RFU "recovery" plan
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Forum Name: The Championship
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Topic: RFU "recovery" plan
Posted By: dunc999
Subject: RFU "recovery" plan
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 11:23
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AKA Hanging the Championship out to dry https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/rfu-council-vote-in-favour-of-covid-recovery-plan" rel="nofollow - RFU Council vote in favour of COVID recovery plan (englandrugby.com) I guess the clubs new this was coming hence Ealing's recruitment drive to secure the last place in the promised land. I just really hope someone can step up to the plate to mount a realistic challenge to them next season, Pirates maybe, but I can't really see it.
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Replies:
Posted By: stadium
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 12:13
| Pirates will not have new Stadium in Truro built in time to meet criteria. Another lost opportunity missed by Cornwall. |
Posted By: gerg_861
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 12:14
| Nice - I love how they call a ringfence a recovery plan. That is masterful. Also, they spin that the current funding levels being retained is a good thing. Beautiful. An excellent piece from the Ministry of Truth. |
Posted By: Count Ford
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 12:27
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The Championship will still be a pathway for players, coaches and match officials but club aspirations don’t have to be interlinked; players can progress to their potential without the specific need for their club to be promoted
So why then must the premiership clubs be protected at all costs? Also why are they blocking relegation from the championship and stifling the opportunity for teams in the National League. As someone that watches Level 7 rugby..it shouldn't really concern me...but when the RFU is more interested in the business concerns of a few 'elite' clubs over sporting integrity then they have truly lost their way
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Posted By: Cricks at 2
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 12:50
| A survey of 500 rugby fans? I am sure it was very scientific. A report of total contrived BS. As Gerg intimates, worthy of George Orwell’s novels. |
Posted By: Halliford
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 12:50
There is no "block", all that has now to be agreed is the size of the Championship from 22/23. Will it be 12 0r 14 teams? It does create uncertainty for National 1 Clubs but below that teams were looking to move up anyway with the expansion of National League Rugby from3 x 16 to 4 x 14. The RFU sate: "As the Premiership expands in size, this is likely to result in a greater number of National One clubs being promoted at the end of season 21/22, which will also lessen the impact of relegation as a result of the introduction of the Future Competitions Structure." |
Count Ford wrote:Posted By: stadium
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 14:18
| Will Ealing be a action replay of the London Welsh saga? If you remember they had a Welsh owner who invested millions of pounds in the club and then decided enough was enough. We all know what happened when he called it a day. |
Posted By: Count Ford
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 15:39
Aah. Poor comprehension on my part.
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Posted By: Halliford
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 15:47
| If Level 1 and Level 2 go to 14 teams, as already confirmed at Levels 3 and 4 there will be 6 Leagues of 14 teams, making 84, as compared to currently 2 of 12 and 3 of 16, making 72. So 12 teams (3 per Division) will be stepping up from the Regional Premiership Leagues at Level 5. |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 16:33
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Which makes more of a mockery of the aim to reduce travel. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: Rabbie Burns
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 18:19
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Where do you get the 6 teams at level 3 & 4 ------------- So many Christians not enough Lions |
Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 18:51
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I hope 14 teams in the Championship signals the end to the pointless cup. Ideally as it’s French equivalent it would be 16. Although I recognise the trade off. 22 games a season becomes 30. Whilst the Cup gave clubs 22+6 year. Often the 6 would see fringe players get a chance. Would a 30 campaign require an increase in budgets exceeding receipts benefits of four more home league matches. (Hope this makes sense). I liked the idea that was proposed geographically split the 16, giving 14 ‘local’ matches and 8 against the other conference. Still 22 matches, then a cup competition (with pools?) involving a 16 team National One (which has now reduced). ------------- The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused. |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2021 at 20:02
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A 16 team league leaves no room for a cup, and the Nat 1 DoRs have endorsed reducing to 14 to reduce the load on the players - so while the Nat 1 teams were involved in a knockout cup last time the league was set at 14, I do not believe they would want to do so now. While it would make naive sense for the Championship to be the same size as other leagues, There are arguments that it has more full time players, so could use a longer season. Whatever size the Championship ends up at, we really need to know before the start of the season - it is unfair not to know how any promotion spots there will be. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: islander
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 05:53
| Where does the 'Championship moves to 14 clubs' line come from - is it anything the RFU have said, or a line above from Halliford in his most recent post (that he prefaced with the word 'if')? My understanding is that 2 teams would come up from Nat 1 in a year's time while no club is relegated from the Champ, leaving the Champ back to 12 teams for the 22/23 season. Beyond that, the situation looks less clear/certain. I agree that it needs to be clarified, at least for the coming season and would hope that clarification comes before September... |
Posted By: Mark W-J
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 07:12
I had to re-read that post a few times. If Level 1 and Level 2 go to 14 teams - as already confirmed at Levels 3 and 4 - there will be 6 Leagues of 14 teams (including the addition of a third regional league at level 4).
