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'Premiership' Cup confirmed....

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Topic: 'Premiership' Cup confirmed....
Posted By: Kimbo
Subject: 'Premiership' Cup confirmed....
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 15:40
...then
https://www.coventryrugby.co.uk/premiership-rugby-cup-to-include-championship-sides-in-2023-24-season/" rel="nofollow - https://www.coventryrugby.co.uk/premiership-rugby-cup-to-include-championship-sides-in-2023-24-season/


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Our City,
Our Club



Replies:
Posted By: corporalcarrot
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 15:49

Premiership Rugby, the RFU and the Championship clubs are delighted to confirm the format for next year's Premiership Cup. 

The Gallagher Premiership Rugby clubs will face the RFU Championship sides - with the competition kicking-off on September 8, 2023.   

The pool stages will take place over five consecutive weekends from the weekends of 8-10 September to 6-8 October with the semi-finals held over 9-11 February and the final over the weekend of 15-17 March.   

The 24 teams will be split into four pools of six - based on league standings at the end of the current 2022/23 season. 

Ravers v Sale, Pury v Glaws, Mond v Quins- surely it has to be.



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Dont kick it. Pick it up and GO FORWARD.


Posted By: Woody
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 15:52
So we will have 13 teams and the prem will have 11. The pools are based on this seasons standings…
So where are wasps in that equation?

Not dissing this long overdue concept. Just questioning the structure.

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Forever Green.


Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 15:53
Six matches, five weekends?


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Sweeney Delenda Est


Posted By: corporalcarrot
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 15:56
Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

Six matches, five weekends?
Teams only play the other 5 in the pool. 2 or 3 games at home.

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Dont kick it. Pick it up and GO FORWARD.


Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 15:59
D'oh, I was thinking six pools of four, so six matches.

So who gets the extra home match, baggsie it is the Championship sides.
Who doubts it will be the Premiership sides.


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Sweeney Delenda Est


Posted By: Brizzer
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 16:03
Originally posted by corporalcarrot corporalcarrot wrote:

Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

Six matches, five weekends?
Teams only play the other 5 in the pool. 2 or 3 games at home.

For those who actually have a home

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Tackle Low!!!!!


Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 16:19
A cup competition that no doubt will bring 100s through the gates, wishing to avoid the RWC on telly.

Although depending on the draw, maybe watching some Premiership 2/3 teams might make me excited. 

Hopefully regional draws, so guessing Northampton, Saracens, Ampthill, Bedford, Wasps (as the fake Premiership team) and one other.


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The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused.


Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 16:41
If they seed the pools and assuming league positions do not change and Wasps arrive with a budget.

1   
Saracens, Bristol, Bath, Bedford, Cornish, Cambridge/Rams
2   
Sale, Harlequins, Gloucester, Coventry, Doncaster, London Scottish
3   
Leicester Tigers, Exeter Chiefs, Newcastle Falcons, Ealing, Ampthill, Caldy
4   
Northampton Saints, London Irish, Wasps, Jersey, Hartpury, Nottingham


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Sweeney Delenda Est


Posted By: castleparknight
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 16:42
Originally posted by kempstonblue kempstonblue wrote:

A cup competition that no doubt will bring 100s through the gates, wishing to avoid the RWC on telly.

Although depending on the draw, maybe watching some Premiership 2/3 teams might make me excited. 

Hopefully regional draws, so guessing Northampton, Saracens, Ampthill, Bedford, Wasps (as the fake Premiership team) and one other.

Cambridge perhaps?


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Onward and Upwards C'mon Donny!


Posted By: Brizzer
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 16:48
With the WC on, these fixtures will effectively become the PL clubs pre-season games, which I do not necessarily mind, but we could find ourselves playing against a third choice team or the starting squad players minus the WC players.
I haven’t checked but I bet that the semis and final ‘coincide’ with the 6 nations

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Tackle Low!!!!!


Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 17:00
CPK, the only chickens I am counting are the ones in the run - though Mr. Redtail also counts those.
It will be Rams, unless we can beat Moseley.


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Sweeney Delenda Est


Posted By: Brizzer
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 17:11
The other thing that has not passed me by is the hypocrisy that our grounds are not good enough to entertain the PL clubs in the PL but they are in the cup…. Or will all of the PL sides miraculously be drawn at home against the Championship clubs?

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Tackle Low!!!!!


Posted By: castleparknight
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 17:27
Fortunately for us, ours is deemed acceptable so maybe we get some home games. 

No, really it is a farce this ground malarkey 


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Onward and Upwards C'mon Donny!


Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 19:02
No doubt Prem Clubs won’t like Bedford as we have a slope in one corner (next to a bar).

Ampthill might upset a few players used to a luxury stadium with the mystery tour to the pi5ch.

Of course neither would be allowed in…so hopefully the young second stringers will enjoy visiting Championship grounds, where they may end up playing.


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The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused.


