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tirawleybaron

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URC should develop regional feeder leagues to allow for future replacement of non performing teams.

Africa
Cheetahs, Pumas, Griquas, Griffons, Western Province, Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabwe


Eastern Europe
Black Lion (Georgia), Tel-Aviv Heat (Israel), Romanian Wolves (Bucharest), Fiamme Oro (Italy), Kiev (Ukraine), Warsaw (Poland), Berlin (Germany)

Western Europe
Brussels Devils (Belgium), Delta (Netherlands), Lusitanos (Portugal), Castilla Y Leon Iberians (Spain), Dublin, Scottish Borders, North Wales
 
Let me know what you think?

United Rugby Shield - New URC Expansion Competition Concept

@ Martin Anayi & World Rugby - please take note... The United Rugby Shield (URS) would be a standalone expansion league to the URC that would be made up of club franchises from both the Northern & Southern Hemispheres. It's objective would be a high performance pathway competition for both...
www.therugbyforum.com
 
* Pro 14
Connacht
Leinster
Munster
Ulster
Edinburgh
Glasgow Warriors
Caledonia Reds (new)
Cardiff
Dragons
Ospreys
Scarlets
Benetton
Zebre Parma
Praetorians (new)


¿and South African franchises?
SUPER RUGBY ATLANTIC
Bulls (Blue Bulls, Bostwana XV) Pretoria
Cheetahs (Free State Cheetahs, Leopards) Bloemfontein
Lions (Golden Lions, Falcons), Johannesburg
Rhinos (Pumas, Griffons), Mbombela
Sharks (Natal Sharks, Border Bulldogs) Durban
Southern Kings (Griquas, Mighty Elephants, SWD Eagles) Port Elizabeth
Stormers (Western Province, Boland Kavaliers) Cape Town
Hyenas (Welwitschias, Simbas, Goshawks, Craines XV) Windhoek
Aguarás (Teros XV, Yacare XV, Cobras, Litorales, Anacondas) Montevideo
Ceibos (Dogos XV, Tarucas) Córdoba
Pampas (Pampas XV, Pescadores) Buenos Aires
Selknam (Cóndores XV, Cafeteros Pro, Megaterios, Andinos) Santiago

CURRIE CUP
Currie Cup Premier Division:
Blue Bulls
Free State Cheetahs
Golden Lions
Griquas
Natal Sharks
Pumas
Western Province
Dogos XV (UCR, USR)
Pampas XV (URBA)
Welwitschies (Namibia XV)

CURRIE CUP
Currie Cup First Division:
Boland Kavaliers
Border Bulldogs
Falcons (or Valke)
Griffons
Leopards
Mighty Epephands (or Eastern Province Elephants)
SWD Eagles
Goshawks (Zimbabwe XV)
Simbas (Kenya XV)
Tarucas (URT, UJR, UAR)

SUPER RUGBY AFRICA
Division I:
Springboks under-20 (South African Students, from Varsity Cup)
Goshawks (Zimbabwe)
Simbas (Kenya)
Rugby Cranes (Uganda)
Les Makis (Madagascar)
Atlas Lions (Morocco)
Carthage Eagles (Tunisia)
Les Lions de la Teranga (Senegal)
Les Lionceaux (Algeria)
Les Éléphants (Ivory Coast)

SUPER RUGBY AFRICA
Division II:
Les Aigles (Zambia)
Vultures (Botswana)
Black Stallions (Nigeria)
Eagles (Ghana)
Les Étalons (Burkina Faso)
Mauritius XV
Silverbacks (Rwanda)
Burundi XV
Eswatini XV
Indomitable Lions (Cameroon)

SUPER RUGBY AMERICAS
Cafetereos (Colombia)
Cobras (Brasil)
Cóndores (Chile)
Teros XV (Uruguay)
Yacaré XV (Paraguay)
Megaterios (URC, URAV, URA, URVCh, USJR, URLS, URSL, USCR, URTF)
Litorales (UER, URR, URuMi, URF)
Andinos (Perú, Ecuador, Bolivia)
Anacondas (Guyana and Venezuela)
Pescadores (UMdP, URS, UROBA)

