National league structure review

[RoyalBlueStuey]

Looks like wholesale changes to the league structure below Prem level...could be interesting :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_unio...ish/7720024.stm

Members of the Rugby Football Union's council have backed setting up a new professional 12-team Championship to replace National League One.

Earlier the umbrella body for National League One clubs, First Division Rugby, had called the prospect of the new championship "financial suicide".

But six League One clubs subsequently gave the proposal their support.

The RFU said the vote to support the formation of a new competition was carried by an "overwhelming majority".

Coventry, Doncaster, Exeter, London Welsh, Nottingham and Plymouth Albion were the teams who sent a memo to the RFU council urging them to vote in the change.

It concluded: "We sincerely request your support in moving the development of level two rugby into the professional era without further delay."

The RFU believe the Championship is "the way forward" for English rugby, but FDR chairman Geoff Irvine responded by stating he was "amazed" the RFU had made the memo public "on behalf of a minority group of six clubs".

Under the RFU's plans, the leading Division One sides this season would become Championship founder members - if they agree to turn professional.

The relegated Guinness Premiership club would also be invited to join.

Championship teams would then play 22 league games per season, with eight top clubs playing off for one promotion place.

The plan also retains promotion and relegation to and from the Championship from the division below, allaying fears the top two divisions are to be ring-fenced.

 

[PommyDave]

Plymouth Albion would have supported the change as they genuinely fancy themselves to continue growing and furthering themselves as they have over the last few years, especially now their main rivals for attendees (Argyle-the local football club) are looking to have hit a plateau.

Not too sure about the playoff system mentioned but I'd assume it'd give them a greater chance to get into the GP, which could see some genuinely massive attendances (for albion).

 

[Andy_K]

well i am a rotherham ***ans fans and cant wait for it, it should be interesting but needed if club union is going to keep getting better and better !

think it is a case of lets see how it goes instead of hammering it before a game gets played.

 

[RoyalBlueStuey]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PommyDave @ Dec 4 2008, 01:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Plymouth Albion would have supported the change as they genuinely fancy themselves to continue growing and furthering themselves as they have over the last few years, especially now their main rivals for attendees (Argyle-the local football club) are looking to have hit a plateau.

Not too sure about the playoff system mentioned but I'd assume it'd give them a greater chance to get into the GP, which could see some genuinely massive attendances (for albion).[/b]

It'd be great to see a South Western team finally establish itself...it's a travesty that they don't have a top flight club.

 

[PommyDave]

Agree. Some even argue that Bristol is in the SW. People don't realise that it's closer to London than it is to much of Cornwall. Exeter Chiefs up the path look to have a decent base to push on, as do Albion, not so sure about the Pirates.

I guess it's tradition as much as anything. Cornwall is a hotbed of rugby, but it's population is fairly spread. They love their county rugby too.

Plymouth is more a football city (ManYoo, Liverpool fans galore mind), but it's population gets behind anything with half a sniff of success. Argyle could become massive and sustain a huge fanbase if it ever gets up to the top. Likewise Albion have plenty of scope for growth. To be fair the steps they've made with Dawe in charge in recent years are more than putting them in the frame to do so.