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Posted By: Rabbie Burns
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 07:35
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Thanks Mark WJ got it now, was late when I read it 😀 ------------- So many Christians not enough Lions |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 09:23
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What I have not seen is a proper structure for levels seven and below - especially n areas where there are separate second team pyramids that might need to be incorporated into the main pyramid. I other counties they are already playing in the main pyramid. We have seen some proposals from the Northern Division - and they are obviously in negotiation with the Lancashire leagues to see if those sides could be tempted back. At the end of the day, it is these local decisions that are going to be difficult, and I suspect that once concrete proposals are on the table, there will be more losers than there are winners. Or at least the losers will be actively unhappy and the winners will say nothing. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: PiffPaff
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 11:13
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cq, I've been told that not one person from anything to do with the RFU have approached the Lancashire Leagues since the new structure was announced. Furthermore there's isn't a "implementation Group" dealing with it at the moment so all these plans and proposed structures aren't even off the drawing board! If you're wondering what's the big deal. The 21/22 starts in 8 weeks. Clubs still in the RFU structure currently have no clue as to where they will be in the 22/23 structure, do they need to finish in the top five to get promoted? Do they need to avoid finishing 5th so not to get moved to a different geographical based league, how many Lower XVs will make it up the numbers and at what level...... in the North West 2nd XVs could come in at Level 7. Seems nobody wants the "challenge" at the moment. ------------- Crouch, Bind, Tweet! |
Posted By: Halliford
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 13:02
| The reason, Piffpaff, is in the RFU press release. The make-up of the Championship from 22/23 won't be decided until January 2022 so what happens below will depend on whether the Championship has 12, 14 or 16 teams in it! It would be easy to blame the RFU but really it's down to the Professional Game Board and the Championship Clubs who don't seem to be aware of the impact their vacillation is having - at least in Lancashire! |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 14:18
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But the impact of even six teams joining the Championship is going to make very little difference to the structures at level 7 in Lancashire. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: Halliford
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 15:18
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There can be quite a knock-on. If 6 go from Level 3 to Level 2that leaves 10, meaning 4 come up from Level 4. Level 4 now has 28 Clubs and needs to bring 14 up from Level 5. Below that League sizes are broadly the same but it still means 3 Clubs per Division stepping up a level. That is before you then deal with bringing in 2nd XVs at Level 7. I'm glad I'm not having to do it, that is all I can say!
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Posted By: Cherub
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 17:55
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It says the RFU will maintain the same level of funding for Championship clubs until 2024. Sorry to sound dim but how does that translate into actual amounts per club for 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24? . |
Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 19:04
I Assume it is £288,000 (or was that cut again during CoVid?) ------------- The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused. |
Posted By: PiffPaff
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 19:49
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Won't be that much now. Frustrated Championship clubs are pleading for clarity from the Rugby Football Union with England's second tier still unaware of the level of funding it will receive for next season. Budget cuts and the https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2020/03/11/championship-clubs-commission-radical-plan-become-self-sufficient/" rel="nofollow - financial side-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have meant that each Championship club received only around £160,000 in central funding at the start of the 2020-21 season, compared with around £600k two years ago. For this season, roughly £90k was funded by the RFU with the remaining £70k coming from Premiership Rugby Limited. With less than a month left of the current season, however, and with less than two months until England's second-tier clubs reconvene ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, the Championship remains in the dark about the level of funding it will receive from the RFU and PRL. Telegraph Sport understands that clubs are expecting no increase or decrease in funding, with plans and budgets for next season being made accordingly, and the RFU has confirmed that it aims "to provide certainty over next season’s funding... in the coming weeks". ------------- Crouch, Bind, Tweet! |
Posted By: islander
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 21:33
The funding issue was clarified in RFU announcement today - same £££s as the season just finished (which, as other have pointed out, was a massive drop from the situation in 2019-20, with a pre-Covid cut announced in early 2020 and then a further fall as the RFU's income went off a cliff later in the year). The whole recovery plan seems to have the survival of Prem clubs as its over-riding (some might say only) objective...