SUPER RUGBY NORTH AMERICA
British Columbia Bears
Prairie Wolf Pack
Ontario Blues / Toronto Arrows
Atlantic Rock
Western Cougars (Western Division-USA)
Colorado Raptors (Central Division-USA)
Southern Panthers (USA Rugby South)
Eastern Hawks (Eastern Division-USA)
Serpientes XV (México, Costa Rica)
Caribbean Warriors (Trinidad & Tobago, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Bermuda, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Bahamas)

Promotion and relegation:
The last-placed American team and the last-placed African team (non-RSA) in the Currie Cup (either in the Premier or First Division) will play a play-off match against the top-placed team from Super Rugby Americas and Super Rugby Africa-Division I respectively.
+Example:
-Single match at the challenger's home.
Craines (Uganda) vs. Simbas (Kenya)
Teros XV (Uruguay) vs. Tarucas (Tucumán, Argentina)


¿and Europe?
EUROPEAN RUGBY CHAMPIONS CUP
7 from Premiership: Northampton Saints, Bath, Sale Sharks, Saracens, Bristol Bears, Harlequins, Exeter Chiefs
7 from Top-14: Toulouse, Stade Français, Bordeaux Bègles, Toulon, La Rochelle, Racing 92, Castres
7 from URC (Pro 14): Munster, Leinster, Glasgow Warriors, Ulster, Benetton, Ospreys, Edinburgh
3 from Ligue GalBrEusCat*: USA Perpignan, Aviron Bayonnais, Cornish Pirates

EPCR CHALLENGE CUP
7 from Premiership: Leicester Tigers, Gloucester, Newcastle Falcons, Ealing Trailfinders, London Irish, London Wasps, Worcester Warriors
7 from Top-14: Clermont, Pau, Lyon, Montpellier, Provence, Grenoble, Béziers
7 from URC (Pro 14): Connacht, Cardiff, Scarlets, Dragons, Zebre Parma, Caledonia Reds, Praetorinas
3 from Ligue GalBrEusCat*: Vannes RC, Anget ORC, UE Santboiana

RUGBY EUROPE SUPER CUP (first seasons)
4 from Ligue GalBrEusCat*: Camborne RFC, Ordizia KE, St-Jean-de-Luz olympique
4 from Top 10 (Italy): Petrarca, Rovigo, Valorugby, Viadana
4 from Didi 10 (Georgia): Aia Kutaisi, Lelo Saracens, Kochebi Bolnisi, Ares Kutaisi
4 from Liga de Rugby Kaufland (Romania): Timișoara, Baia Mare, Dinamo București, Steaua București
3 from Pari-Russian Rugby Championship: Strela-Agro Kazan, Yenisey-STM, Lokomotiv
5 from Europe Super Rugby: Brussels Devils, Castilla y León Iberians, Luistanos XV, The Delta, Edelweiße (SWI)

CONTINENTAL CLUB RUBY LEAGUE (first seasons)
4 from Didi 10 (Georgia): RC Batumi, Khvamli Tbilisi, Rustavi Kharebi, Kazbegi
4 from Liga de Rugby Kaufland (Romania): Universitatea Cluj-Napoca, Politehnica Iași, CSM Constanța, RC Bârlad
4 from Pari-Russian Rugby Championship: Krasny Yar, Dynamo Moscow, Metallurg Novokuznetsk, Slava Moscow
4 from Europe Super Rugby: Bohemia Warriors, Adler (GER), Bizony (POL), Einherjar (SWE)

A few yeas later...
RUGBY EUROPE SUPER CUP (16 teams)
4 from Ligue GalBrEusCat*
4 from Top 10 (Italy)
3 or 4 from Didi 10 (Georgia)
3 or 4 from Liga de Rugby Kaufland (Romania)
3 or 4 from Pari-Russian Rugby Championship (Russia)
3 from División de Honor (Spain)
3 from Campeonato Português (Portugal)