Posted By: All the Way
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 20:14
Originally posted by kempstonblue kempstonblue wrote:

…so hopefully the young second stringers will enjoy visiting Championship grounds, where they may end up playing.
.....or who already play there regularly, for the likes of London Scottish!


Posted By: gerg_861
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 21:19
I've been looking forward to this kind of cup for years. Ealing beat relatively strong Sarries sides (over 100 tier 1 nation caps) home and away when we made up our own Trailfinders cup a few years back. I hope that they do make it regional enough that the travelling support is strong.


Posted By: Trailfinder
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 22:41
My first impression was brilliant, about time. However now looking at the small print in the statement I’m disheartened:

The 24 teams will be split into four pools of six - based on league standings at the end of the current 2022/23 season. 

This basically means that two pools will be the Prem sides plus Jersey and the other two pools being Champ sides. Ie all they are doing is running the Prem and Champ cups concurrently. Presumably the semis will be a Prem team vs a Champ team with a likely all Prem final. 

For this competition to be a success it should be equal Prem sides and Champ sides in each pool. That has the potential to drive a decent amount of interest and potential for some upsets. If however it is as I have described above then it’s dead in the water. 


Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 24 Apr 2023 at 23:09
I read that as it will be seeded. So the top four will be apart.
I suppose the others could be drawn from five pots, or assigned snakewise - that is Saracens as 1st seed getting the 8th, 9th, 16th, 17th and 24th seed, as I did above - is not entirely clear, but three of the pools should be three plus three.

It is also not clear where Wasps would be seeded, I assumed 12th.





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Sweeney Delenda Est


Posted By: corporalcarrot
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 06:47
Originally posted by Trailfinder Trailfinder wrote:

This basically means that two pools will be the Prem sides plus Jersey 
and of course Jersey would play all of their games away and pay their own expenses because their ground is not up to standard. Perhaps they should also play in budgie smugglers and bare feet. Jersey supporters would be able to watch games streamed to a car park a few miles from the ground.

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Dont kick it. Pick it up and GO FORWARD.


Posted By: Mark W-J
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 07:45
Originally posted by Trailfinder Trailfinder wrote:

The 24 teams will be split into four pools of six - based on league standings at the end of the current 2022/23 season. 

This basically means that two pools will be the Prem sides plus Jersey and the other two pools being Champ sides.
A seeded draw generally means six pots of four clubs, so you'd typically get a top, middle, and bottom third team from each of the two leagues in each pool.  Although, as most people have already commented, some regional bias would also help build interest and crowds.


Posted By: Brizzer
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 08:11
Originally posted by Mark W-J Mark W-J wrote:

Originally posted by Trailfinder Trailfinder wrote:

<span style="font-family: Roboto, Roboto; font-size: 14px;">The 24 teams will be split into four pools of six - based on league standings at the end of the current 2022/23 season. </span>

This basically means that two pools will be the Prem sides plus Jersey and the other two pools being Champ sides.
A seeded draw generally means six pots of four clubs, so you'd typically get a top, middle, and bottom third team from each of the two leagues in each pool.  Although, as most people have already commented, some regional bias would also help build interest and crowds.


Normally yes, but this is 4 pots of 6 clubs with the winners of each pot competing in the semifinals

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Tackle Low!!!!!


Posted By: Trailfinder
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 08:50
Ok hopefully I have got the wrong end of the stick on this one. I feared the worst and past experience suggests that to be true but let’s see!


Posted By: Mark W-J
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 08:57
Originally posted by Brizzer Brizzer wrote:

Originally posted by Mark W-J Mark W-J wrote:

 
A seeded draw generally means six pots of four clubs, so you'd typically get a top, middle, and bottom third team from each of the two leagues in each pool.  Although, as most people have already commented, some regional bias would also help build interest and crowds.


Normally yes, but this is 4 pots of 6 clubs with the winners of each pot competing in the semifinals
Are you confusing pots and pools...? Wink


Posted By: gerg_861
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 10:06
Here's a question - is there any kind of prize pool for this cup? Or any sponsor? This seems like the kind of proposition that might attract some kind of sponsor (who wants to be involved in rugby, but can't afford the world cup).


Posted By: Brizzer
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 10:45
Originally posted by Mark W-J Mark W-J wrote:

Originally posted by Brizzer Brizzer wrote:

Originally posted by Mark W-J Mark W-J wrote:

 
A seeded draw generally means six pots of four clubs, so you'd typically get a top, middle, and bottom third team from each of the two leagues in each pool.  Although, as most people have already commented, some regional bias would also help build interest and crowds.


Normally yes, but this is 4 pots of 6 clubs with the winners of each pot competing in the semifinals

Are you confusing pots and pools...? Wink

Lobster pots obviously

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Tackle Low!!!!!