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Posted By: The Blues
Date Posted: 30 Jun 2021 at 23:14
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Should’ve let the Premiership implode, yes not great for England but for a very temporary period, as the players are still there. Then step in to the rescue and call all the shots on players to the owners and if they don’t like it I’m sure the Championship clubs would have come to some agreement to benefit all. RFU really need to learn how to negotiate.
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Posted By: gerg_861
Date Posted: 01 Jul 2021 at 06:59
The last point is the best point. I am a professional negotiator in the City, and for a cash-strapped union, this was the perfect time to claw back power.
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Posted By: Cherub
Date Posted: 01 Jul 2021 at 07:33
| So each club was promised a severely reduced sum of £288k but have only received £160k. Mmmm. What a cracking business model for each club to base their futures on. |
Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 06:50
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And still no clearer what format the league will take. Reduced from 12 to 11. So funding slashed to £160k and one less home match? It is either a sugar daddy who wants to throw away money. Or partnership with Premiership clubs and half your team being the 2nd XV of that club. ------------- The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused. |
Posted By: Cherub
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 06:57
| Nicely worded, kempstonblue. And continuing with the finance theme, it's like the building society saying you go out and buy your house and then we will tell you what mortgage you can have. |
Posted By: islander
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 07:04
| Fixtures are due quite soon - week after next looking likely |
Posted By: castleparknight
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 07:05
But lets be realistic, is it the 2nd XV? Are these guys pushing for a place in the Prem Clubs starting 23? I am inclined to think not, in most instances, but perhaps in a year or two. So either 4th choice, or Academy products looking for more game time. So even that is not a great model. So it is Sugar Daddy or mediocrity at best - and who wants that? I think we are just edging ever nearer towards the abyss, unless we discover some miracle cure for the malaise that has hit Rugby Union in England. One cure is vote out the RFU Board who are basically acting as puppets for PRL. ------------- Onward and Upwards C'mon Donny! |
Posted By: Kimbo
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 08:06
See all those pink oinky, curly-tailed things up there? A whole effin squadron of them. ------------- Our Club |
Posted By: workerbee
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 10:20
| Remember it is just not only Championship that needs to make decisions, At the end of the season Championship will be 10, with one promoted to Prem. Championship will have to decide on the size of their league for 22/23 - 10-12-14-16? This will impact on Nat 1 and below with either 0-2-4-6 being promoted. This needs to be decided before the start of the season, which is only 2 months away, what they are playing for which has been further complicated by reducing the number in the leagues below 2 to 14. Clubs will be bouncing around for the next 3 seasons. |
Posted By: castleparknight
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 11:38
I saw them and thought I must be dreaming ------------- Onward and Upwards C'mon Donny! |
Posted By: castleparknight
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 11:40
That is so very true WB - it is a shambles and this is the RFU's doing but of course they are doing it for the greater good of the game  ------------- Onward and Upwards C'mon Donny! |
Posted By: Halliford
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 13:12
| Not sure you can lay all this at the door of the RFU. Looking from the outside I would question what the Championship has been doing other than the Griffiths paper which seems to have been completely discarded. National League Rugby (formerly NCA) got their position sorted butwhat have the Championship Clubs been doing as a collective? |
Posted By: workerbee
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 14:10
| National league cannot sort what happens to promotion and relegation until the Championship decide their future numbers. Who will decide this? RFU or Championship? |
Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 15:00
The decision rests with Mags and Gloria the two cleaning ladies at HQ. They will announce things next week, but are asking as a consultancy fee, a new mop each, apron and rubber gloves. They also want to know who is not flushing the upstairs toilet. ------------- The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused. |
Posted By: castleparknight
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 15:22
When you are beholden to a master that doesn't give time for planning further down it is difficult to point elsewhere other than there until such times as they make things clear and for a given period of time - at such a point Champs Clubs have work to do (as you say) - but if they do not know what is happening because the information has not been provided then what do they (Champs Clubs) base their plans on? and then as pointed out by many the impact on the tiers below has to be considered. If things are delayed long enough, no real effective decisions or actions can be taken by Champs Clubs or the tiers below so it just becomes a bigger shambles and feeds into preserving the PRL Cabal. ------------- Onward and Upwards C'mon Donny! |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 15:57
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I suppose the question to be resolved is will the RFU fund expansion - or will adding teams mean each team gets less of a fixed size cake. Then the clubs need to take their socks off and count on their fingers and toes to determine whether the additional matches outweigh the loss of central income. If the championship goes form 10 to16 the funding would be cut form ~£160k to ~£100k but you woul have 15 home league games instead of potentially as few as nine. I do not think it is a simple calculation. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 16:12