CONTINENTAL CLUB RUBY LEAGUE (Eastern Conference, 16 teams)
4 or 3 from Didi 10 (Georgia)
4 or 3 from Liga de Rugby Kaufland (Romania)
4 or 3 from Pari-Russian Rugby Championship (Russia)
5 franchises from Europe Super Rugby: Adler (GER), Bizony (POL), Einherjar (SWE), Amber Warriosrs (LET and LIT), Kozaky (UKR)

CONTINENTAL CLUB RUBY LEAGUE (Western Conference, 16 teams)
3 from Top 10 (Italy)
2 or 3 from GalbrEusCat League-2*
3 from División de Honor (Spain)
3 from Campeonato Português (Portugal)
5 or 4 franchises from Europe Super Rugby: Brussels Devils (BEL), The Delta (NED), Bohemian Warriors (CZE), Edelweiße (SWI),... and Vatreni (CRO)


¿Ligue GalBrEusCat?

** Ligue GalBrEusCat
- GBEC-1 (10 teams)
RC Vannes -e- (from Bretagne)
Rennes EC (from Bretagne)
Cornish Pirates -e- (from Cornwall)
Camborne RFC (from Cornwall)
Aviron Bayonnais -e- (from Euskal Herria)
Biarritz Olympique -e- (from Euskal Herria)
Anglet ORC (from Euskal Herria)
Ordizia KE (from Euskal Herria)
USA Perpignan -e- (from Catalonia)
UE Santboiana (from Catalonia)

- GBEC-2 (12 teams)
Corsaire Saint-Malo (Bretagne)
Stade Nantaise (Bretagne)
Redruth RCF (Cornwall)
Hasparren AC (Euskal Herria)
SA Mauléon (Euskal Herria)
US Nafarroa (Euskal Herria)
Saint-Jean-de-Luz Olympique (Euskal Herria)
Universitario Bilbao (Euskal Herria)
Amatori Alghero (Catalonia)
FC Barcelona (Catalonia)
Céret sportif (Catalonia)
Salanque Côte Radieuse (Catalonia)

> The various sports federations (especially in football) of Galiza, Brerizh, Euskal Herria and Catalunya are the most claimants in wanting their situation to be made official and to be able to compete in international tournaments with their national teams. What if the solution is a multi-national confederation format? That is to say, leagues in which the professional categories are played by Galician, Breton, Basque and Catalan teams.
Cornish Pirates and Camborne RFC are clubs from Cornwall, The intention of their inclusion in the Ligue GalBrEusCat is that this competition can be a springboard for mutual development, as the RFU Championship teams face a very tough barrier preventing their promotion to the Premiership Rugby, that hinders their development.
In the first seanos (4 or 5), before starting to compete in Europe, the GBEC teams from the Top-14 or RFU would be the espoirs (e) or academy teams. After that time, club would leave the Top-14 and RFU Championship permanently.
 
We could divide the world into increasingly fair and evenly matched catchment and pathways areas, always making the number one team's patch smaller and some of the surrounding areas bigger by redevoting some of the outer local gov't areas, regardless in which country the strongest team resides, until one day, we end up with a team breaking into the top five who 10 years back had no hope of getting anywhere near it. I prefer this solution-oriented route rather than just sit back and suffer the very unequal catchment area patches forever. Promotion and relegation are also very good for the game, and for viewer excitement, so bringing it in here would be a fantastic idea.
 
LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan) said:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/anglo-welsh-league-moves-close-32008735

Yearly Welsh clubs to Prem story
IDK would be cool to see the black lions involved for a welsh team, 19 of the current Georgian team is playing with them.
Click to expand...
Surely the end result will be a British & Irish League.
2 Welsh (Cardiff Dragons, Swansea Bay)
2 Scottish (Current)
4 Irish (Current)
12 English (Current plus Doncaster and Pirates)

2 conferences of 10, home and away in conference, plus play offs.
 