Posted By: Halliford
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 11:01
Originally posted by Brizzer Brizzer wrote:

Originally posted by Mark W-J Mark W-J wrote:

Originally posted by Brizzer Brizzer wrote:

Originally posted by Mark W-J Mark W-J wrote:

 
A seeded draw generally means six pots of four clubs, so you'd typically get a top, middle, and bottom third team from each of the two leagues in each pool.  Although, as most people have already commented, some regional bias would also help build interest and crowds.


Normally yes, but this is 4 pots of 6 clubs with the winners of each pot competing in the semifinals

Are you confusing pots and pools...? Wink

Lobster pots obviously

This could be a (lobster) trap!!LOLLOL


Posted By: workerbee
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 11:08
Presumably this Cup is for one year only to be replaced by a cup competition for the 2 Premiership leagues of 10 for 24/25 .


Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 12:48
They could relegate five sides from the Championship and call it Premiership 2.

But then the sides would have seven fewer matches. And you would hope matches are what generates income.

Unless there is some way to fit 20 English sides in European competitions and get them all on television, currently the Challenge Cup games are not being covered - though that has a lot to do with having to play all the matches at the weekend.





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Sweeney Delenda Est


Posted By: Mark Smith
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 14:18
Challenge Cup pool games are shown on Viaplay (formerly Premier Sports), and the knockout games are on BT Sport.

Games which aren't live on TV are generally available to stream via the EPCR website for 5 Euros a pop.


Posted By: Elijah Cadman
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 18:04
Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

If they seed the pools and assuming league positions do not change and Wasps arrive with a budget.

1   
Saracens, Bristol, Bath, Bedford, Cornish, Cambridge/Rams
2   
Sale, Harlequins, Gloucester, Coventry, Doncaster, London Scottish
3   
Leicester Tigers, Exeter Chiefs, Newcastle Falcons, Ealing, Ampthill, Caldy
4   
Northampton Saints, London Irish, Wasps, Jersey, Hartpury, Nottingham

Thought there were 6 leagues of four proposed?


Posted By: Brizzer
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2023 at 18:57
Originally posted by Elijah Cadman Elijah Cadman wrote:

Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

If they seed the pools and assuming league positions do not change and Wasps arrive with a budget.

1    
Saracens, Bristol, Bath, Bedford, Cornish, Cambridge/Rams
2    
Sale, Harlequins, Gloucester, Coventry, Doncaster, London Scottish
3    
Leicester Tigers, Exeter Chiefs, Newcastle Falcons, Ealing, Ampthill, Caldy
4    
Northampton Saints, London Irish, Wasps, Jersey, Hartpury, Nottingham


Thought there were 6 leagues of four proposed?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65375927" rel="nofollow - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65375927

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Tackle Low!!!!!


Posted By: islander
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 07:27
From Telegraph earlier this week. Mentions local rivalries, but haven't seen anything official about the draw being arranged with that in mind - league positions referenced in official comms, but no detail. Not that local rivalries are a big deal down here... unless Guernsey are being lined up as the 24th club Wink

Premiership clubs to face Championship sides in new cup format – but is this a cynical sweetener?
New 24-club format is designed to revive local rivalries as long as it is not a sop to the Championship to ringfence their top-flight status

By Charlie Morgan,  SENIOR RUGBY WRITER

Championship clubs will be included in the Premiership Rugby Cup next season with the tournament incorporating the top two tiers of English rugby union. 

Premiership Rugby confirmed on Monday that they intended for 24 teams, including Wasps, to be split into four pools of six based on league positions this season. 

The pool fixtures will be played over five consecutive weekends from Sept 8 to Oct 8, during the World Cup, with the semi-finals and final set for February and March. 

“It is many years since the Premiership and Championship clubs clashed in a cup competition,” Phil Winstanley, the rugby director of Premiership Rugby, said.

“The Championship performs a crucial role within the English game and we’re looking forward to renewing some rivalries of old.  

“With the Rugby World Cup taking place in France, this competition will no doubt provide the best, young English talent with an opportunity to stake a claim in squads before the start of the Gallagher Premiership campaign.”

Conor O’Shea, the performance director of the Rugby Football Union, heralded a move that could be “part of the longer-term solution for the game”, with Steve Lloyd, chairman of the Championship clubs committee, saluting a sense of co-operation.

“The new cup format is the result of great collaboration between the Championship, RFU and Premiership Rugby,” Lloyd said.

“The clubs are delighted with the opportunity a different format brings as well as the experience of playing Premiership sides and the opportunity to welcome new fans into our clubs and grow our audiences.” 

What timing. The announcement of a new hybrid cup competition comes less than 24 hours after it was confirmed that the last weekend of the regular Premiership season will have very little riding on it. 

Saracens’ win over London Irish, which was ultimately comfortable despite a shocking start from Mark McCall’s side, means the top four is settled. Barring a miracle result between Harlequins and Leicester at Welford Road – Tigers could theoretically sink to fourth if they are thrashed – the semi-finals are sorted.

There is no relegation, of course, meaning that the only meaningful jeopardy comes over a scramble for the eighth and final Champions Cup place. Good luck sexing that up.

