Championship Rugby

[FKAS]

They may have a point but they got themselves into a mess thanks to their own decision making and inept management. Seems to me they were given an opportunity that other clubs werent given but have failed to meet the conditions the RFU imposed.
This simply HAS to be a watershed season for the elite game. There has to be a serious, far reaching review of how the elite game in England is run. Absolutely nothing should be taken off the table.

It does seem like a harsher stance is being taken with LI than Wuss and Wasps got away with last summer. Good to see there's at least clubs being asked to prove they can afford to operate.

[Puja]

They may have a point but they got themselves into a mess thanks to their own decision making and inept management. Seems to me they were given an opportunity that other clubs werent given but have failed to meet the conditions the RFU imposed.
This simply HAS to be a watershed season for the elite game. There has to be a serious, far reaching review of how the elite game in England is run. Absolutely nothing should be taken off the table.

It does seem like a harsher stance is being taken with LI than Wuss and Wasps got away with last summer. Good to see there's at least clubs being asked to prove they can afford to operate.

In fairness, were either Wasps or Wuss missing or delaying paydays at this point last summer?

Puja

[FKAS]

They may have a point but they got themselves into a mess thanks to their own decision making and inept management. Seems to me they were given an opportunity that other clubs werent given but have failed to meet the conditions the RFU imposed.
This simply HAS to be a watershed season for the elite game. There has to be a serious, far reaching review of how the elite game in England is run. Absolutely nothing should be taken off the table.

It does seem like a harsher stance is being taken with LI than Wuss and Wasps got away with last summer. Good to see there's at least clubs being asked to prove they can afford to operate.

In fairness, were either Wasps or Wuss missing or delaying paydays at this point last summer?

Puja

Can't say I remember that far back but I think both were publicly known to be in difficulty at that point. I hope all clubs are being asked to show they've got the financial ability to compete next season or have an owner or backer willing to offer a guarantee.

[Peej]

While it is very salty indeed, they're not wrong. Who on earth would invest in a Championship club while the RFU are still tightlipped about their future plans for it?

Puja

Sadly it was inevitable as soon as they were relegated. Who would pump money into a team that has no hope of going anywhere? The very definition of throwing good money after bad.

As for the French, there must be something in their model as if they rackup large debts they are relegated for financial mismanagement. Even allowing for some creative accounting, they seem a lot more sustainable

[Puja]

Jersey, Ealing, and Coventry apply to fill England's empty spots in the ECC: https://12ft.io/proxy?&q=https%3A%2F%2F ... llenge-cup

That's a great idea and one which the RFU should absolutely be getting behind. Could be a massive fillip to the Championship to have the top 3 (or 4 if Irish go) qualify to play in the ECC next season.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

I very much enjoyed the last sentence:

[FKAS]

Not everyone can follow the Bedford method of being a feeder team to Northampton. Credit to them for staying within their means and generating good crowds though comparing the Boxing Day crowds is somewhat laughable. Ampthill fans travelling the Bedford would have had a pretty easy time of it. Jersey fans travelling to Ealing? Yeah not so much.

[Mellsblue]

Most could follow that method if they wished to and many do, albeit on a less official footing. Not that the arrangement is even tangential to the point being made.
If you don’t like the Boxing Day comparison then look at average attendances, it’s the same end result.

[Puja]

https://12ft.io/proxy?ref=&q=https://ww ... -on-brink/

Puja

[Mellsblue]

[Mellsblue]

Feisty:

https://x.com/rugbytimes/status/1725551 ... MV3j-SK8yQ

[FKAS]

Feisty:

https://x.com/rugbytimes/status/1725551 ... MV3j-SK8yQ

Sounds fair. A franchise system would have just been an excuse to rush Wasps back into the top flight so it's only reasonable the Championship Clubs aren't keen on that.

[Mellsblue]

I think it’s mostly a reaction - correctly, imo - to the fact there’s been de facto ring-fencing for years and the annoyance/hatred that stems from that for any criteria for promotion that isn’t based solely on what happens on the field. It may also be years of being let down and marginalised by the RFU. I’ve been privy to the thoughts of someone at Bedford about the RFU and the disdain is evident. They actually have a lot more sympathy for PR(L) than I thought they would.

[FKAS]

I think it’s mostly a reaction - correctly, imo - to the fact there’s been de facto ring-fencing for years and the annoyance/hatred that stems from that for any criteria for promotion that isn’t based solely on what happens on the field. It may also be years of being let down and marginalised by the RFU. I’ve been privy to the thoughts of someone at Bedford about the RFU and the disdain is evident. They actually have a lot more sympathy for PR(L) then I thought they would.

Yeah the RFU have treated the Championship terribly. The Championship clubs can probably understand a degree of self interest from the Prem clubs but the crap they get from the RFU who are supposed to be growing rugby in this country is understandably galling.

I understand some of the requirements for promotion re medical facilities etc but the stadium capacity bit is excessive. A revised and more realistic criteria would do a lot to appease Championship Clubs.

