Sir Ian Macgeechan premiership plan

[higgik]

Has anyone seen Sir Ian's article in Sunday Telegraph, ( under premium articles so cannot access it online, but read in paper).

His plan is to extend number of prem teams to 14, playing in 2 conferences of 7. The only difference being that there would only be 12 matches over 14 weeks, followed by play offs; he thinks top 8, but I think top 6, would mean benefit for winning conference and leaves bottom 8 to play for the final Euro spot.

His idea is to reduce the number of matches played to protect the players welfare, but I am in general favour of it as it would mean smaller squad size, and bigger crowds, (easier to sell big matches). Also there would be no overlap with international matches, so those players would not be missing from important club matches at that time, (I cannot believe that the top 2 teams from last year played a league match during 6N).
His plan is:-
Weeks 1-4 Premiership 4 rounds
Weeks 5-7 European competition
Weeks 8-11 development competition with no internationals (IM suggests Anglo-American comp)
Week 8 prep week for internationals players
Weeks 9-11 autumn internationals
Weeks 12-15 Premiership 4 rounds
Weeks 16-18 European competition
Weeks 19-26 development competition second block of fixtures
Week 19 prep week for 6N players
Weeks 20-26 6N
Weeks 27-32 premiership 6 rounds
Week 33 development competition play off 1
Week 34 Premiership play off 1 2Av3B, 2Bv3A, 4Av7B, 4Bv7A, 5Av6B, 5Bv6A
Week 35 European competition play off 1
Week 36 development semi finals
Week 37 Premiership play off 2, 1Av'2B', 1Bv'2A', 4Av5B, 4Bv5A
Week 38 European semi finals
Week 39 development final
Week 40 Premiership final
Week 41 European final

This fits with the September to June season the clubs want and would mean a maximum of 32 matches for any player the current set maximum.
It would also mean that except for injury or performance all players would be eligible to play in all Premiership and European matches for clubs.
Maybe if the other 2 leagues followed suit, (they have 14 teams in each league) then a proper season structure could be put in place.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Alternatively you could rest players...

Season ticket holders will still go. The provinces attendances would land them all at 6th place in the prem, with Europe considered Leinster have sold more tickets than any premiership side this season. (they'd be second but for the extra home game over Leicester)

This idea only further blocks young talent. The two other, currently better performing leagues, both play second sides far more often, implement something similar that works there. (The benefit in France is somewhat destroyed by having extra games.

 

[curtbob7]

No. Reduces the amount of home games from 16-17ish to what, 11 or 12?

That's a big drop in revenue for the clubs.

Maybe it could work with 18+, two conferences of 9?

 

[stus768]

I like it but would the issue for clubs not be: less matches = less tv money. Plus two extra teams to share that money with.

 

[curtbob7]

I think you might get additional sponsorship interest with 14-18 teams. Different areas of the country and that.

Yorkshire- M62 corridor
South Coast
East Anglia
Cornwall?

All could do with a top-flight rugby club.

Can the Locusts move again, this time to Brighton or Southampton allowing Coventry to be in charge of their own city?

 

[stus768]

Im sure you could work out a way of having more play off games- top 8 play off and bottom 6 playoff to increase 'big' games. As a broadcaster I would rather have less games overall but the games I do have are bigger.

Edit: also would prefer to have a higher likelihood of star players being available.

 

[RedruthRFC]

I think you might get additional sponsorship interest with 14-18 teams. Different areas of the country and that.

Yorkshire- M62 corridor
South Coast
East Anglia
Cornwall?

All could do with a top-flight rugby club.

Can the Locusts move again, this time to Brighton or Southampton allowing Coventry to be in charge of their own city?

Wasn't the general consensus recently that the top level needs to be reduced? Even if what you're suggesting is done in such a way to mean equal or higher revenues for all 14-18 teams, I'd have thought that the greater demand on the player pool would lead to a reduced standard overall. The Cornish Pirates seem to be borrowing their blueprint for Premiership stability from The Field of Dreams, but I've yet to see anything compelling to make me think that it could happen. Leeds appear to be on a downward trajectory under McGeechan's tenure.

 

[curtbob7]

They would play each other only once though. I like the 14 teams idea to be honest. Playing eachother twice but scrapping the Anglo-Welsh then introducing a proper A-league/cup.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Alternatively you could rest players...