In an interview with Telegraph Sport in December, Premiership Rugby chief executive Simon Massie-Taylor vowed that the process of redrawing league structures for the 2024-25 campaign, when the top league is expected to shrink to 10 teams, would place an onus on strengthening the second tier.

At the moment, it seems as though the season after next will bring a relegation play-off between the bottom-placed Premiership team and the Championship winners. Either way, this new cup competition can be a big help. In truth, its introduction is a no-brainer.

First off, the Premiership and Championship clubs playing amongst themselves in cup competitions had grown decidedly dull. Merging 24 clubs across the two tiers adds variety. There is scope for local rivalries to be renewed. Leicester Tigers or Northampton Saints facing Nottingham or Coventry would be a lot of fun. Cornish Pirates taking on Exeter Chiefs or Gloucester is another intriguing match-up; likewise Caldy against Sale Sharks.

Championship clubs should be able to attract more supporters to big-ticket occasions. There will be intrigue and fresh storylines for a television audience. Coaches, as well as medical and analysis departments, should be able to share knowledge. Premiership sides will almost certainly get a look at motivated late developers eager to prove a point, which may cause them to rethink their recruitment. With the A League confined to the abyss, the Premiership Cup will remain a crucial grounding for recent academy graduates. Those youngsters need game-time. All the better for that to come in a meaningful environment. Hopefully there is a bit of needle.

In short, this tournament should bring together more of the professional players in the country and there is scope for it to become a significant feature of the English calendar. Hopefully, it helps to bridge the gap between the top two divisions, though that will be impossible without proper funding for the Championship as well. Having beaten Ealing Trailfinders this weekend to put themselves on course to win the Championship, Jersey are certain to be fired-up for a crack at top-tier opponents. Ealing themselves can point at recent victories over Saracens, Newcastle and Gloucester. Although they remain eager to escape the Championship, this is better than nothing. 

Success is predicated on Premiership clubs taking the competition seriously. Then again, they should do. Besides the importance of local bragging rights – Gloucester would feel seriously stung to be turned over by Hartpury, for example – the tournament will form a significant chunk of their pre-season schedules. As Winstanley has pointed out, internationals will be away at the World Cup and there will be opportunities to stake a claim for selection.

Eligibility and registration will need to be monitored carefully for the integrity of the tournament, especially where Premiership clubs contribute a large number of players to Championship rosters. The relationship between Harlequins and London Scottish springs to mind. There is little point in individuals being able to represent two clubs in the same tournament. An injury crisis could bring about special dispensation.

On the surface, unless it turns out to be a cynical sweetener that maintains ringfencing, the revamped Premiership Cup smacks of sense and collaboration. We do not often get to say that about rugby union administration.



Posted By: Scrumtime
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 07:48
Question: I take it once you have played for one side you will be cup tied, so cannot play for another.
I also take it the Prem clubs will field players not in their league sides, to give the main guns a rest, which is totally understandable.
So my questions are 
So what happens to Scottish if they stay in the Champ ? Have Quins got a big enough squad to field in effect 3 xv's, the Prem side, Cup side and loans to Scottish, because I take it these games will be played on "league" Saturdays for other clubs, so the chances of Scottish taking any on loan are very small.

and what happens to the 40/50 loan players that are with Nat 1 and 2 clubs during the season, they are not going to be available those weekends meaning Nat 1 is the luck of the draw, you can walk into a side one week stacked with DR, Academy and loan players as some clubs do, only to play them next week with a lot of gaps left in the side which could make them much weaker !




Posted By: *Stalwart
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 09:16
Scrumtime says: "and what happens to the 40/50 loan players that are with Nat 1 and 2 clubs during the season, they are not going to be available those weekends meaning Nat 1 is the luck of the draw, you can walk into a side one week stacked with DR, Academy and loan players as some clubs do, only to play them next week with a lot of gaps left in the side which could make them much weaker !"

Thing is, that happens in the Championship already. If you play a club who usually field several dual reg/loanees, when these guys are away to play for for their Prem clubs in the Prem Cup you obviously have a better chance than when they are all available for their Championship clubs. 'Tis a bit of a lottery!



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*Stalwart


Posted By: MikeGC
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 09:25
Scrumtime

As I read this the competition is a "sweetener" to the Championship clubs (hopefully it’ll give them a few good days to earn money at the gate or over the bar) and an extended pre-season for the premiership clubs. It doesn’t run in parallel with the premiership season, so a premiership club can play any player registered to them who isn’t injured or playing at the World Cup.
As this is the only competitive rugby for the premiership sides they won’t need three match day squads, they’ll only need one (maybe one and a half)
My suspicion is that they will have a young starting XV and strong benches when playing against a championship side and their strongest side available when playing against a premiership side.
Loan players are probably not seen as vital to premiership DORs, if they were vital they wouldn’t be on loan.

edit for spelling


Posted By: workerbee
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 09:48
As the format is 4 pools of 6 then there will be 3 Premier clubs and 3 Championship clubs in three pools and 1 pool of 2 Premier clubs and 4 Championship clubs. As the clubs only play each other once then there is a chance of the championship clubs only getting one home game against a Premier club which is one of the big draws for Championship clubs and certainly in the pool that only has 2 premier clubs than they could not get any. 