[Mellsblue]

‘Bedford Blues and Bristol Bears are set to do battle for the first time since 2018 as Pat Lam's side head to Goldington Road on Friday 1st March (KO 7:45pm).’

https://x.com/bedfordbluesrfc/status/17 ... MV3j-SK8yQ

[Banquo]

‘Bedford Blues and Bristol Bears are set to do battle for the first time since 2018 as Pat Lam's side head to Goldington Road on Friday 1st March (KO 7:45pm).’

https://x.com/bedfordbluesrfc/status/17 ... MV3j-SK8yQ

Replacing Jersey home fixture?

[Mellsblue]

‘Bedford Blues and Bristol Bears are set to do battle for the first time since 2018 as Pat Lam's side head to Goldington Road on Friday 1st March (KO 7:45pm).’

https://x.com/bedfordbluesrfc/status/17 ... MV3j-SK8yQ

Replacing Jersey home fixture?

Correct

[Mellsblue]

Nottingham vs Leicester, Friday 9th Feb.

https://x.com/nottinghamrugby/status/17 ... MV3j-SK8yQ

[Banquo]

Absolute comedy- https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67772805

words being very different from deeds. As an indication, RFU funding of £150k per hybrid player is more than the entire funding per club in the Champ; 'Champ clubs must aspire to being in the prem', except PRL want a 5 year moratorium on relegation and said Champ aspirants would have to spend millions against current MOS. RFU is telling porkies imo.

Icing on the cake......clearly ushering Wasps, Wuss, Irish and even Jersey Reds back to Tier 2. So clubs that can't manage their finances, no problem. You guys who have been prudent...spend beyond your means, or we'll demote you.

[Banquo]

and sweeney doubles down (and 160k isn't true- its more like 120k plus some PRL funding)
From the Telegraph:

The RFU insists it wants to work with the Championship to create minimum operating standards that would cover everything from stadiums to player welfare. The ruling body believes that would create a more sustainable, marketable second tier as well as a surer path to promotion to the Premiership. However, the RFU, which slashed funding to the Championship from £600,000 to £160,000, is adamant that it will reopen the purse strings only if clubs accept its take-it-or-leave-it offer.

“What they’ve said is that if they don’t opt in, they would rather be at the top of the community game pyramid,” Bill Sweeney, the Rugby Football Union chief executive, said. “I’m not entirely sure why they would say that, and why you wouldn’t want to be part of this. If you are a Coventry or an Ealing, why wouldn’t you want to be part of this? If you’d prefer to be top of the community game pyramid with your normal promotion and relegation, it’s not really the performance model we are investing in.

[Mellsblue]

F**k the RFU. Even if Bedford end up in Prem 2 this a terrible idea.
My favourite lol/wtf moment was the para about wanting brands like Wasps, Worcester and LI followed almost immediately by more talk of msc with ground capacity as the first example. None of those three even have a ground, or any players. That should probably be your first two msc. The third, well first, should probably be a track record of good financial management.
Also, what are these brands? Wasps are a bunch of nomads whoever never had a viable business model, Worcester have no heritage/history beyond a wealthy benefactor whose hard work has repeatedly been screwed and who have spent the entire pro era in relegation battles, whilst LI were exiled to Reading in a soulless and empty football stadium and when they did come back to London they didn’t last two seasons. The only brands there are clubs who f**ked up the professional era.
How about we try and build an organic model like France where how you perform results wise on the pitch and investment wise off the pitch determines where you sit in the pyramid. The Top 14 lost brands like Biarritz but they were replaced by La Rochelle. Is the Top 14 weaker or less attractive? No, it’s actually stronger and more attractive. This cartel, no competition model PR employ, and the RFU collude in, is failing repeatedly so I’d suggest just expanding it probably won’t work either.
C**ts the lot of them.

[FKAS]

However, the RFU, which slashed funding to the Championship from £600,000 to £160,000, is adamant that it will reopen the purse strings only if clubs accept its take-it-or-leave-it offer.

Ah good old blackmail. Let's not get a consensus on the way to move forward let's come up with a new one internally (having accepted the last one failed) and then force it on everybody.

[Mellsblue]

However, the RFU, which slashed funding to the Championship from £600,000 to £160,000, is adamant that it will reopen the purse strings only if clubs accept its take-it-or-leave-it offer.

Ah good old blackmail. Let's not get a consensus on the way to move forward let's come up with a new one internally (having accepted the last one failed) and then force it on everybody.

It’s not a new one. It’s the old one slightly expanded so the clubs that went bust in the old one get to come straight back.

[Banquo]

However, the RFU, which slashed funding to the Championship from £600,000 to £160,000, is adamant that it will reopen the purse strings only if clubs accept its take-it-or-leave-it offer.

Ah good old blackmail. Let's not get a consensus on the way to move forward let's come up with a new one internally (having accepted the last one failed) and then force it on everybody.

Its the same proposal that was originally rejected, just now with a cliff edge. Personally I think it could blow up in their faces, as the statement that they aren't interested in investing in community rugby could make the odd club cross- all bar 10 clubs, in fact.

[Banquo]

BTW...in the Beeb article it confirms senior players in the prem will be 35 per club.....which sort of says c 150 will be looking for jobs (allowing for retirements etc between now and 25/26 season), and if the champ is binned off as per the threat, I wonder who will be employing them in England.....the RFU expects the Champ to take the strain. Lol.