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For some clubs. attracting circa 2,000 supporters that means they need to make up £12,000. Or £6.00 of each ticket sold in that scenario. For those on 1,000 supporters that might be riskier. ------------- The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused. |
Posted By: JohnLowe
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 16:13
| We also need to think in terms of profit instead of turnover. The RFU funding is “profit” whereas an extra 6 home games may well give you an extra turnover of £60k but that won’t be all profit. |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 16:38
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Yes, tickets, pre-match lunches, beer and food sales, match sponsors, advertising space in the programmes plus the extra eyeballs on the pitch side and shirt adverts, so that helps sell those. But on the downside, more away trips, more match fees, possibly a larger squad to cover injuries. It is not a simple call. I was being flippant about fingers and toes - this one does need every team to develop a good spreadsheet to look at the alternatives, and the answer is going to be different for every club. So then you need to reach a consensus. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 20:05
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Even with 16 clubs, surely the 8 extra games would be replacing the 6+ that the cup offered. Would more supporters turn out to extra league matches and different opponents? Of course without promotion the season end could be anti climatic. However at the bottom it would afford more than a single relegation which might sustain interest in the latter rounds. You might notice, in its current form, I have little love towards the Championship Cup. ------------- The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused. |
Posted By: gerg_861
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 20:39
Does anyone?
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Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2021 at 23:49
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One solution is keep the number of teams low but to play every other team three times. Perhaps with one round as a festival at a central venue like Twickers with five games over a weekend. So with ten teams you would get 13 away, 13 at home and one neutral game. It is patently better than having a cup and playing some sides four times - but the fans know those games do not count. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: workerbee
Date Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 09:45
| Who would pay for the cost of opening Twickenham. Playing more games against the same opposition would be counter productive especially for the teams at the lower end of the league. However to avoid a meaningless cup competition I would suggest a 14 team league. |
Posted By: Raider999
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2021 at 08:10
Yes, but don't forget they only played half a season. ------------- RAID ON |
Posted By: Raider999
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2021 at 08:15
I agree, 14 teams would fall in line with all the top levels. Bin the cup nobody takes it seriously anyway. ------------- RAID ON |
Posted By: Cherub
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2021 at 09:06
True. But they then had to pay for all the additional COVID-19 costs. |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2021 at 09:25
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All the fixed costs, like ground maintenance, do not get halved. Income was presumably much below half. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: ParkBench
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2021 at 13:10
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Does anyone know if going to 14 has finally been laid out as the plan to be voted on in January 2022? Is it a best guess or has anyone seen a paper / proposal? I can't find anything concrete online. It seems mad that National 1 teams haven't been formally notified what the prize is in terms of number of teams going up, if any. Not knowing how much any promotion might be worth is of lesser importance given how much the figure has come down in recent years. 14 teams per league across the top 4 tiers would nicely balance the pyramid and help entrench the set playing weekends.
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Posted By: Thatbloke
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2021 at 13:14
| I haven't spoken to anyone who thinks 14 teams per league isn't the way to go so why the delay. We've had years of supposed "wide-ranging consultations" so just make an effin decision so everyone knows where they stand (Oh sorry we all know that anyway don't we - a nuisance and an irrelevance!) |
Posted By: Stalwart
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2021 at 13:22
Well put, that's it in a nutshell.
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Posted By: Thunderbird
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2021 at 13:57
| Those in power have to justify their existence. Oh and their big pension pot. |
Posted By: Halliford
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2021 at 13:58
| The Working Group reports in January 2022. Then their recommendation will go through the RFU Committee structure to the Council and be announced at some stage, hopefully before the end of the season. |
Posted By: Thatbloke
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2021 at 14:15
| With respect - not a lot of use at the end of the season or in January for that matter! I can't think of any other sporting body that leaves its member clubs dangling in uncertainty to carry on playing treated with total disregard effectively not knowing where they have to try and finish to meet their objectives |
Posted By: billesleyexile
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2021 at 14:56
coughs quietly, let me introduce you to the RFL.... ------------- keep the faith |
Posted By: WEvans
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2021 at 15:19
Then why isn't any re-structuring based on this taking place for the start of the 2023-24 season? Silly question obviously as the answer is it's being organised by the RFU.
