Kevin77
Fred Wood (13)
Bizarre
Northern Hemisphere Rugby
- Thread starter Dctarget
- Start date
The Ghost of Raelene
Steve Williams (59)
Whole thing feels a bit sad atm. Resembles the Super League with a couple dominating and the others are no chance.
Granted teams will get key players back from the WC.
Granted teams will get key players back from the WC.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
As you started the thread, if you go back to page 1 there's an "other options" drop-down menu next to the "watch" button that includes an "edit thread" option.
Members Section
John Thornett (49)
Its even worse that a couple of the owners simply cant afford to pay the full salary cap
The Ghost of Raelene
Steve Williams (59)
I can see the day where it merges with the URC into a two tier competition with promotion relegation at this point.
Two 13 team competitions or potentially 14 if Wasps & LI can get back in the mix.
Two 13 team competitions or potentially 14 if Wasps & LI can get back in the mix.
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
That would be awesome. Relegation is great fun and I’m envious we can’t replicate.
Members Section
John Thornett (49)
Speaking of Wasps, see below. (copied & pasted from another forum no link)
I personally think this is a nice little hurry up RFU & sort our this Prem/Prem2 rather than an an actual threat to leave & replace a welsh side. Is interesting though that the bloke who runs the URC has been the main man in finding them a new home.
Owen Slot, Chief Sports Writer
Thursday October 26 2023, 7.00pm, The Times
Wasps would play domestic games against the likes of Edinburgh, whom they took on in Europe in May 2022, if they joined the URC
Wasps are considering joining the United Rugby Championship, rather than playing in the English leagues, on their return to professional rugby.
Wasps announced this week that they intend to re-emerge in Kent and are looking to build an indoor 24-28,000-seater stadium in Swanley. While they are still exploring the option of making their comeback in the English Championship ? which is effectively the second division ? negotiations have been continuing with the URC, which features teams from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy and South Africa. Their likely application will be tabled for discussion at the URC?s next board meeting in December.
The URC has not discouraged this conversation. As a rugby competition that covers three of the four stakeholders in British and Irish rugby, it would clearly be advantageous to plant a flag in the biggest market of them all.
There are two entry options into the URC, both of which are being considered. The first is expansion, though the league would naturally prefer to expand its numbers in twos. The second is replacing an existing franchise.
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It is no secret that the WRU sees the advantages of reducing its four professional franchises in Wales to three. The future of Ospreys has already been discussed this year in association with a merger with Cardiff and a potential tie-up with Ealing Trailfinders.
Wasps dropped a hint about their future ambitions in a statement nine days ago when they answered a question about what competition they would return to. The answer was: ?One that is fit for purpose and reflects the values that Wasps and others adhere to. We are pursuing all options in this regard.? ?All options? were the operative words there.
The problem for Wasps has been that there is no certainty of a commercially viable future in the English game. To return into the English system, the best chance of re-entry would be into the Championship, which is soon to be rebranded as Prem2.
However, the wheels are moving too slowly for Wasps, who want to be back playing next season or, if not, a year later. The real problem with the Championship is that it is unclear how long the Premiership will be ring-fenced for and therefore there is no guarantee that promotion is even a possibility.
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Without any clear pathway to the top, Wasps will find it far harder to attract investors. A move straight into the URC would solve that problem.
Chris Holland, the owner of Wasps, who are really at present just a name and a brand, is refusing to bring back the club unless it has a secure financial future, but the English game is unlikely to provide such stability. ?I?m not going to offer anyone a job until I know we?ve got enough money to pay them for two years,? he said.
Martin Anayi, the CEO of the URC who lives in Kent, confirmed that he had been instrumental in helping Wasps to find a prospective new home not just in his county, but also in the league that he runs.
?I?ve had conversations with Wasps predominantly with trying to help them find a home in Kent,? he said. ?Hopefully they?ll have a home in the Premiership. If not, the URC will always be open to further conversation.?
Wasps? future in the URC is at this point only an early-stage possibility. There are a number of approvals and issues that need to be sorted out.
