Match forfeits

[UKHamlet]

I find this very worrying. Since the pandemic, people are finding other stuff to do and have got out of the habit of going to their rugby clubs.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... e-26809269

[Sandydragon]

I find this very worrying. Since the pandemic, people are finding other stuff to do and have got out of the habit of going to their rugby clubs.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... e-26809269

I think the trend was downhill before covid, but that was a big final straw.

I remember many clubs in the 90s and 00s who used to field 3 teams on a Saturday struggling to get out a second team, or even their firsts. Nor is it just a welsh problem, England is suffering just as badly.

Is it a general reduction in team sport participation, or is it the effect of professionalism. With semi pros all over the leagues it’s not a lot of fun to run out against someone who is being paid to be there and has the benefits of the supplements that semi pro clubs seem happy to help with.

[Sandydragon]

Mind you when Llanelli can just chuck games away with apparently no comebacks then why should clubs who are generally struggling give a toss?

For welsh rugby, id ban any payment below the premiership. There was an article in the fail yesterday about how much a semi pro club costs to run vs how much they get from the WRU. Simple solution, regions are pro, premiership is semi pro, anyone else is amateur and hammer this who break the rules. Give amateur rugby back to the communities and let them play local derbies rather than travel everywhere.

[Puja]

I remember many clubs in the 90s and 00s who used to field 3 teams on a Saturday struggling to get out a second team, or even their firsts. Nor is it just a welsh problem, England is suffering just as badly.

Very true - my club's still getting out a 3s, but we're the only one in the area that is, with several 2nd XVs teetering on the edge.

They are doing a decent job with rearranging the league and trying to keep everyone from having the travel too far, but there's always outliers who are don't have neighbours with whom they can play derbies and need to be the side that no-one wants to play away at or else they won't get any games.

Puja