You know what... I think a one-off season in the Challenge Cup will do us good

[ellis9]

I agree, it would bring the club as a whole down to earth!
Some different destinations sounds good too!

It will nice to visit other euro places, assuming we can still get in?

Of course we will. We are not going to banned entering countries are we?!

[nasher]

While we are at it, what about a couple of seasons in the championship? Clear out some deadwood, cleanse the boardroom and reduce the salary bill at the same time. Who knows it might concentrate a few minds.

[jgriffin]

While we are at it, what about a couple of seasons in the championship? Clear out some deadwood, cleanse the boardroom and reduce the salary bill at the same time. Who knows it might concentrate a few minds.

[TigerS2]

Look at how beneficial the Challenge Cup has been to Harlequins and Northampton this season, we will be able to blood some more youngsters and in a World Cup year it decreases the pressure and workload on our 6 England internationals (plus possibly Spencer) and players we will lose to other nations: Denton (Scotland), Kalamafoni & Fe’ao (Tonga), Ma’afu (Fiji), Gigena & Cortes (Argentina).

So what if that means a trip to Russia or Romania, I’d give my arm to go to places like those (I’m sure Comrade Putin could arrange that )

I think it will finish the Tigers. How will Leicester be able to attract great players and keep the ones we have already if we are not in the Heineken Cup competition? It will be a humiliation for our club.

[JP14]

Look at how beneficial the Challenge Cup has been to Harlequins and Northampton this season, we will be able to blood some more youngsters and in a World Cup year it decreases the pressure and workload on our 6 England internationals (plus possibly Spencer) and players we will lose to other nations: Denton (Scotland), Kalamafoni & Fe’ao (Tonga), Ma’afu (Fiji), Gigena & Cortes (Argentina).

So what if that means a trip to Russia or Romania, I’d give my arm to go to places like those (I’m sure Comrade Putin could arrange that )

I think it will finish the Tigers. How will Leicester be able to attract great players and keep the ones we have already if we are not in the Heineken Cup competition? It will be a humiliation for our club.

That is an interesting and good point, I believe it is a necessary humiliation and a wake-up call to those above board that things need to change. Why wasn’t the semifinal in 14/15 a wake up call, I don’t know but hey-ho.

[chewbacca]

I think relegation would finish the way Tigers are currently funded. With no cap in the championship I doubt we would be able to spend as Bristol did to gain promotion without the resources of a 'sugar daddy'

[Scuttle]

Look at how beneficial the Challenge Cup has been to Harlequins and Northampton this season, we will be able to blood some more youngsters and in a World Cup year it decreases the pressure and workload on our 6 England internationals (plus possibly Spencer) and players we will lose to other nations: Denton (Scotland), Kalamafoni & Fe’ao (Tonga), Ma’afu (Fiji), Gigena & Cortes (Argentina).

So what if that means a trip to Russia or Romania, I’d give my arm to go to places like those (I’m sure Comrade Putin could arrange that )

I think it will finish the Tigers. How will Leicester be able to attract great players and keep the ones we have already if we are not in the Heineken Cup competition? It will be a humiliation for our club.

Genuine question. Do players have contract clauses stating they can leave if the team do not qualify for HC rugby in the following season? If so is it likely any of ours could be off if we do not make top 6?

[nasher]

If we are spending up to the salary cap now we are not doing very well out of it!

[RagingBull]

The idea that not being in the Heineken cup would be humiliating for the club is both ludicrous and laughable.
I think we are one of the only few clubs in europe to never be in it. (Certainly in the prem) Yet it hasn't affected others.

Some people really don't have a clue at times, highlights how sheltered some Tigers fans really are if they think Challenge cup rugby is a humiliation and maybe should come to terms with the real world.