Both Wasps and URC would ideally like to have the RFU?s endorsement but it would be an interesting legal situation if it were not forthcoming. The RFU could regard this in two ways: it could treat a URC franchise in Kent as an invasion and a market threat to English competition; alternatively, it could embrace it as a satisfactory way to bring a historic club back on to their feet and as an advertisement for the game southeast of London where there is no other professional rugby club.
Other important sign-offs would also be required. If an English player is playing for Wasps in an English county but in what is essentially a foreign competition, would he be eligible to play for England?
Recruiting a team in time for next season is one of the few parts of Wasps? complicated future that Holland is not concerned by. ?The team is not a problem,? he said. ?There are literally so many players out there and so many Wasps players who want to come back.?
Rugby union
Wilson
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
It gets real dicey having promotion/relegation for a cross border comp like that, particularly with the Italian teams. It might work if it was a British Isles comp only, though the Scots/Welsh might be a bit tentative about potentially losing the majority of their professional sides in the space of a couple of seasons.
They might be able to build an NFL style structure out of a British Isles comp though, but salary cap might be a bit of a sticking point, particularly with the Irish and their centralised model. Not sure how long term South African involvement fits in though.
The Ghost of Raelene
Steve Williams (59)
I haven't really thought that much into it but one thing is these countries do understand a promotion and relegation system in Soccer at least.
Maybe some of the Italian sides and even Welsh may enjoy the idea of being in more competitive games. Probably more organisation than anyone would want to do.
Conferences might be a good avenue for them as it guarantees involvement in finals for some that may have missed it in the conventional method.
Maybe some of the Italian sides and even Welsh may enjoy the idea of being in more competitive games. Probably more organisation than anyone would want to do.
Conferences might be a good avenue for them as it guarantees involvement in finals for some that may have missed it in the conventional method.
Members Section
John Thornett (49)
I cant see the RFU ever "merging" with the URC I think the 10/10 Prem/Prem2 is not that far off being announced
Wilson
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
The difference in rugby is the close association between national and domestic teams combined with the cross border nature of some of the competitions. It's fine in football where there is a lot more cross border movement and the competitions are all structured for a single country so promotion/relegation doesn't really impact the development opportunities for your players. In rugby it could mean a bad year for a couple of your sides sinks your national sides chance for a whole world cup cycle.
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Anyone watch the Bath/Bristol game this morning, real bloody good game. Some bloody enetertaing code played there, I thought I was getting jaded after WC, but was fun watching a good game as a neutral, and with bugger all TMO involvement. And what was (a couple of highish hits) were well ruled by the ref and TMO.
Fergus'Lee Warner who apparently signed for Tahs next year doesn't look bad either.
Fergus'Lee Warner who apparently signed for Tahs next year doesn't look bad either.
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner) is a very good player. Better than many gave him credit while he played at the Force.
The Ghost of Raelene
Steve Williams (59)
Feel like he could have easily had a Matt Philip type run with the Wallabies if picked.
Will get this game up. Need some content.
Will get this game up. Need some content.
Members Section
John Thornett (49)
you mean dont have the asian olym quals on now leading into HK v Germany XV tonight?
Members Section
John Thornett (49)
So apparently another English club missed payment for the players on the 15th (rumored Chiefs or Newcastle), the prem in a old fashioned stoush with RA as the biggest debacle currently
The Ghost of Raelene
Steve Williams (59)
I was reading that they believe it's the Chiefs but are blaming a clerical error....Sounds suspicious but I hope it's as simple as that.
They were in the black apparently so would be strange if they missed for another reason other than a mistake. Newcastle on the other hand, who knows what their future is like. Wasn't there some mutterings about merging with Sale to be a Northern Club. Hope it doesn't happen.
They were in the black apparently so would be strange if they missed for another reason other than a mistake. Newcastle on the other hand, who knows what their future is like. Wasn't there some mutterings about merging with Sale to be a Northern Club. Hope it doesn't happen.
Italophile
Bill Watson (15)
It was Exeter, blaming a clerical error which could be true. But they're not in the black, they lost £4m last year, and resorted to selling shares in a club-owned hotel to the club owner to service debt. This season, season ticket sales are down 10% and match day tickets down 20%. Supporters are ticked off about paying the same prices to watch fewer games after the demise of so many teams. I suspect a real day of reckoning for the Prem is not far off.