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I'd rather have an English SOO equivalent than European Rugby...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Origin_series

State Of Origin

The main benefits would be that there would less games for the players, it's potentially a better platform to judge the relative merits of English players and it would potentially allow for big games to be held in places outside of Twickenham.
A "Northern" team winning would help keep the interest of fans from clubs like Sale and Yorkshire, who (at this point) have less top-level success but still produce players.
 
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Whilst my patriotism for the North (more specifically Yorkshire) holds no bounds, I can't see the advantages to this over European rugby. Financially, playing quality, meaningfulness, Europe comes out on top...

Also, where do you draw the Northern line? Damned if anywhere south of Sheffield is considered Northern. Half the supporters would be Lancs and Mancs...
 
The RFU prob consider Leicester upwards as North.

If first pro game team location opens the door for players like Ayerza etc.

Would prefer it to the LV cup.

Would also add a proper A league tournament.
 
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ratsapprentice said:
...Discuss. :cool:


North Vs South would be the most obvious.
Click to expand...

Very parochial, I,d rather see a European League, made up of 2 Welsh regions, 2 Irish regions, 1 from Scotland, 1 from Italy,4 French Clubs and 4 from England, with a 2nd division of equal numbers.
Straight forward 2 up and 2 down, with the current leagues supplying 2 clubs via a play off system to promote into the 2nd division European league. The European Cup would be a straight knock out consisting of the 28 teams in the respective 2 Europe leagues plus the top 2 in the English and French league structures.
 
Tigs Man said:
Would also add a proper A league tournament.
Click to expand...
Ideal world: A-league fixture list mirrors Premiership fixture list, and A-teams play in the same stadium on the same day, just before the full team.

If you let people watch it for no extra cost:
1. Fans will filter through the stadium at different times, some coming early to watch the A-league game, some coming later just for the full team, meaning less disruption.
2. Extra attendance to the A-league games.
3. I'd imagine the cost of putting on a Premiership and A-league game on the same day would be less than the same two games on separate days, as you only have to open the stadium once. You would lose a bit of money by not charging for the A-league game, but then A-league games aren't exactly lucrative, and you'd probably make a lot/most of it/more back on additional drink and food sales.
4. Gives fans "extra value" for their money. Might even tempt more people out to watch the full team if they could get a full day out out of their ticket price.
5. Gives us a longer A-league fixture list for development of players.

Downside: Premiership teams may stop loaning out their young talent to the Championship if they need them for the A-league, and teams may find it difficult to field a full team and an A-squad during international periods. (I assume teams would be allowed to bring in players on an invitational basis for the A-league.)
 
ratsapprentice said:
...Discuss. :cool:


North Vs South would be the most obvious.
Click to expand...

I think it's a rubbish idea soz.

I'd quite like to see touring teams take on the regional teams again but that's it...

Lets not forget the RFL tried this, Lancashire and Yorkshire who have a genuine rivalry, and it sucked a*s! The reason SOO works in Oz is the historical rivalry between the two states.

- - - Updated - - -

j'nuh said:
Ideal world: A-league fixture list mirrors Premiership fixture list, and A-teams play in the same stadium on the same day, just before the full team.

If you let people watch it for no extra cost:
1. Fans will filter through the stadium at different times, some coming early to watch the A-league game, some coming later just for the full team, meaning less disruption.
2. Extra attendance to the A-league games.
3. I'd imagine the cost of putting on a Premiership and A-league game on the same day would be less than the same two games on separate days, as you only have to open the stadium once. You would lose a bit of money by not charging for the A-league game, but then A-league games aren't exactly lucrative, and you'd probably make a lot/most of it/more back on additional drink and food sales.
4. Gives fans "extra value" for their money. Might even tempt more people out to watch the full team if they could get a full day out out of their ticket price.
5. Gives us a longer A-league fixture list for development of players.

Downside: Premiership teams may stop loaning out their young talent to the Championship if they need them for the A-league, and teams may find it difficult to field a full team and an A-squad during international periods. (I assume teams would be allowed to bring in players on an invitational basis for the A-league.)
Click to expand...

like that.. only issue is pitch quality in the bad weather.
 
Would the Midlands come under north or south?
The North would dominate - a disproportionately large number of players are from here considering the number/strength of the pro sides (though grassroots is very strong/thrives oop north).
 
valley commando said:
Very parochial, I,d rather see a European League, made up of 2 Welsh regions, 2 Irish regions, 1 from Scotland, 1 from Italy,4 French Clubs and 4 from England, with a 2nd division of equal numbers.
Straight forward 2 up and 2 down, with the current leagues supplying 2 clubs via a play off system to promote into the 2nd division European league. The European Cup would be a straight knock out consisting of the 28 teams in the respective 2 Europe leagues plus the top 2 in the English and French league structures.
Click to expand...
That flat out doesn't work.