Season ticket holders will still go. The provinces attendances would land them all at 6th place in the prem, with Europe considered Leinster have sold more tickets than any premiership side this season. (they'd be second but for the extra home game over Leicester)

This idea only further blocks young talent. The two other, currently better performing leagues, both play second sides far more often, implement something similar that works there. (The benefit in France is somewhat destroyed by having extra games.

Basically that is the easiest solution.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Out of interest did McGeechan mention who the teams added to the top tier would be or who this would be determined?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Basically that is the easiest solution.

You could even have an NBA type rule where they designate certain fixtures/rounds that teams have to play 1st stringers, you'll also never get to the extent of resting in the pro14 because the gulf from Top 4 to mid tier teams and to bottom feeders again isn't as big.

 

[higgik]

Alternatively you could rest players...

Season ticket holders will still go. The provinces attendances would land them all at 6th place in the prem, with Europe considered Leinster have sold more tickets than any premiership side this season. (they'd be second but for the extra home game over Leicester)

This idea only further blocks young talent. The two other, currently better performing leagues, both play second sides far more often, implement something similar that works there. (The benefit in France is somewhat destroyed by having extra games.

But the youth and academy players would get as many as 15 matches playing in the 'Anglo-American' comp with only the 30-40 international players missing out, which over 14 teams is about 2-3 per club, meaning places for 2-3 youth players every round over 12-15 matches.

 

[higgik]

They would play each other only once though. I like the 14 teams idea to be honest. Playing eachother twice but scrapping the Anglo-Welsh then introducing a proper A-league/cup.

No they would play in own conference home and away to give the 12 matches, as opposed to pro 14 that also play extra matches against the other conference.

I like the idea of reducing the amount of matches in the league, as it makes every match more intense. Just look at every year, the bottom 1-2 are decided well before round 12, this would just make it more intense, yet still keep all 14 teams eligible for a champions cup place through the play offs.

 

[higgik]

Out of interest did McGeechan mention who the teams added to the top tier would be or who this would be determined?

No, but I would like to see the current top 11, although Worcester need some finance, plus Bristol, Yorkshire and Doncaster.
Then 2 conferences of
South: Exeter, Bristol, Bath, Gloucester, Northampton, Saracens, Harlequins
North: Newcastle, Sale, Yorkshire, Doncaster, Leicester, Wasps, Worcester (or another northern team)

 

[higgik]

If you use the current tables, the play offs would be:
Cup: Wasps v Gloucester, Saracens v Newcastle, Exeter & Leicester byes
EC Cup: Bath v Yorkshire, Sale v Bristol, Harlequins v Doncaster, Worcester v Northampton

So everyone would be guaranteed 12 matches and at least 1 play off match.
There would also be 10 group matches in the Anglo-American Cup

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

But the youth and academy players would get as many as 15 matches playing in the 'Anglo-American' comp with only the 30-40 international players missing out, which over 14 teams is about 2-3 per club, meaning places for 2-3 youth players every round over 12-15 matches.

Missed that, its still not as good as playing the premier competition bar maybe the last rounds. (The teams that get thrown around in the LV are gash) It'd probably be worth peanuts too.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

From the noises in the prem we are having a full team A league so that will be like 24 A games a season if true, which should be alot of game time for Younger players assuming teams use them instead of being like Falcons and having Mermoz in their team.

 

[higgik]

Missed that, its still not as good as playing the premier competition bar maybe the last rounds. (The teams that get thrown around in the LV are gash) It'd probably be worth peanuts too.

True but with many 1st team playing, (only internationals not playing) teams will still be strong.
The peanuts thing is why Sir Ian suggested American teams, as sponsorship potential would be greater with them on board, especially after the Gallagher sponsorships

 

[higgik]

But the youth and academy players would get as many as 15 matches playing in the 'Anglo-American' comp with only the 30-40 international players missing out, which over 14 teams is about 2-3 per club, meaning places for 2-3 youth players every round over 12-15 matches.

The number of home matches would remain broadly the same as current, with
6 Premiership
3 European
5 Anglo-American

A loss of 2 guaranteed home matches out of 16, with potentially at least 3 more.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Ditch Wasps, Worcester and Saints Keep Tigers as the sole midlands team = Less fixtures and everyone is happy.