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Posted By: Thatbloke
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2021 at 17:28
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Yes I am aware the RFL do a lot of tinkering but it's generally sorted out before the start of any new season. There IS an issue at the moment as to whether Leigh will be relegated. Due to Covid cancellations Leigh have played Wigan, StHelens, Warrington on multiple occasions (all top clubs) and have played far fewer against the lower ranked sides so it has been a skewed season that has worked against them, hence the discussion.
Can you imagine the FA saying in August - "not sure how many Champions League spots there'll be, we might reduce/increase the number of clubs in the Prem, Championship and EFL 1 & 2 but we'll let you know in April"
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Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2021 at 18:11
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Knowing the RFU Muppets I am surprised they haven’t written to RFL Championship clubs telling them the plans for 2022/23 season.
------------- The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused. |
Posted By: Thatbloke
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2021 at 19:08
| You mean they've actually got "plans" - please share. It's a nonsense to let the 2nd tier go ahead with only 11 clubs meaning loss of both action and revenue. 12 or 14 just do it without having to check what the cleaner and bar staff have to say in every corner of the universe |
Posted By: marigold
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2021 at 19:35
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TB not sure the RFU had any choice but to let the season happen with 11 given Nat 1 did not play last season. I hope over the next 1-3 years they increase the Championship to 14. 26 meaningful league matches far better for players/spectators than meaningless cup competition. The teams who come up into the league will be part time as are the majority of the league currently and I am sure they will be competitive. |
Posted By: Halliford
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2021 at 01:36
| Dont blame the RFU, it’s as much I decision among the Championship Clubs. Steve Lloyd doesn’t seem to have the control that Geoff Irvine did. Why does the RFU have to form a working group! Because the Clubs can’t sort it out themselves. |
Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2021 at 04:19
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As I recall the Championship is an RFU competition (isn’t it referred to as RFU Championship). Which was sold to clubs at the time as a new, professional restart to the league. Even if the clubs wanted to exercise full control, would the powers in charge cut them off from the league? ------------- The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused. |
Posted By: Fly Half
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2021 at 09:06
I'm sorry but that is total garbage. Leigh have played 20 games,with the others playing between 18 and 23. So Leigh have played an average number of games and won just one,giving them 5%. They dont play extra games against better teams! Leigh will be relegated and replaced by the winners of the playoff,which is likely to be Toulouse or possibly Featherstone. |
Posted By: Thatbloke
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2021 at 09:45
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Fly half check your facts!
When there is a Covid cancellation random games are arranged hastily to keep income streams going against any other team that is Covid free, its not a case of everyone plays everybody else twice. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying Leigh shouldn't be relegated just that it is a skewed season In a y case my initial post was in criticism of RFU dithering rather than any argument about RL
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Posted By: Kimbo
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2021 at 10:34
Quite. The constant harping about Champ clubs failing to 'take control' is beyond belief. The RFU as a ruling body (which is what it is) is completely unfit for purpose and is desperately overdue a root and branch restructuring. ------------- Our Club |
Posted By: Fly Half
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2021 at 10:35
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Hi TB,no problem but I do knowwhat I'm talking about. If Leigh have a game against Huddersfield cancelled, the RFL dont require them to play say Wigan or Saints in an additional game to 'make up' the fixtures. If a previous,arranged fixture v Wigan had previously been cancelled and Wigan had a free weekend,then yes,Leigh may play Wigan but not as an additional fixture. i.e. it's not a case of Leigh having to play Wigan six times,whilst say Huddersfield play Cas six times. Thanks but I do know my facts. p.s. dont worry,we can all criticise the RFL,RFU etc. You should see the totalrl site ! |
Posted By: workerbee
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2021 at 10:50
| The RFU have already started their recovery programme by taking payment up front for international tickets from clubs even if they have not sold them , making it the responsibility of clubs to send them back and claim refunds. Liability for selling becomes the responsibility of the clubs, In the meantime their cash flow takes a hit not the RFU. |
Posted By: Thatbloke
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2021 at 15:16
| I thought us clubs have always had to stump up for tickets before they've been sold to club members |
Posted By: WEvans
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2021 at 12:39
That doesn't explain why the RFU are letting this season start with some teams having no idea what they are playing for. Sorry but they are a shambles.