Posted By: billesleyexile
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 10:27
Originally posted by *Stalwart *Stalwart wrote:

Scrumtime says: "and what happens to the 40/50 loan players that are with Nat 1 and 2 clubs during the season, they are not going to be available those weekends meaning Nat 1 is the luck of the draw, you can walk into a side one week stacked with DR, Academy and loan players as some clubs do, only to play them next week with a lot of gaps left in the side which could make them much weaker !"

Thing is, that happens in the Championship already. If you play a club who usually field several dual reg/loanees, when these guys are away to play for for their Prem clubs in the Prem Cup you obviously have a better chance than when they are all available for their Championship clubs. 'Tis a bit of a lottery!


So, inflicting the same lottery on National 1 is absolutely fine then? Oh I forgot, it's fine because Championship clubs are going to make some money out of it, so adding to the chaos down the pyramid is just regrettably one of those things that no one could have foreseen when they supported/endorsed it....




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keep the faith


Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 10:28
In the 3+3 pools, I think you are guaranteed one home game against a premiership side, and if the Premiership sides wanted to play nice, they could arrange the draw so the Championship sides get 3 home matches, two of which are against Premiership opposition.

Of course, the premiership owners do not play nice, but the accountants may decide that it is not worth the candle of opening up a big stadium for what is effectively a pre-season game. In which case, they might decide to look magnanimous and offer the Championship sides the extra home games.

Even in the 4+2 pool, I think it can be arranged that all four Championship clubs get a home game against a Premiership side.


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Sweeney Delenda Est


Posted By: billesleyexile
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 10:32
Originally posted by MikeGC MikeGC wrote:

Scrumtime

As I read this the competition is a "sweetener" to the Championship clubs (hopefully it’ll give them a few good days to earn money at the gate or over the bar) 

When do National 1 clubs get their sweetener? 

Seriously, totally inadequate funding gets handed out centrally to Level 2 for no reason other than a basically dead aspiration to help them be more like level 1. In the meantime all it actually does is start to build an *artificial* separation between level 2 and level 3. 

Time, as I've said before, for a one game solution to all that - and if that means 10 pro clubs and the Championship as the pinnacle of the 'community' game then so be it. Sick of the double standards from the RFU (level 2 is 'pro' when it suits them and 'not' when it isn't), and of some Championship clubs who cling to their level 2 status like grim death because they know what's left of the central funding is all that separates them from the clubs operating at level 3 without it.

A free £160k per year would go a long way in level 3, and even further as you go down the leagues. I appreciate it's not the £500k of former years (think IIRC it might have actually touched £750k at one point) but every little helps to them that are given...



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keep the faith


Posted By: *Stalwart
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 10:34
Originally posted by billesleyexile billesleyexile wrote:

Originally posted by *Stalwart *Stalwart wrote:

Scrumtime says: "and what happens to the 40/50 loan players that are with Nat 1 and 2 clubs during the season, they are not going to be available those weekends meaning Nat 1 is the luck of the draw, you can walk into a side one week stacked with DR, Academy and loan players as some clubs do, only to play them next week with a lot of gaps left in the side which could make them much weaker !"

Thing is, that happens in the Championship already. If you play a club who usually field several dual reg/loanees, when these guys are away to play for for their Prem clubs in the Prem Cup you obviously have a better chance than when they are all available for their Championship clubs. 'Tis a bit of a lottery!


So, inflicting the same lottery on National 1 is absolutely fine then? Oh I forgot, it's fine because Championship clubs are going to make some money out of it, so adding to the chaos down the pyramid is just regrettably one of those things that no one could have foreseen when they supported/endorsed it....



No, it's not OK - I was just pointing out that it happens already. 


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*Stalwart


Posted By: IainS
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 10:37
Yes by the criteria used to keep Ealing et al from being promoted due to their ground capacity, all the games would have to be played at the premiership venues because otherwise premiership players and supporters would be put at massive risk by visiting grounds that are clearly not fit to host them.

Or just maybe, the premiership ground criteria are self-serving, protectionist nonsense.


Posted By: Trailfinder
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 10:47
I’m quietly optimistic about the new cup, the Telegraph article summarises it well I think but getting the execution right is critical if it is to be successful. 

Re dual registered players, it’s time this was tightened up/standardised. I have no issue with long term loan arrangements with special dispensation for injury crises but players stepping in and out as suits is not right imo. Richmond have been shafted by Hartpury and now Scottish in recent times. 

What I suspect will happen next season is that a lot of fringe players will stay with their Prem club for the cup competition and then will be loaned for the Champ league season. This means though that clubs which are completely reliant on these players (Hartpury, Scottish, Bedford) will prob struggle to field a competitive side for the new cup. 