Also why would we need a sugar daddy to get promoted if we did go down?
At the very worst I would imagine our Champ team would look like for me
1. Bateman
2. Youngs
3. Heyes
4. Wells
5. Fitzgerald
6. Taufua/Reffell
7. Thompson
8. Kalamafoni
9. Harrison
10. Hardwick
11. Olowofela
12. Reid
13. Taute
14. Aspland-Robinson
15. Steward

16. Clare
17. Gigena
18. Faeo
19. Lewis
20. Reffell/Tuilagi
21. Simmons
22. Costelow
23. Browning

That's a worst case scenario, I doubt Veainu would be let go for example.
The thing that usually gets most relegated Prem teams v Champ clubs is the scrum which we have pretty good practice at.

[Dangerous4]

Oh I didn't realise Saints based how successful their season is based on if they are higher than us.

They don’t and I never insinuated that, they will judge their season as to whether they qualify for Europe or not.

You did. You said "it has, they're ahead of us". What else could you mean?

At this moment in time they are better than us (re Premiership table). That of course might later change, but statistics are the measure by which we are judged, Facts are facts. Points accumulated, points for and against show them as such. Your comments are speculative, and nothing more.

[ellis9]

They don’t and I never insinuated that, they will judge their season as to whether they qualify for Europe or not.

You did. You said "it has, they're ahead of us". What else could you mean?

At this moment in time they are better than us (re Premiership table). That of course might later change, but statistics are the measure by which we are judged, Facts are facts. Points accumulated, points for and against show them as such. Your comments are speculative, and nothing more.

You've missed the point. How has Saints being in the Challenge Cup helped them? They are only 3 points ahead of us and could still get relegated. They've not been very good this season.

Whether they're ahead of us or not is irrelevant. Being in the Challenge Cup hasn't helped them. Unless of course they'd be bottom of the league now if they'd been playing in the Champions Cup.

[ourla]

It's an interesting one but if I look at our squad for next season with players like Kerr and Heyes coming through, and guys like TV coming back to fitness, etc... I'd like to see them competing with the best. I know there are a few if's and but's but it would be a shame to see the likes of Dan Cole and Jonny May playing in the lower level.

[JP14]

You did. You said "it has, they're ahead of us". What else could you mean?

At this moment in time they are better than us (re Premiership table). That of course might later change, but statistics are the measure by which we are judged, Facts are facts. Points accumulated, points for and against show them as such. Your comments are speculative, and nothing more.

You've missed the point. How has Saints being in the Challenge Cup helped them? They are only 3 points ahead of us and could still get relegated. They've not been very good this season.

Whether they're ahead of us or not is irrelevant. Being in the Challenge Cup hasn't helped them. Unless of course they'd be bottom of the league now if they'd been playing in the Champions Cup.

Even so, look at Quins yes they lost to Gloucester but will probably still finish Top 4.

[ellis9]

At this moment in time they are better than us (re Premiership table). That of course might later change, but statistics are the measure by which we are judged, Facts are facts. Points accumulated, points for and against show them as such. Your comments are speculative, and nothing more.

You've missed the point. How has Saints being in the Challenge Cup helped them? They are only 3 points ahead of us and could still get relegated. They've not been very good this season.

Whether they're ahead of us or not is irrelevant. Being in the Challenge Cup hasn't helped them. Unless of course they'd be bottom of the league now if they'd been playing in the Champions Cup.

Even so, look at Quins yes they lost to Gloucester but will probably still finish Top 4.

Yet the other 3 teams in the top 4 played in the Champions Cup this season so the theory is out in my opinion.

[JP14]

You've missed the point. How has Saints being in the Challenge Cup helped them? They are only 3 points ahead of us and could still get relegated. They've not been very good this season.

Whether they're ahead of us or not is irrelevant. Being in the Challenge Cup hasn't helped them. Unless of course they'd be bottom of the league now if they'd been playing in the Champions Cup.

Even so, look at Quins yes they lost to Gloucester but will probably still finish Top 4.

Yet the other 3 teams in the top 4 played in the Champions Cup this season so the theory is out in my opinion.

No it isn’t really because 2/3 teams failed to qualify from the pool stages.