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Posted By: Kimbo
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2021 at 14:13
Don't apologise. ------------- Our Club |
Posted By: Halliford
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2021 at 18:11
So you'd rather wait until January before playing? If the Championship Clubs had made some effort among themselves during the pandemic and last season's matches to agree a structure then we'd all be much better off. It's the fault of the Clubs that they can't agree among themselves as to what they want to do, the RFU held back letting the kids sort their own mess but as they haven't they have had to step in and sort it out for them. The blame lies firmly with the Clubs!
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Posted By: Greg
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2021 at 18:32
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[QUOTE=kempstonblue]As I recall the Championship is an RFU competition (isn’t it referred to as RFU Championship). Which was sold to clubs at the time as a new, professional restart to the league. Even if the clubs wanted to exercise full control, would the powers in charge cut them off from the league? The RFU Championship was restructured in 2009, when it took the name ‘Championship’, after previously being called ‘National Division One’, and reduced the number of teams in the competition from 16 to 12.
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Posted By: WEvans
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2021 at 16:11
Can you seriously not see the alternative to starting the season in January is to postpone the restructure by a season to make it fair to the clubs? The Championship clubs might well be at fault but why should the RFU use this as an excuse to make the seasons of all clubs below this league a farce?
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Posted By: Raider999
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2021 at 19:46
As the championship clubs cannot agree, they should be told that the bottom club will be relegated and replaced by the champions of N1 - leaving them with 11 clubs until they can make a decision - then the reshuffle will be made at the END OF THE FOLLOWING SEASON. If they don't like it - Tough! ------------- RAID ON |
Posted By: Halliford
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 00:04
I can see very clearly the logic of delaying the restructure. I don't think the seasons are a farce. At Level 4 we know there is no relegation this season, we just aren't sure whether 2, 3, or 4 sides will be promoted. National League Rugby got itself largely sorted, the problem lies with the Championship who seem blind to the others below them. The RFU just wants it all sorted!
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Posted By: marigold
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 07:53
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No reason to delay the restructure. The Championship clubs will never agree due to different agendas so the RFU has to lead and tell them what will happen. Besides Ealing no one in the Championship can even think of affording to play in the Premiership-and they will be there at the end of this season. That leaves 10 clubs in the Championship. All the Championship clubs agree the Cup competition is a waste of time and effort. There is no relegation from the Championship this season so bring 2 clubs up from National One to make next season a 22 match league competition-no cup competition. Do the same the following season, no relegation and bring another two clubs up from Nat One to make a 14 team, 26 match league season. RFU then simply has to find the money for the 4 new clubs, but with the amount given to each club cut from £560k to £150k and with international matches back and no doubt a ticket price hike this should be very doable. After that, the top team of Nat One get promoted, bottom team of Championship has play off against second placed team in Nat One. Premiership clubs then have 14 options in Championship to place their academy players instead of 10 as it is now. If a club at top of Championship some time in the future (cannot see it happening) ticks all the boxes for entry into Premiership they have a 2 match play off against the bottom Prem team that season. Sorted |
Posted By: knightandday
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 08:39
Far to sensible ------------- Winning isn't everything, it just makes the beer taste better |
Posted By: castleparknight
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 09:46
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Sensible However why should the winner of a league have to play off against the loser of the league above? That is just another attempt at protectionism ------------- Onward and Upwards C'mon Donny! |
Posted By: Kimbo
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 10:15
Exactly. Ridiculous notion. ------------- Our Club |
Posted By: Thatbloke
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 10:22
| Problem is the more Level 2 clubs push for automatic promotion to/and relegation from the Prem the more you push the top clubs to forcing through a closed shop. Not ideal but at least the suggested play off scenario keeps the door open for both promotion for top placed Championship club to go up but gives the Prem club one last chance to retain their status. Not perfect obviously but such a compromise is probably the best you're going to get |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 10:54
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If the Championship wants 14 or 16 teams, it should do it at the end of this season. Get all of the reorg done in one hit. It is not as if there are not enough good teams in Nat 1 ready to join Richmond, Ampthill, Coventry, Hartpury, Ealing, Doncaster, Jersey and Scottish - all of whom have won promotion since the creation of the championship. Pirates and Nottingham were promoted in the 2000s in the National 1 era. Only Bedford have been at level 2 since before 2000 - 1994. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: WEvans
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 15:16
That said then why on earth would you suggest I wanted to wait until January to start the season? Raider 999 has the answer to the current problem in his post above yours which supports my original view.
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