In my view it is imperative that the Champ clubs are competitive otherwise it will be used as evidence that the gap is too big to traverse. 


Posted By: tigerburnie
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 11:37
I have little knowledge of the loans from other clubs, but I have seen dr's from Leicester Tigers at the Lions, indeed even the odd one from Northampton and Coventry too, but these were young lads pretty much straight from the academies and not in contention for matchday squads. Indeed Lions players have been loaned to Tigers on the rare occasion when these type of cup games have been played in the past. Lions had one Tiger cub this season and he has not yet figured for the Tigers at any level as far as I can see, so I don't see any reason to worry about the Lions not being where they are for next season on their own merit. Sure I think we all know there's a gap between the leagues and the step up needs managing, but are there really clubs over reliant on dr's?


Posted By: MikeGC
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 11:53
Originally posted by billesleyexile billesleyexile wrote:


So, inflicting the same lottery on National 1 is absolutely fine then? Oh I forgot, it's fine because Championship clubs are going to make some money out of it, so adding to the chaos down the pyramid is just regrettably one of those things that no one could have foreseen when they supported/endorsed it....



.
As a supporter (ex President and current Secretary) of a Level 5 Club, I can’t answer your question, sorry.
We got about £300 travel subsidy for the whole season, funding


Posted By: Trailfinder
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 11:59
I guess my point is that although DR arrangements can work well, it is open to abuse (re my Richmond point above). Some standardisation via long term loan arrangements would be better imo. They can still train with parent clubs (if loan clubs are not full time) but only get to play for their loan clubs. 


Posted By: Scrumtime
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 12:59
So Champ and Prem do not start till post World Cup 

National 1 and 2 however starts in Sept ..

There is no way Prem Clubs will be loaning out players to Nat 1 and Nat 2 clubs I would have thought.
Which in turn will devalue the leagues and it will not be a level playing field as post cup comp and world cup, sides will be totally different! Or am i seeing this wrong ?


If you look at the Prem cup this year, how many of those players were playing Nat 1 at the same time.
Just as an example the Exeter side was full of their younger players on loan at Plymouth, Taunton, CP for the season.

Sorry but I do not think this has been thought through!

I do not know the exact numbers but I think I read on this site that LS had 11 Quin pups in last weeks, in one form or another in the match day 23. Lets say Quins lose 9 players to the world cup, rest 6 ageing superstars, who could do with an extended summer break, now have to field a cup squad 22 and then give 11 players to another club and that's without the other clubs they loan to, Richmond, Worthing, RP etc, they just don't have a big enough squad.

And its no slight on any club, before people start jumping up and down I am using examples!
 




Posted By: Halliford
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 13:39
It’s not that long ago that Level 3 was seen as part of the Elite game. It was only at an NCA AGM addressed by Robbie Briers, Chair of the CommunityGame Board, that we discovered we were no longer Elite but Community and so no different in RFU minds to Clubs from Level 5-12. 

National 1 has had to fight to keep its status, starting with the infamous St George’s Conference. The Clubs do have a strong measure of consensus and know what we are trying to achieve, recognition as part of the Elite game again would be a god start, then travel funding. 

We are also united in wanting a minimum of 13 meaningful home matches per season - that doesn’t include Cup matches. At least we have a voice on the RFU Council which has already helped.


Posted By: workerbee
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 15:41
I think you are mistaken if you think the Championship get a free £160k , The insurance cost for each club is £40k, £60k has to be allocated for Medical expenses- On site ambulance, 2 doctors present, fully kitted out Medical room to the RFU specification and Private medical care for injured players. Add to that travelling costs to Jersey, subject to flight times a possible two days in Jersey , approximate cost £14k and it soon used up. 


Posted By: WEvans
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 16:00
Originally posted by workerbee workerbee wrote:

I think you are mistaken if you think the Championship get a free £160k , The insurance cost for each club is £40k, £60k has to be allocated for Medical expenses- On site ambulance, 2 doctors present, fully kitted out Medical room to the RFU specification and Private medical care for injured players. Add to that travelling costs to Jersey, subject to flight times a possible two days in Jersey , approximate cost £14k and it soon used up. 

Don't NL clubs have similar expenses but without a "free £160k"?


Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 16:41
No requirement for an on-site ambulance at Nat 1.


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Sweeney Delenda Est


Posted By: *Stalwart
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 17:58
Originally posted by IainS IainS wrote:

Yes by the criteria used to keep Ealing et al from being promoted due to their ground capacity, all the games would have to be played at the premiership venues because otherwise premiership players and supporters would be put at massive risk by visiting grounds that are clearly not fit to host them.

Or just maybe, the premiership ground criteria are self-serving, protectionist nonsense.

Brilliant!


