English rugby fading

[Neils]

CHRIS FOY: English club rugby is fading in front of our eyes https://mol.im/a/12005357 via https://dailym.ai/android

[Heathen]

He's spot on IMHO.

[WonkyWasp]

Surely the 'Premiership' will become totally sterile?  There will be no need for players to move clubs at all  -  until they retire, that is.   How very boring!

[Shugs]

Spot on for me. I?m coming to the end of my BT contract. It won?t be renewed. I?ve caught the odd game - contested by the same teams as the weekend before - the punditry team try to jazz it up but it?s terribly flat. The games in and of themselves aren?t terrible - they just mean nothing as Foy says. Everyone knows the cheats have it in the bag and no one can really buy into it being a tense scrap to decide who loses to them in the semi. The game is in trouble - not least because those in power are some of the most clueless around.

[Neils]

Spot on for me. I?m coming to the end of my BT contract. It won?t be renewed. I?ve caught the odd game - contested by the same teams as the weekend before - the punditry team try to jazz it up but it?s terribly flat. The games in and of themselves aren?t terrible - they just mean nothing as Foy says. Everyone knows the cheats have it in the bag and no one can really buy into it being a tense scrap to decide who loses to them in the semi. The game is in trouble - not least because those in power are some of the most clueless around.

Very much agree.

[Bloke in North Dorset]

I looked at the table yesterday and thought BT must be fuming that they?re going in to the last games of the league season without a single match to get excited about. I don?t regret cancelling my BT Sport and broadband subscription.

What value the TV rights at the next round of bidding? Even if the Prem and RFU offer so thing with relegation and promotion they?ve shown they can?t be trusted if it compromises and threatens the cosy elites of the Premiership.

[Neils]

I looked at the table yesterday and thought BT must be fuming that they?re going in to the last games of the league season without a single match to get excited about. I don?t regret cancelling my BT Sport and broadband subscription.

What value the TV rights at the next round of bidding? Even if the Prem and RFU offer so thing with relegation and promotion they?ve shown they can?t be trusted if it compromises and threatens the cosy elites of the Premiership.

It will be interesting when they become TNT Sport in a month or so what their assessment moving forward will be.

[baldpaul101]

I would be interested in hearing some comment from those who were arguing that no relegation would "free teams up to play exciting rugby" & other such fanciful nonsense. Quite a few on here were of that opinion, wonder if any will own up?

[WonkyWasp]

For the ignorant  (ie: me)  how does anyone get selected to be on  the RFU?  Friends?  Pl d  boys/farts  network?  Just  curiosity. Not that I'm thinking  of applying.

[WonkyWasp]

Sorry ....  'P ld' should read 'Old '.

[Wombles]

Cannot disagree with this at all. No jeopardy, little passion and very little interest from clubs not under the threat of relegation.

Premiership rugby has become very vanilla. If there was promotion and relegation, the excitement of a growing club such as Ealing making the step up next season, whilst watching teams like Newcastle and Gloucester fight tooth and nail to avoid the drop, we would be watching it. But there is not and so we are not. And as such I will be cancelling my BT membership as it is no longer value for money.

English rugby is dying, it needs to change. A 10 team protected league will only hasten its demise.

[Rossm]

France Top 14 has promotion/relegation and appears to be in robust health and on the way to possibly winning the WC. English Prem League sickly and looking unlikely to survive. Nuff said.....

[Neils]

France Top 14 has promotion/relegation and appears to be in robust health and on the way to possibly winning the WC. English Prem League sickly and looking unlikely to survive. Nuff said.....

Very +1

[WonkyWasp]

AND they've got Shaun.

[BlackAndGoldSunglasses]

See the thread about why the game is thriving in France.

The idea of Summer rugby has merit, but the entire structure of pro rugby in England needs tearing down and rebuilding. The RFU is unfit for purpose, and the club v country situation with the PRL is designed to weaken both clubs and the national side.