The Playoffs and Rugby Union

[Artuin]

Thank goodness I have renewed my membership...the only way is up!

[kingol22]

The play offs also create a system which means there is competition until the end of the season for a spot in the top four and stops the season becoming boring if one team runs away with it. Although judging by the crowd yesterday something needs to be done to increase interest maybe the proposed move next year will do just that

[Bill W (2)]

The play offs also create a system which means there is competition until the end of the season for a spot in the top four and stops the season becoming boring if one team runs away with it. Although judging by the crowd yesterday something needs to be done to increase interest maybe the proposed move next year will do just that

What was wrong with the crowd? 80000 is a fair few isn't it?

[tig1]

Money is obviously the driver and it comes from the very top of the game, with most countries now averaging around 12 -14 International games per year now with reciprical Autumn and Summer tours. Totally devaluing International rugby in the process IMHO.

I must admit that on balance i like the play off system. The semi vs Northampton this year was the best game of rugby i have seen for a long time, and despite the defeat yesterday i had a great day out at Twickenham with my family.

In the end the fans can vote with their feet, and its clear that attendances are still excellent across the full spectrum of the professional game.

[kingol22]

The play offs also create a system which means there is competition until the end of the season for a spot in the top four and stops the season becoming boring if one team runs away with it. Although judging by the crowd yesterday something needs to be done to increase interest maybe the proposed move next year will do just that

What was wrong with the crowd? 80000 is a fair few isn't it?

I didn't realise it was 80,000 as it didn't look like that much but it is still a decrease just not as much as i thought.

[Bill W (2)]

I didn't realise it was 80,000 as it didn't look like that much but it is still a decrease just not as much as i thought.

I understand that the number of Sarries supporters has declined since they announced their move to Barnet.

[yellow_balaclava_hunter]

I still don't understand why we can't have a trophy for the League and one for the playoffs.

We used to have it.

Anyway the club could have ended this nonsense. We have been in the final seven years in a row and if we had put our academy out in every single one of those games then people would have lost interest by now and it would have been scrapped.

[Hull Fan]

Eveyone knows at the start of the season the situation, so there's no point trying to change it.

For me it helps develop players, it provides high performance semi finals & finals that are accustom to the HC and international matches, Martin Johnson alluded to this on the ESPN coverage of the final.

I'm sure the RFU are pleased with the extra revenue but there are positives. To be honest the best team did win the premiership this year, Saracens won the most matches therefore should be champions.

It is that simple i'm afraid, don't make it any easier though i know.

[4071]

I'm going to say well played Saracens first. The beat us three out of three.
This is a year when the play-offs did only minor damage to the integrity of the league.

But it still means the team that won the league did not win the league.

It's clearly nonsense, and makes nonsense of the league system, and is therefore an insult to players and supporters throughout the land.

Nice revenue stream for west London though. Isn't that what the games all about?

On the other hand, we only won the League because of the introduction of bonus points. Under the old system, when a win was a win and a loss was a loss, the Saracens would have topped the table.

We can't accept the innovations that work in our favour and rail against the ones that don't.

I was opposed to the play-off system when it came in, and it still feels wrong that a competition takes 22 games and about 8 months purely in order to decide who gets a home semi-final in a play-off competition tacked on to the end.

However, one result of the play-off system is that the League is now meaningless except as a method of deciding who qualifies for the play-offs. We can't point to the fact that we finished in top spot as a significant achievement, because it isn't. It's pointless. First or second makes no difference. Third or fourth makes no difference. That's the mindset that we have to get into. There is no such thing as a League competition in the Premiership - there is only an extremely long qualification process for the play-offs at the end.

[Tigerbeat]

I have said thsi before - all the Clubs know the rules of the competition and pick and choose there teams, resting players occasionally.
If they were told that the Team finishing top will be the Champions, I am sure that you will see a different strategy, steady team selection but possibly more payer injuries and burn out.

[Bill W (2)]

I am sure that you will see a different strategy, steady team selection but possibly more payer injuries and burn out.

You mean other clubs would use Tigers strategy?

[LeicScarlet]

On the other hand, we only won the League because of the introduction of bonus points. Under the old system, when a win was a win and a loss was a loss, the Saracens would have topped the table.

Reality kicks in

[Old Tight Head]

I have no problem with removing the concept of bonus points - although they were supposed to have been introduced to encourage attacking play rather than a season of 3-0 or 6-3 results. But I really can't see how the playoffs encourage attacking positive play. If a team takes the "oh well, we only need finish in the top four" approach then you will see weakened teams fielded in "unwinnable" matches. I certainly don't see how it encourages more attacking rugby.

The team finishing fourth this season were 13 league points behind the side finishing in top position. Are we really saying that they should have the opportunity to be crowned as champions?

[Bill W (2)]

.

The team finishing fourth this season were 13 league points behind the side finishing in top position. Are we really saying that they should have the opportunity to be crowned as champions?

Yes, that is what "they say". Even if the points difference was 30 not 13!

The argument that the bonus point system encourages attacking play has some substance I think.

I have not heard that the play off system does - I should have thought rather the reverse.

[scrambo]

I quite like the playoff system. It would be boring otherwise. It gives something for the team to work towards. You have to be in the top 4 and if possible the top 2 for home advantage. Dont forget that all clubs agreed to this system. Besides i find it makes the top of the table interesting and more exciting to watch towards the end of the season.