URC?

[Brandnewtorugby]

FWIW if Wasp joined the URC, I would probably not bother to go & watch them. Its not a competition that holds any interest to me nor, IMO, is it one that most of the teams seem to care much about. Some of the line ups from last season were ridiculous.
If Wasps really want to play in a league that "is fit for purpose and reflects the values that Wasps and others adhere to" then they should join the Top 14. Now they would be games I would pay to watch!
Yes, I know that's even more of a non starter than joining the URC

Yes please, Allez, Allez, Allez. Kent is quite well connected to France!

Why does the RFU have to sanction it? If it isn't in their competition surely they have no control.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Why does the RFU have to sanction it? If it isn't in their competition surely they have no control.

Because World Rugby divide the 'rights' to who controls the playing of Rugby Union, and has 'awarded' that control for any game played in England to the RFU. It is a monopoly that has gone unchallenged in Court (thus far).

[westwaleswasp]

It would have to be sanctioned.

Problem is Wasps need a competition. There are only two mooted options- Prem 1/2 and URC.

Prem 2 will be hard to launch in an acceptable way- and by acceptable I mean fair.
I am not paying a penny to Wasps- or any other championship club- if they are there to make up numbers in a second tier given a nominal 250K playing budget or whatever with no hope of promotion or instant relegation if they do because the clubs above have 5m + bugets- not a penny- because such a competition is not a competition at all- it is a farce. For prem 2 to work clubs in prem 1- Bath, Tigers, Sarries et al need to accept that they WILL be relegated for finishing bottom- automatically. Now I cannot see those clubs agreeing to that in these trying times.

 The main issue is those remaining clubs need to be funded at not much more than the ones below if it is genuinely going to be "prem 2"- I cannot see any of them agreeing to a cap drop save a couple. Sarries also need to stop cheating whatever cap is in place, but that is neither here nor there.  The  issue is the number of clubs in prem 2. two x 10 clubs- who on earth are the others who can afford big budgets? Where are the fans to support them? Even if the 3 dead clubs return, if Jersey mysteriously resurrect- and we add 2-3 ambitious others such as Pirates or Ealing, that is still short of 20. I would say you would be lucky to ever see two lots of 8- and that would mean two prem 1 clubs dropping. Ten in the top tier and six in the second won't work either.

Let us be clear- all the prem clubs will reflect what is in the best interests of prem clubs- which is to rebrand tier 2, hope to get more money from the rebrand, and use those prem clubs as feeder clubs. Nobody can convince me that the remaining prem clubs have any interest in anything other than themselves- that is how all clubs are. If that is all that is on offer, I would genuinely rather Wasps didn't exist as a pro outfit than simply be a feeder club those remaining prem clubs whilst being perpetually stuck in tier 2. If it is not, and there is going to be a genuine prem 2 well funded, then that is different- but I have to ask does anyone here think that will be offered?  I don't believe the RFU has lots of funding for prem 2.

If it is a choice between farcical prem 2, and any other competition I will take any other competition even if that means the competition is routinely european, with only 3 accessible away games by car for home supporters local to Kent, and we only play English clubs in Europe. That is obviously not ideal. If we are offered a genuine prem 2, then that is clearly preferable, but ask yourself which of Bath, Tigers, Sarries, Saints, Quins, Sale, Newcastle, Chiefs, Glaws, and Bris is going to voluntarily sign up to a league where they could be automatically relegated?

[baldpaul101]

but ask yourself which of Bath, Tigers, Sarries, Saints, Quins, Sale, Newcastle, Chiefs, Glaws, and Bris is going to voluntarily sign up to a league where they could be automatically relegated?

This rather depends on the alternative.
For example if the RFU withheld funding until PRL agree to a properly funded two tier set up with promotion & relegation, prem teams may not have much of an option.
The RFU does actually have some bargaining power. What little money there is in the game comes from International rugby.
Also a prem 2 doesn't have to be the financial dessert the Championship is currently if its structured & funded correctly, so being relegated would not be as bad.
It will require vision & courage form the RFU, so probably very unlikely but that is what France appear to have done & their club owners had to accept it

[NellyWellyWaspy]

but ask yourself which of Bath, Tigers, Sarries, Saints, Quins, Sale, Newcastle, Chiefs, Glaws, and Bris is going to voluntarily sign up to a league where they could be automatically relegated?

This rather depends on the alternative.
For example if the RFU withheld funding until PRL agree to a properly funded two tier set up with promotion & relegation, prem teams may not have much of an option.
The RFU does actually have some bargaining power. What little money there is in the game comes from International rugby.
Also a prem 2 doesn't have to be the financial dessert the Championship is currently if its structured & funded correctly, so being relegated would not be as bad.
It will require vision & courage form the RFU, so probably very unlikely but that is what France appear to have done & their club owners had to accept it

But, where is this money coming from? They already sold 30% of their soul in a Faustian pact to the Devil. TV rights money, if anything, will be going down. Given the cost of living crisis, I can see pressure on ticket prices and gates, for some clubs. International games not filling HQ will also impact. All ways around, money is getting less, not more. The equation never did balance, but is even less balanced than it ever was. Only accountancy trickery over the valuation of HQ has kept the balls in the air, and with accountancy firms now receiving mighty fines for fiddling the books in this type of way, I foresee rocky shores ahead.

[westwaleswasp]

I would like to think the RFU have the ability to get tough on the clubs and the nous to do what is right for the game. I suspect they are better a fudging issues, which is how we ended up as we are.

[baldpaul101]

I would like to think the RFU have the ability to get tough on the clubs and the nous to do what is right for the game.

I think they have the ability, just think they are missing the spine & b*ll*cks to actually do it!