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*Stalwart


Posted By: corporalcarrot
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 19:21
Originally posted by *Stalwart *Stalwart wrote:

Originally posted by IainS IainS wrote:

Yes by the criteria used to keep Ealing et al from being promoted due to their ground capacity, all the games would have to be played at the premiership venues because otherwise premiership players and supporters would be put at massive risk by visiting grounds that are clearly not fit to host them.

Or just maybe, the premiership ground criteria are self-serving, protectionist nonsense.

Brilliant!
Ealing & Jersey if they beat Amps this round should have none of it. Jersey had 3000+ against Ealing and may exceed that against Guernsey next week and even in the rain the atmosphere was special. Jersey have hosted England and the B&I Lions and the majority of premiership clubs and have even won the odd match against them. This has nowt to do with safety its about MONEY. Ealing or Jersey should take the twelfth place in the prem next season although they would probably lose most games but if the money men cant see it its their loss.

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Dont kick it. Pick it up and GO FORWARD.


Posted By: maire23
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 20:18
Also no trip to the Channel Islands at Nat 1. 



Posted By: islander
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 21:12
to be fair to WEvans he did say 'similar expenses', not identical in all respects...


Posted By: workerbee
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2023 at 21:31
I think you will find that Nat 1 and below do not pay more than £2 for RFU insurance. The insurance at Championship level is based on all clubs being professional so the insurance of £40k is to cover medical requirements of professional players as it is their employment.  


Posted By: WEvans
Date Posted: 28 Apr 2023 at 15:13
Originally posted by maire23 maire23 wrote:

Also no trip to the Channel Islands at Nat 1. 


Guernsey are in the NL that I was talking about! 


Posted By: WEvans
Date Posted: 28 Apr 2023 at 15:15
Originally posted by workerbee workerbee wrote:

I think you will find that Nat 1 and below do not pay more than £2 for RFU insurance. The insurance at Championship level is based on all clubs being professional so the insurance of £40k is to cover medical requirements of professional players as it is their employment.  

So that leaves 120 grand less the cost of an ambulance then!

I'm not saying that the Championship is well funded but it far better funded than the NL. 


Posted By: The Blues
Date Posted: 06 Jun 2023 at 23:05
Now we are 22! How on earth does that work for pools! 

We will probably have one of those crazy 11 teams x 2 leagues and then you play 5 games, 2/3 against Prem and 3/2 against Champ and most points go through even though you haven’t played half the teams!


Posted By: WEvans
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2023 at 16:01
Originally posted by The Blues The Blues wrote:

Now we are 22! How on earth does that work for pools! 

We will probably have one of those crazy 11 teams x 2 leagues and then you play 5 games, 2/3 against Prem and 3/2 against Champ and most points go through even though you haven’t played half the teams!

Might be down to a much more manageable 16 by the time the competition actually starts!


Posted By: workerbee
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2023 at 16:12
Championship clubs have to put aside a further £60k for Medical expenses, which not only includes an Ambulance but doctors, physio's and Medical equipment for the physio room, there is an extensive list included in the Medical Audit.  
Travel expenses in the Championship include flights to Jersey plus hotel accommodation, and overnight stays for Pirates all of which is to be funded from the RFU £140k. 


Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2023 at 16:18
I assume there will be two guest teams, selected from the various unattached players.
If we are going for "brands" I would ask the Barbarian FC to provide one and the Penguin International RFC the other.

But we need to get these sorted fairly soon, including where they might train and who will coach them.

I suspect they will end up playing all matches away.


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Sweeney Delenda Est


Posted By: FHLH
Date Posted: 08 Jun 2023 at 18:42
Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

I assume there will be two guest teams, selected from the various unattached players.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. Let in Rams and Sale, not the fly by night overpriced players. Tough tittie. Who decides their match fee?

That's almost as bad as the RFU spouting that the off field management needs to improve.


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"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: 09 Jun 2023 at 09:19
The problem is Rams and Sale could not simply postpone their first five league matches - that would not work for them or their opponents.

There is no space for two new teams to be added to the Championship, as that would lead to a 31 game season.

And no time to rearrange the leagues from National 1 down.








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Sweeney Delenda Est


Posted By: corporalcarrot
Date Posted: 09 Jun 2023 at 09:44
How about two of the border clubs like Kelso and Hawick who probably have better grounds than most Championship clubs.

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Dont kick it. Pick it up and GO FORWARD.


Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 09 Jun 2023 at 10:17
Lovely clubs, but the same problem, they would be committed to the Scottish competitions.


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Sweeney Delenda Est


Posted By: gerg_861
Date Posted: 09 Jun 2023 at 10:58
Perhaps it would make sense for the bottom 2 Champ teams to sit the cup out? If it is seeded, that would imply Cambridge will play Saracens. So it would be National 1 champ vs. Premiership champ. Good story, lousy match probably.


Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 09 Jun 2023 at 11:07
But it would not be the Premiership winning side, as most of them would be in France, it would mainly be Saracens Academy.

