Hope?

[baldpaul101]

I.e. where the clubs need the RFU more than the RFU need them.

Personally I think the RFU & Clubs need each other.

The club game cannot survive without the International game, lets face it, 6 nations & World Cup are the only rugby 80% of the population know about!
Likewise the PRL need the RFU, thats why we have the agreements around player release & not picking players from other leagues.

Given the RFU's track record anythings possible though!!

[NellyWellyWaspy]

They're probably also not against the idea of the England contingent all playing for just 3 or 4 clubs do that the players are used to playing with each other.

For the last xx years, it has pretty much been this anyway. With a normal distribution, one could expect 80% of the England players to come from 20% of the clubs.

Do the stats back that up? Sarries, Quins, Tigers and Bath I would guess make up the 80% (yes, I know, 4 clubs is 30% of 13). The reality is, four clubs is about right and all that would be needed to meet your RFU requirement to make the England squad, leaving 21 clubs to be in the Championship, and feed to those four clubs. Lose a club somewhere along the way and have two geographic leagues in the Championship, with no promotion or relegation from the Premiership. Trouble is, if you really want fans at the Premiership games, those clubs do not have the best/biggest grounds. Not that I think concentrating the Premiership would cause fans to switch cubs anyway, just to watch Premiership action.

And that is the point isn't it? The RFU see rugby fans as homogenous, willing to support and go to whichever club the RFU tell them to.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I don't believe for a second that the RFU will do anything to help the process

I don't actually understand why they wouldn't.
I get PRL may want to reduce the size of the prem, although, given they wanted it to be 14 teams not that long ago, I have no idea why.
But the RFU doesn't want professional teams to disappear surely?

I think there is a big risk with legal challenges if they change their approach and start helping teams that are in trouble. They didn't help Wuss or us when we went to the wall, and if they suddenly start helping the other clubs I can see some people being a little unhappy about the disparity.

[Heathen]

I understand that negotiations are still very much "ongoing" with Legends and that a number of "legalities" need to be sorted also.

If the DCMS/Government/HMRC are starting to play "hardball" with other Premiership Rugby Clubs (as Exeter's recent actions would suggest) then surely the RFU and PRL will have to act and look at the whole future of the top of club rugby.....and quickly (if they can do that)?

Thanks, Colonel.

[wasps]

I.e. where the clubs need the RFU more than the RFU need them.

Personally I think the RFU & Clubs need each other.

The club game cannot survive without the International game, lets face it, 6 nations & World Cup are the only rugby 80% of the population know about!
Likewise the PRL need the RFU, thats why we have the agreements around player release & not picking players from other leagues.

Given the RFU's track record anythings possible though!!

I think back to the club v country debates and discussions brokered by Rob Andrew, which resulted in the EPS being formed and money given to clubs when their players played for England, plus other concessions to allow England more time with players.


I'm sure the RFU would prefer to have a stronger position in those negotiations when they next come up

[baldpaul101]

I'm sure the RFU would prefer to have a stronger position in those negotiations when they next come up

Can't disagree with that & I guess a Prem league in disarray may be politically helpful, but that would assume the RFU have an evil master plan they are just waiting to implement. I can't see them having that sort of imagination personally 

[hookender]

 Pudsey just tweeted being kept on at training ground with a couple of others to keep it ticking over.

 Sounds positive that a team will emerge.

[baldpaul101]

What he actually said
"Tough couple of weeks for a lot of us. Proud to announce I am being kept on as Facilities & Logistics manager here at the training ground. A couple of us will be keeping it in good shape for WHEN the team rebuilding starts"

Pudseys' capitals.

[Bloke in North Dorset]

I wonder who's paying his wages, the administrators or training ground owners?

[Shugs]

Probably Holland. He paid the insurance on the centre.

[Neils]

Pudsey
@WaspsKitMan
As an update from my previous personal tweet, there is a lot of work going on led by the Legends with tough time constraints to get the club in a position to compete in the Championship next season. Watch this space. #everykitmanknows.

[Chunky24]

Pudsey seems very active and chipper tonight, another post.

https://twitter.com/WaspsKitMan/status/1591165930037706752?t=p-WFVktUnh-AyNFv97imVg&s=19

[Shugs]

I’m desperate to buy into and believe his optimism and I hope to god he’s right. But he did tweet “trust the process” a few days before 167 staff were laid off.

[westwaleswasp]

Exactly. And a championship team at the CBS will lose cash hand over fist.

[andermt]

Exactly. And a championship team at the CBS will lose cash hand over fist.

Why?