Season structure, a suggestion

wellbutthatcouldbe · Post by **wellbutthatcouldbe** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:10 pm

JB: I think the American Football system you refering to works something like this: you play the teams in your conference home and away, but only play the teams in the other conference once (home and away in alternate years).

If used in rugby, you could have a North Division of Tigers, Northampton, Sale, Newcastle, Worcester and Gloucester, and a South Division of Wasps, Saracens, Quins, Irish, Bath and Bristol. Everyone plays the teams in their own conference home and away, but three of the teams from the other conference at home and three away.
So Tigers would still play Bath, Wasps etc. but once a season only (in the GP)

The top teams in the two conferences either on straight to a final, or the top two from each conference play off in semi finals.

This would reduce the League programme from 22 to 16 games in the regular season, which in a normal season, would eliminate the internationals problem. There are normally six GP weekends affected by internationals (this season there are seven) and that is what the League programme would be reduced by.

I have one problem though - how would relegation work?

dailywaffle · Post by **dailywaffle** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:58 pm

In the two 'conference' (or whatever) model, relegation would be via a playoff between the two last placed teams; either 'sudden death' or the old 'home and away' aggregate score.

Loser is replaced by the National champion. For reasons of geography, 'conferences' would be re-drawn each season.

This would all assume that ring-fencing wasn't in play (if it were .... no relegation, at least for now !)

Iain · Post by **Iain** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:06 pm

The reason American Football has geographical conferences is because the USA is so darn huge. They have states that are three or four times the size of our country. I once drove 10 hours and didn't get out of California. If you were driving ten hours to an away game here you're either taking a combination of the M1, the M25 and central London, you're travelling back from Saracens and hit one of those ungodly queues out of the hospital car park, the only logical place to park, or otherwise you've driven into the sea somewhere. In England there is no point in a geographic split, the country is too small!

For a better two conference model, look at the new NPC format in New Zealand. That is drawn dependent on league position last season. It then gets a little complicated to explain precisely, but involves the top teams playing the teams from the opposite conference with results carried over, followed by a play off. The two conferences don't stay separate, and are re-jigged each season.

dailywaffle · Post by **dailywaffle** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:11 pm

I completely agree Iain. On a similar thread months ago I suggested that SKY would televise and someone would sponsor the annual 're-drawing' of whatever we call conferences. The draw would be seeded, e.g. each conference would get two of the previous year's playoff teams and so on.

Iain · Post by **Iain** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:18 pm

The NPC is even simpler than that. First goes into Pool A, second into Pool B, third in A, fourth in B and so on. No need for a draw.

dailywaffle · Post by **dailywaffle** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:24 pm

Iain, you miss the point

Sponsors would want, even demand, a draw. Much more exciting than the NPC

Bill W · Post by **Bill W** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 12:53 am

I've got a headache! Can we not just have a league and the team that finishes at the top wins?

dailywaffle · Post by **dailywaffle** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 8:26 am

Hi Bill

In answer ... no. Whether one likes it or not, playoffs are hear to stay. As are the 'mickey mouse' cup and Internationals.

So, we have to have our fun 'playing' with the GP format !