Well after years of uncertaintly it sounds like this is it, by October we'll know the future direction of Welsh rugby!

I'm kind of excited personally, but it's easier for me as I've never been a one club/region supporter as I didn't really have one growing up - my dad is/was a 'Welsh rugby' supporter, and supported all equally.

Sounds like there will be a reduction in pro sides, whether that's 2 or 3 remains to be seen. This is probably the only real way forward, short term. But I would like to see a long term plan of sustainable growth (Valleys, North Wales).

Also sounds like there will be considerable investment in the tier below (Super Rygbi Cymru), and in academy pathways. This is music to my ears as both have been lacking for far too long and is the real key for future sustainability.

Then there's the question of where they'll play. Still lots of rumours 2 regions are being primed to join the English Prem, which I'm all for personally, purely due to geography and historical rivalries, and not a comment on the quality of the URC.

Lots of supporters will be unhappy. Probably innevitable tbh, but all I hope for is a cohesive, sensible structure to Welsh rugby that regional rugby failed to achive in '03.

I can't overstate how huge this is for the future of Welsh rugby!
 
dullonien said:
Well after years of uncertaintly it sounds like this is it, by October we'll know the future direction of Welsh rugby!

I'm kind of excited personally, but it's easier for me as I've never been a one club/region supporter as I didn't really have one growing up - my dad is/was a 'Welsh rugby' supporter, and supported all equally.

Sounds like there will be a reduction in pro sides, whether that's 2 or 3 remains to be seen. This is probably the only real way forward, short term. But I would like to see a long term plan of sustainable growth (Valleys, North Wales).

Also sounds like there will be considerable investment in the tier below (Super Rygbi Cymru), and in academy pathways. This is music to my ears as both have been lacking for far too long and is the real key for future sustainability.

Then there's the question of where they'll play. Still lots of rumours 2 regions are being primed to join the English Prem, which I'm all for personally, purely due to geography and historical rivalries, and not a comment on the quality of the URC.

Lots of supporters will be unhappy. Probably innevitable tbh, but all I hope for is a cohesive, sensible structure to Welsh rugby that regional rugby failed to achive in '03.

I can't overstate how huge this is for the future of Welsh rugby!
Click to expand...
Could make or break it in reality. Lots of different views I am sure, but I don't think they will be able to cut existing teams and expect the fanbase of the closed team to move across to another existing team. I wouldn't be supporting Dragons if Cardiff go, for example, I'd likely support Wales and watch rugby more generally. One thing that keeps rugby popular here is the romance with its history, so any action will likely have an adverse impact in the first instance.

The most sensible way to go will be for 2/3 new teams so it seems fair for everyone, but I wonder how the boards of the current businesses will be persuaded. For example, Buttress has invested heavily in the Drags so can't imagine they'll suddenly want an East Wales team playing out of the City Centre.

Also, think the north is a little bit of a wild goose chase, particularly the north, football mad, small populations. If we have limited resources you need to fund the key areas properly. RGC didn't exactly light the world on fire with interest. Continue to invest in the semi pro team by all means but there's no way there should be a professional team up there.
 
dullonien said:
Well after years of uncertaintly it sounds like this is it, by October we'll know the future direction of Welsh rugby!

I'm kind of excited personally, but it's easier for me as I've never been a one club/region supporter as I didn't really have one growing up - my dad is/was a 'Welsh rugby' supporter, and supported all equally.

Sounds like there will be a reduction in pro sides, whether that's 2 or 3 remains to be seen. This is probably the only real way forward, short term. But I would like to see a long term plan of sustainable growth (Valleys, North Wales).

Also sounds like there will be considerable investment in the tier below (Super Rygbi Cymru), and in academy pathways. This is music to my ears as both have been lacking for far too long and is the real key for future sustainability.

Then there's the question of where they'll play. Still lots of rumours 2 regions are being primed to join the English Prem, which I'm all for personally, purely due to geography and historical rivalries, and not a comment on the quality of the URC.

