Which team would you support

[ay2oh]

Purely hypothetical but :
Probables - Northampton, Bath, Worcester, Harlequins, Sale
Possibles - London Irish, Wasps, Newcastle, Gloucester
No chance - Saracens, Bristol, Exeter

[Scott1]

Does anyone like Sarries or Chiefs?

[ay2oh]

No

[ourla]

Clermont

[jgriffin]

Burntwood.

[Goodevibrations]

Does anyone like Sarries or Chiefs?

I don't really have too much against Exeter. I have a lot of time for for Rob Baxter and what they have built down there. The sooner they lose their branding and are made to get rid of that horrid song they have the better though.

[Leicestertinytiger]

Always got a soft spot for Falcons and Quins. Hate to say it but know loads of Saints fans and always good to see a midlands club doing well - just not as well as Tigers of course.

Dislike: Sarries, Sale, Wasps, Bristol, Exeter

[Goodevibrations]

As I've said before, I don't like Northampton because they are our local rivals but I have respect for them because they are a proper club. The midlands will always be between us and Northampton, Wasps will never be relevant to us.

[Dangerous4]

LEICESTER
WASPS
LONDON IRISH
QUINS

No preference for the rest, but bottom two dislikes.

GLOUCESTER
SARACENS

[Scott1]

LEICESTER
WASPS
LONDON IRISH
QUINS

No preference for the rest, but bottom two dislikes.

GLOUCESTER
SARACENS

Shame mate,I've got a soft spot for Gloc.

[Jacko27]

"Does anyone like Sarries or Chiefs?"

Interesting question but firstly in interests of full disclosure: although Loughborough born and bred, I've lived nearly all my adult life in East London but the umbilical allegiance to Tigers ( and Leicester City and Leics CCC) has never weakened and if anything has got stronger over the decades. Nothing could persuade me to switch allegiance to (say) Saracens - our nearest "big" club.

However (if one lays the financial corruption of the last few years to one side for a moment) there are things to be said in that club's favour. They have built a successful professional club from next to nothing. I remember going to see Saracens play Tigers back in the 80's when they played in a roped-off section of a public park with one tiny stand and a handful of spectators. When professionalism first beckoned they tried to "buy" success with big name signings. When that didn't really work they started doing it the hard way from the grassroots up, establishing (as I can personally verify) good links with schools and junior clubs. Believe me this is not that easy in an area like Northeast London where football is and always will be king.

As regards Exeter (prefer to refer them as that rather than Chiefs as I can't stand all that ridiculous Indian regalia) I do admire the way they fought their ways up through the leagues and, it seems to me, they do still represent the South West in the way that Leicester used to (and perhaps still do) represent Leicestershire and the Midlands.

Not sure that any of the above equals "like" but I am able to respect some of what these two successful clubs have achieved.

[fentiger]

Does anyone like Sarries or Chiefs?

No they can go straight in my 'soft spot' ie: bog along with Bristol for good measure

[markharbtiger]

I might be accused of being picky, but once you exclude teams who think they're better than they are, teams who aren't 'traditional', teams with annoying fans/chants/players/coaching staff, teams with mega-rich owners, or teams based in London...I seem to be left with only one...in the East Mids. On the River Soar.
(Edit: teams with plastic pitches also excluded)

[Scott1]

I'll tell my Sarries story again to remind you why they are so disliked. A couple of 3 seasons back they were first live game of the season iirc and the reporter was doing the rounds on the pitch and approached Billy V and asked what he had been up to in the summer. His reply was "staying humble"!
Any other player would've said spending time with the wife and kids,family,training,resting,even inject a bit of humour and say eating. But it was a rehearsed reply that honestly made me want to throw up,especially more now after finding out what the club is truly like. So false!

[Big Dai]

Second club...After many happy hours in the city, taking in the wine, the cassoulet and the duck. Also working with a first class prop.


Toulouse!