Why does an Italian team get two teams in top league tiers? What happens when they get relegated every year? Does an Italian team automatically get promoted to the very top tier? How does an French team that won their nation league get into the European league if the French clubs don't get in the bottom 2? You'll create a league in which top countries will never promote into it creating stagnant national leagues with a glass ceiling and the bottom countries just being whipping boys like London Welsh were.


As for the other thing....eh nope.
 
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ncurd said:
You'll create a league in which top countries will never promote into it creating stagnant national leagues with a glass ceiling and the bottom countries just being whipping boys like London Welsh were.
Click to expand...

so the pro12? :D
 
goodNumber10 said:
Lets not forget the RFL tried this, Lancashire and Yorkshire who have a genuine rivalry, and it sucked a*s! The reason SOO works in Oz is the historical rivalry between the two states.
Click to expand...

Yes - let's not forget that it was the RFL that tried it!

I think most people agree that the calendar needs to be decluttered, the trouble is no-one seems to accept that that requires less games be played.

It wouldn't even need to be North vs South, it could be two arbitrary teams, or even quadrangular - SW vs SE, N vs Mid. Winner of each game plays for ***le.
 
j'nuh said:
Ideal world: A-league fixture list mirrors Premiership fixture list, and A-teams play in the same stadium on the same day, just before the full team.

If you let people watch it for no extra cost:
1. Fans will filter through the stadium at different times, some coming early to watch the A-league game, some coming later just for the full team, meaning less disruption.
2. Extra attendance to the A-league games.
3. I'd imagine the cost of putting on a Premiership and A-league game on the same day would be less than the same two games on separate days, as you only have to open the stadium once. You would lose a bit of money by not charging for the A-league game, but then A-league games aren't exactly lucrative, and you'd probably make a lot/most of it/more back on additional drink and food sales.
4. Gives fans "extra value" for their money. Might even tempt more people out to watch the full team if they could get a full day out out of their ticket price.
5. Gives us a longer A-league fixture list for development of players.

Downside: Premiership teams may stop loaning out their young talent to the Championship if they need them for the A-league, and teams may find it difficult to field a full team and an A-squad during international periods. (I assume teams would be allowed to bring in players on an invitational basis for the A-league.)
Click to expand...

Got to say I love it ! Always thought when countries like Wales play Fiji or someone of sort that they should give away some of the unsold tickets to schools etc . Be great to get kids in the stadium to watch some rugby . Maybe they could factor this in somehow ?
 
So could be a game of:

North:
1) Mullan 2) Youngs 3) Cole
4) Parling, 5) Kitchener
6) Croft, 7) Kvesic, 8) Beaumont
9) Youngs, 10) Ford
12) Burrell, 13) Manu
11) May, 14) Lewington, 15) Tait

16) Hartley,17) 18) Wilson, 19) C. Day, 20) Wood, 21) Robson, 22) Burns, 23) Pennell

South:
1) Marler, 2) George, 3)
4) Lawes, 5) Launchbury
6) Ewers, 7) Robshaw, 8) Vunipola
9) Simpson,10) Cips
12) Eastmond,13) Joesph
11) Wade 14) Nowell, 15) Brown

16) LCD, 17) Vunipola, 18) ? 19) Attwood, 20) Itoje, 21) Wigglesworth, 22) Slade, 23). Daly

I struggled TBH.
 
Why is Wigglesworth in the South team?! And Eastmond?! Go and tell them they're not from the North, see what happens :lol:
May in the North?

Ee gads, man.



My Northern Side (in brackets is if you include the Midlands)

1. Harrison (Mullan)
2. Webber (Youngs)
3. Wilson
4. Parling
5. Day (Lawes)
6. M.Wilson
7. Lund
8. Beaumont
9. Wigglesworth
10. Ford
11. Tait
12. Eastmond
13. Burrell
14. Ashton
15. Foden (Pennell)

16. Taylor
17. Balmain (Waller)
18. Brookes (Cole)
19. Skivington (Slater)
20. Burgess (Kvesic)
21. Care (Youngs)
22. Hodgson
23. Miller

Hurts my head trying to work out whether to include the Tuilagi, Hartley, etc. as they were born abroad.
 
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You know state of origin is done on where they play there first senior game of rugby.

Not birth. If that was case Lawes would be South anyway.

Therefore Eastmond would be bath and South. Made a mistake with Wigglesworth.

Also Northampton would be classed as South IMO.
 
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