Lots of supporters will be unhappy. Probably innevitable tbh, but all I hope for is a cohesive, sensible structure to Welsh rugby that regional rugby failed to achive in '03.

I can't overstate how huge this is for the future of Welsh rugby!
Click to expand...
For once the WRU may get it right.
2 teams with no connections to other clubs, maybe a 50/50 deal between WRU and a consortium would mean fresh starts.
The regained money could be used to create proper pathways.
Look at NZ and clubs have always seen pride in getting players to provincial teams and then to SRP.
Having a team in the West and in Cardiff would get best support, as long as Cardiff team was not linked to Cardiff RC.
Maybe name them
Cardiff Dragons, playing in Red and white hoops, (like the brand of the capital region).
Swansea Bay TSUNAMI, to go with the tidal theme, playing in Teal and violet and playing out of Parc Y Scarlets.
The WRU contracts are split between the 2 teams.
Meanwhile, SRC is developed by having a draft of ex-squad players from URC teams, 10 teams in specific development regions, full support and salary caps, again joint teams from areas where individual clubs may struggle financially are to be welcomed.
 
Leonormous Boozer said:
View attachment 24104

This will be great if it happens. Until South Africans start to claim they're Irish inter-provincial champions.
Click to expand...
An A' competition is definitely needed, however my impression was that the likes of the B&I cup was axed because of costs! I could definitely see the IRFU being on board if travel is extremely limited.
 
Groundhog said:
An A' competition is definitely needed, however my impression was that the likes of the B&I cup was axed because of costs! I could definitely see the IRFU being on board if travel is extremely limited.
Click to expand...

Yeah I was going to say how would the costs work? SA to Ireland for A games just doesn't seem logical from a finance pov

Would it work with playing teams from the European super cup?

Would like to see a English and Irish A league but got more chances of the RFU agreeing to let Ireland have a club in London for the URC
 
higgik said:
For once the WRU may get it right.
2 teams with no connections to other clubs, maybe a 50/50 deal between WRU and a consortium would mean fresh starts.
The regained money could be used to create proper pathways.
Look at NZ and clubs have always seen pride in getting players to provincial teams and then to SRP.
Having a team in the West and in Cardiff would get best support, as long as Cardiff team was not linked to Cardiff RC.
Maybe name them
Cardiff Dragons, playing in Red and white hoops, (like the brand of the capital region).
Swansea Bay TSUNAMI, to go with the tidal theme, playing in Teal and violet and playing out of Parc Y Scarlets.
The WRU contracts are split between the 2 teams.
Meanwhile, SRC is developed by having a draft of ex-squad players from URC teams, 10 teams in specific development regions, full support and salary caps, again joint teams from areas where individual clubs may struggle financially are to be welcomed.
Click to expand...

Haha we might want to rethink tsunami given it’s usually accompanied by death and destruction (although it would be a very WRU thing to do.)

I think we need three, hard to decide on the battle lines, it won’t be right for everyone wherever they are drawn.

Yeah I always liked the Glamorgan colours of white and red in the triangle theme like the flag. I’d love a white and Cambridge blue hoops too as that would make a mean looking strip.
 
Think that A competition was rumoured before. Would be a great addition. We've seen an increase in A interpret recently and it's something I believe they've explicitly targeted.

Would be great to get the younger lads experience playing against different style teams.
 
Bluemoon said:
Haha we might want to rethink tsunami given it's usually accompanied by death and destruction (although it would be a very WRU thing to do.)

I think we need three, hard to decide on the battle lines, it won't be right for everyone wherever they are drawn.

Yeah I always liked the Glamorgan colours of white and red in the triangle theme like the flag. I'd love a white and Cambridge blue hoops too as that would make a mean looking strip.
Click to expand...
With Cambridge Blue and white, might have to start calling them Jaguars or Pumas.
The TSUNAMI idea came from the planned tidal barrage across the bay and the design of the Swansea Bay Authority; Waves sounded poor.
 

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