johnthegriff wrote: ↑Fri Apr 16, 2021 11:08 am
Quite simply the RFU mandarins have to get off their backsides and find the money or investors to finance asecond tier of professional rugby. There are too few people playing and watching our game, the Premiership is available to only a few geographic locations and with ringfencing that will remain, a realistic competition for promotion will bring in new fans, achieving the higher status with international players visiting will increase the gate at promoted clubs. I believe ring fencing will eventually see a move to amalgamated regional teams as in Wales with small crowds as supporters remain true to their Principality side rather than the artificially created province. Of course many fans abandon rugby altogether and switch to soccer with divisional leagues, promotion and relegation.
A lot of folk believe regional club rugby will never happen in England but all it will take is the bubble to burst.
The biggest risk in ring fencing is in the competition itself as it has been shown that certain people don't place overall long term interests over their own short term interests.
I've long thought that Premiership 2nd/academy teams could be in divisional leagues with Championship, National One and National Two clubs.
Four divisional leagues separated into North, Midlands, South East and South West.
Semi-Final play offs and a Final involving the four divisional league winners.
If a Premiership 2nd/academy team wins it then no promotion to the Premiership that season, otherwise the winner has the choice IF they meet the criteria, potential promotion (maybe a play off with bottom Prem club) or the status quo.
Everything below should be fully amateur.
Grow links and grow the strength of the game, keep travelling costs down, provide a genuine league season for aspiring youngsters to be involved in and make it more easily accessible to everyone.