rich13
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2025 at 07:06
| It looks fairly straightforward to me….Richmond have enough of a buffer over everybody except Roth to win the league unless they start losing home games (which would then bring other teams into the mix)……or unless Roth win all those away games, which will be a very tough task. |
Posted By: kingsheathlad
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2025 at 08:04
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I will go with Richmond. Unfortunately injuries can have an impact on squads. ------------- Cauliflower ear. |
Posted By: Runitback
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2025 at 09:10
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Rams seemed to have dropped off for some reason, but there are still enough big games for them to get back in the mix. I am not sure Richmond want promotion to the shambles that is the Championship!! Currently though they might be favourites but have a long injury list. For me Rotherham are in the driving seat. A great coach who knows how to win leagues. A Club that spent many years in the Championship and also Premiership, so they get my vote. ------------- Run with it |
Posted By: Nat1
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2025 at 12:05
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I agree with you. A few weeks ago I would have said Richmond were strong favourites for the title, but Rotherham just won't go away and find ways to win, even when down by 20+ points at half time! That's a sign of serious title contenders/favourites. I heard they have a large injury list with players playing out of position, but it certainly doesn't seem to be hampering them much. Roth vs Mond is a massive fixture for both clubs, and could be the decider in all honesty. It's true that both clubs (and Rams) have some tricky matches yet to play, and Richmond have that extra home game, which could be significant, but even with that I do think Rotherham have real momentum and a solid Championship winning coach at the helm. Good luck to them, they could be on the verge of doing what Caldy did a few years ago in earning back to back promotions from Nat 2 North to the Championship. Impressive. As for Rams, someone else mentioned it that they keep starting seasons very strongly and then fading away, year after year. I wonder if it is time for new coaching/leadership as whatever the current status quo is it doesn't seem to get the job done and a familiar pattern is emerging there. I believe the DoR at Rams is actually the Rams CEO's son so that might be awkward around the dinner table if they did part company with their DoR/coaching staff! A very exciting couple of months to come, and it isn't over til the fat lady sings of course. Thank you RM2 for your efforts in compiling the tables and regular match day updates, good on you.
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Posted By: Rothman2
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2025 at 17:11
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Can’t understand why another thread has been started. In starting this thread I published the league table and my next posting was a grid with the teams and dates the top 6 were playing!!!!! Having said that the more threads the better. Really want to create as many debates as possible to highlight this great league. ------------- Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx |
Posted By: sedgley dave
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2025 at 18:15
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It does rather complicate the promotion 'race' if some clubs are trying not to win it! A few months ago, I asked Camquin whether Cambridge were enjoying the Championship, and he replied, "Our crowds are up." Perhaps someone could summarise what is currently going on regarding level 2 and the possible bankrupts' return, and the impact on level 3. Or is it all top secret?
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Posted By: Rothman2
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2025 at 19:10
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Have not heard anything recently Dave. I don’t know whether it’s to do with the Six Nations being on or the situation relating to the vote of no confidence in Sweeney, or a bit of either. I saw a report on the BBC website on 28th February mainly relative to giving more responsibility back to the community clubs as per link : https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cx2e54wgpv4o" rel="nofollow - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cx2e54wgpv4o I do hope that by community they are not referring to National Leagues, particularly tampering with our brilliant league, for me the best in the country by devolving into a regional competition, which, could actually dilute the quality of the league. I had taken it as read that the top team goes up no matter what. No one goes down from the championship, and only two would go down, on the basis that the Championship would be expanded to 14 clubs, one addition would be a hybrid club (shouldn’t be allowed) and the Champions of Nat1. I find the idea of a hybrid (or whatever they are called being placed in a higher division without having won the right to promotion) abhorrent. It totally stinks to me and furthermore to stop messing around with our league. The leaders of our game are so out of touch it is unreal.
------------- Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx |
Posted By: Nat1
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2025 at 20:20
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Rotherham or Richmond up as Nat 1 winner. +1 other 'invited' up. Rams, Rosslyn Park, Albion, Moseley - did any apply/succeed in the tender process? That all seems to have gone quiet and/or been top secret. However, if none of the above are 'invited' and if the talk of Worcester Warriors being the preferred 'invited' club is true, then it'll be both DMP and Leicester Lions going down, based on the most likely final league positions. Every year it seems to get to Spring time with uncertainty reigning across the leagues, it's unbelievable. What is believable is my certainty that Nat 1 remains the best league in the country (and hopefully doesn't get tinkered with).
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Posted By: NationalLeagueBadger
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2025 at 21:35
https://www.ramsrugby.com/news/programme-notes-from-gary-reynolds-2903818.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.ramsrugby.com/news/programme-notes-from-gary-reynolds-2903818.html Perhaps the best league in the world, not just the country Nat1!
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Nat1 wrote:Posted By: Rothman2
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2025 at 21:43
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Look on the Championship thread. A Times article behind a paywall. It seems the Championship clubs have withdrawn from next seasons Premiership Cup. Good on them. I’ve read it.
------------- Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx |
Posted By: tigerburnie
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2025 at 21:53
You could make that argument in all leagues and not just in rugby, it's the way of the world, it was thus before the game went pro and money has exaggerated it.
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Posted By: Nat1
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2025 at 09:22
Now there's a thought!
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Posted By: Breakdown
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2025 at 16:24
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Having recently been in the Championship and maintaining its "match-fee only" philosophy, the fact that there is now no financial incentive to promotion (Championship sides will get £83,000 to spend next season) matters less to Richmond, I think. In 2015-16 the management left it up to the players to decide if they wanted to go up having won Nat 1. Unsurprisingly, there was a unanimous Yes from the dressing room. Then, however, you got £650,000 a season to spend. So that allowed Richmond to make investments in the club and still bank money (our ordinary activities covered almost all running costs and match fees because of increased ticket sales and bar receipts). The same wouldn't happen this time, if Richmond did top the table, but it seems likely the same process will be followed. Not sure how that would play out. As for injuries, Richmond have a lot, for sure, but the second team is good enough to beat the Navy and draw with Oxford University. So even having had the skipper, vice captain, our best lock, best wing and best centre injured for most of the season, the strength in depth has been a lot better than last year. ------------- Broken down. Beyond repair. |
Posted By: Nat1
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2025 at 19:39
Good to hear from a Richmond fan, who like you say have yo yo'd up and down from Championship to Nat 1 the most recently. What stands out the most for me is the massive disparity in funding you outline from £650k to just £83k next season. Where on earth has all that money gone, and where on earth did it all come from in the first place? I know the Prem clubs take more than the lions share of ££millions, but I'd be interested to kow these numbers for the Championship compare to the financial support given to Nat 1 clubs by the RFU.
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Posted By: Breakdown
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2025 at 22:06
There is no financial support from the RFU to Nat 1 clubs, is there? In answer to where has the money gone, to the Premiership. In answer to where did it come from, well, mostly from the allocation of rugby investment before the Sweeney era, when non-professional rugby got 42 then 38 then 36 then 34 per cent of all rugby investment to now when in the past five seasons it has got an average of 29.7 per cent. ------------- Broken down. Beyond repair. |