I personally think English rugby is on its last legs already. I'm still so sick about us going under that I've not watched much of the Prem, and once done you realise how low a profile it has and how easy it is to lose interest.
When I've dipped in now and again it's been utterly boring, and looking at the final table (and the games I dipped in to), you've got the masters of 'kick and chase' rugby - the EAs - finishing an easy top, and their apprentices at Sale and Tigers second and third. Even Borthwick is an advocate of the EA's style so we'll see that with England too. How does that attract new fans? Add in the laws around tackle height and number of red cards being inconsistently issued by refs and it's not an attractive proposition for fans live or on TV.
The EAs are still capable of fielding a decent second team against Bath in a league game because they've wrapped up the number one spot so early, and with the RFU rolling over to Baxter's pressure for a 10 team league, it's just going to be a closed shop borefest with Saracens winning most years. I imagine the 10 team competition won't have a salary cap and will end up like the Scottish Football Premiership, low on quality with two clubs fighting it out for the title and the same one winning every year, whilst everyone celebrates the achievement of the richest club only to get a rude awakening in European and International competition. And unlike football, Union doesn't rank as number one sport.
Maybe they should change the name from Union to Cabal (they would if Baxter told them!). Really sad times for such a great game.