Relegation Confirmed - Apparently

[Rossm]

When Baxter first mentioned a 10 team league, wasn't his comment framed in terms of player welfare? i.e. less games


It's since included best players being more visible, which may be true.


It also includes the far fetched idea that more people will turn up cos there's less games


From there its almost become a blueprint

Especially when in next breath it’s “we will make up shortfall of games with a bigger/more meaningful Premiership cup”.

As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods. They kill us for their sport.

Players flogged to death and supporters wrung dry of their last penny.

[Shugs]

The whole thing is shambolic isn’t it. The stated objective just two months ago was a 14 team league. Two teams go and Baxter makes a throwaway comment and suddenly 10 teams is the answer to it all. What a disaster that will be. Watching Exeter, Sarries and Tigers every week will switch everyone off. And we all know how they’ll get to 10. They’ll find some way to shaft Newcastle. I’m not really asking for special dispensation for Wasps or Worcester. I just want PRL to come out of their sleepwalk to the death of the game. We’re beyond sticking to the rules - it’s crisis mode for the sport. Jones has literally thousands of England fans hoping for England losses he’s so bad. If we get that harnessed to a 10 team boreathon it will be a disaster.

[westwaleswasp]

It is probably in our interests for 2 or 3 to fail this year from now. Preferably mid season. Kills the ten team league, ruins the season. There will be no way back for us unless we see the cartel screwed and rules set to make sure we avoid a formula one type situation of cannon fodder. A 2 million cap plus incremecentral contracts, with central control is the way forward.

[Andywasp50]

I think it’s pretty much a boreathon now to be honest. I’ve just caught the end of the Quins game - mainly because I saw Josh was on the wing which felt weird and sickening at the same time.

Charlie Matthews took out Irish’s Van Rensburg in the air when Van Rensburg had just caught the ball. Penalty and either a red or yellow, but CMK deemed it a ‘fair challenge’ and the ever inept Hodent as TMO agreed. The commentators were gobsmacked and didn’t hold back. Irish lead by three points at the time and that would have won the game, but instead the play on allowed Quins to score a last play try.

Having watched Exeter v Quins a few weeks back when we were still in existence, the Chief’s defence was clearly offside for most of the game and wasn’t pulled up once.

The standard of officialling this season has been a step down from previous years, and another thing that when thrown into the mix will is further eroding the quality of the Prem.

[Rossm]

I watched the Quins game. Saw Josh get yellow within first 8 minutes. Lost interest and did not come back for the second half. Can't raise much enthusiasm for rugby at the moment.

[Shugs]

Considered watching to see how Josh got on. But didn’t.

[Wombles]

I have yet to watch a Premiership match since we entered administration and I am not sure I will. I will watch the Heineken cup and certainly the Autumn internationals and six nations, but the Premiership holds no interest.

I do not know whether this is related to the ‘sporting bereavement’ reaction I am having, or simply that when you don’t have skin in the game there really is no interest. I love rugby, it is my life’s passion, but currently it holds absolutely zero appeal in the Premiership. Am I alone voice or is this a growing wave that will eventually kill off more teams and see the suspension of the league?

One thing for certain it cannot go on as it is.

[westwaleswasp]

I have yet to watch a Premiership match since we entered administration and I am not sure I will. I will watch the Heineken cup and certainly the Autumn internationals and six nations, but the Premiership holds no interest.

I do not know whether this is related to the ‘sporting bereavement’ reaction I am having, or simply that when you don’t have skin in the game there really is no interest. I love rugby, it is my life’s passion, but currently it holds absolutely zero appeal in the Premiership. Am I alone voice or is this a growing wave that will eventually kill off more teams and see the suspension of the league?

One thing for certain it cannot go on as it is.

No, I read this post and thought 'I don't remember writing this', then realised I didn't. It encapsulates my feeling.

[wycombewasp]

I'm the same, I did intend watching Quins but a jig saw puzzle held more interest so missed the first half 2half more interested in Racing 92.

[Westy68]

What was also really bad was Ven Rensburg was allowed to carry on after clearly smashing his head onto the pitch. The stupid TMO then halts the game has HIA was needed, (this should of happened immediately) which then results in a scrum for Quins, who then get a dubious penalty from it. Kick it into the corner and score. She can’t carry on being a TMO, she is awful

[Skippy]

Given that England are dreadful and the Premiership seems driven to become a total bore fest with the same teams playing the same matches every week, it’s hard to stay interested in the ‘home’ game right now.

Meanwhile both France and Ireland are playing exciting brands of rugby and it’s hard not too will them onto win against a turgid England. From there it is a short hop to taking a greatest interest in clubs like Racing, Leinster and Munster.

[JonnyD]

Given that England are dreadful and the Premiership seems driven to become a total bore fest with the same teams playing the same matches every week, it’s hard to stay interested in the ‘home’ game right now.

Meanwhile both France and Ireland are playing exciting brands of rugby and it’s hard not too will them onto win against a turgid England. From there it is a short hop to taking a greatest interest in clubs like Racing, Leinster and Munster.

I’m on a similar train of thought actually.
My long term goal is to spend a lot of time in retirement one day in France or Ireland renovating a place, so will potentially now have to pick an area based on a rugby club 😂

[Neils]

I have yet to watch a Premiership match since we entered administration and I am not sure I will. I will watch the Heineken cup and certainly the Autumn internationals and six nations, but the Premiership holds no interest.

Likewise - looking forward to the Heiny seeing Baxter and Co royally stuffed. Going to the finals in Dublin for the Irish v SA finals.

[Chunky24]

What was also really bad was Ven Rensburg was allowed to carry on after clearly smashing his head onto the pitch. The stupid TMO then halts the game has HIA was needed, (this should of happened immediately) which then results in a scrum for Quins, who then get a dubious penalty from it. Kick it into the corner and score. She can’t carry on being a TMO, she is awful

Matt Carley the AR halted the match after being alerted by the medical team that Van Rensburg had taken himself from them back into the defence line, Hodnet has a lot to answer for but not that bit.

[JF]

I can't summon up the enthusiasm to watch a club game. I'm hoping that the AIs will provide therapy but with Jones at the helm it might fo the opposite.

I used to watch Prem games because I had some sort of interest in the outcome, how it affected us. Now that reason has gone, and I've managed one half of a game before thinking "you did nothing to help us, you're picking the bones from our corpse and paying them sodall".

There are supposedly seven stages of grief, it's going to take a while.