The only problem is that Sam Byan knows our drills, as he was on loan to us last season and was good injury cover. He was on the pitch at the end, and does have a winner's medal.



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Sweeney Delenda Est


Posted By: gerg_861
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2023 at 09:55
Just read TRP, and apparently the Prem is keeping all sponsorship and TV money, while also getting 3 home matches. So, another stitch up.


Posted By: *Stalwart
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2023 at 11:38
Originally posted by gerg_861 gerg_861 wrote:

Just read TRP, and apparently the Prem is keeping all sponsorship and TV money, while also getting 3 home matches. So, another stitch up.
Staggering arrogance by PRL. The Champ clubs should tell them where to put their cup!


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*Stalwart


Posted By: Big Eddie
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2023 at 11:45
I read the same article Greg…. I am afraid nothing will change for the Championship …. It is a disgrace 

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


Posted By: gerg_861
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2023 at 12:46
Originally posted by Big Eddie Big Eddie wrote:

I read the same article Greg…. I am afraid nothing will change for the Championship …. It is a disgrace 

And per the same article, apparently the RFU and PRL had the gall to try to push through a 1 year extension of the current, crippling PGA.


Posted By: SK 88
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2023 at 13:20
Originally posted by gerg_861 gerg_861 wrote:

Just read TRP, and apparently the Prem is keeping all sponsorship and TV money, while also getting 3 home matches. So, another stitch up.

The Cup hasn't been sponsored for a number of years.

Does it actually have independent TV rights?  Is this actually a story or more lies by the Rag? 


Posted By: castleparknight
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2023 at 13:21
Originally posted by gerg_861 gerg_861 wrote:

Just read TRP, and apparently the Prem is keeping all sponsorship and TV money, while also getting 3 home matches. So, another stitch up.

So why are we bothering to play? This is a bloody outrage!


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Onward and Upwards C'mon Donny!


Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2023 at 13:49
Originally posted by gerg_861 gerg_861 wrote:

Just read TRP, and apparently the Prem is keeping all sponsorship and TV money, while also getting 3 home matches. So, another stitch up.

But they will have two away matches.

With five rounds, at least one match will require a Premiership team going to a Championship ground.


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The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused.


Posted By: islander
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2023 at 15:17
Originally posted by SK 88 SK 88 wrote:

Originally posted by gerg_861 gerg_861 wrote:

Just read TRP, and apparently the Prem is keeping all sponsorship and TV money, while also getting 3 home matches. So, another stitch up.

The Cup hasn't been sponsored for a number of years.

Does it actually have independent TV rights?  Is this actually a story or more lies by the Rag? 

Sounds fairly well-informed from where I'm sitting. A long-standing and respected journalist like Jon Newcombe, whose byline is on this piece, doesn't acquire the reputation he has by publishing lies. Sounds like a typical, lazy case of blaming the media without any substance to back up what's being claimed...


Posted By: SK 88
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2023 at 16:05
Originally posted by islander islander wrote:

Originally posted by SK 88 SK 88 wrote:

Originally posted by gerg_861 gerg_861 wrote:

Just read TRP, and apparently the Prem is keeping all sponsorship and TV money, while also getting 3 home matches. So, another stitch up.

The Cup hasn't been sponsored for a number of years.

Does it actually have independent TV rights?  Is this actually a story or more lies by the Rag? 

Sounds fairly well-informed from where I'm sitting. A long-standing and respected journalist like Jon Newcombe, whose byline is on this piece, doesn't acquire the reputation he has by publishing lies. Sounds like a typical, lazy case of blaming the media without any substance to back up what's being claimed...

I haven't blamed anyone, I have pointed out there is no sponsorship money to share, and asked a very obvious question.  Do TNT actually pay any extra money to broadcast this competition?

Without an answer in the affirmative there is no money to share in the first place.


Posted By: islander
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2023 at 16:59
Originally posted by SK 88 SK 88 wrote:

Originally posted by islander islander wrote:

Originally posted by SK 88 SK 88 wrote:

Originally posted by gerg_861 gerg_861 wrote:

Just read TRP, and apparently the Prem is keeping all sponsorship and TV money, while also getting 3 home matches. So, another stitch up.

  1. The Cup hasn't been sponsored for a number of years.
  2. Does it actually have independent TV rights?
  3. Is this actually a story or more lies by the Rag? 

Sounds fairly well-informed from where I'm sitting. A long-standing and respected journalist like Jon Newcombe, whose byline is on this piece, doesn't acquire the reputation he has by publishing lies. Sounds like a typical, lazy case of blaming the media without any substance to back up what's being claimed...

I haven't blamed anyone, I have pointed out there is no sponsorship money to share, and asked a very obvious question.  Do TNT actually pay any extra money to broadcast this competition?

Without an answer in the affirmative there is no money to share in the first place.

Funny how you are focusing on the first 2 of your 3 sentences - neither of which I commented on specifically - rather than the 3rd one - which was the focus of my response - about 'Rag lies'...



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