Griffiths and Saracens

[cidermark]

Of course another solution - and one that I would strenuously fight against - would be to franchise 10 or 12 of the current clubs, centrally contract all the players and share them around the franchises in a, kind of, draft system a la AFL.

[Old Hob]

Everyone says relegation keeps Worcester and Newcastle interested in the league, but what exactly do they add to the league? Worcester have won a single game!

This is the response of the short-termist which, if you are Saracens/ South African money man with little knowledge of English rugby is what you are. A while ago, there was a call for the 6 Nations always to end with England v France as these were ALWAYS the two strongest teams.

Bah - a plague on Griffiths and his rude "fat lady" singing (disrespectful to the opposition); his South African entryist faction to try to buy up a place in England to subvert it to his own ends; his putting Saracens into Crusader costumes?????; his shouty shouty style of "excitement" when rugby people can get quite excited by their own team without 150 decibels of noise pumped out by loudspeakers.

[tig1]

OH, I think most agree that we have no time for the cheap gimmicks. (Although we should be wary of being older supporters making judgement on a younger world).

So leaving that aside, what do you see as the agenda for Griffiths ? They are never going to make money. So what is he after ?

Just a note on the anti South African comments. (Not at you, but general OH). Tigers have an almost identical split to Saracens of English qualified and non qualified players. Some of the Saracens English qualified are through residence or blood line, but we should we judge Brad Barritt or Maurice Botha or Joubert differently to how we view Manu or TTE or Boris or shortly Dan Bowden.

[jgriffin]

OH, I think most agree that we have no time for the cheap gimmicks. (Although we should be wary of being older supporters making judgement on a younger world).

So leaving that aside, what do you see as the agenda for Griffiths ? They are never going to make money. So what is he after ?

Just a note on the anti South African comments. (Not at you, but general OH). Tigers have an almost identical split to Saracens of English qualified and non qualified players. Some of the Saracens English qualified are through residence or blood line, but we should we judge Brad Barritt or Maurice Botha or Joubert differently to how we view Manu or TTE or Boris or shortly Dan Bowden.

My anti-SA sentiment is directed at the opportunities afforded to Saffas in having lots of very good SAs coming in yet being under the cap officially. To suggest we judge the players is to look in entirely the wrong direction IMO; one of those mentioned arrived at Saffas by his own efforts (Botha)BTW.

[Cardiff Tig]

Everyone says relegation keeps Worcester and Newcastle interested in the league, but what exactly do they add to the league? Worcester have won a single game!

This is the response of the short-termist which, if you are Saracens/ South African money man with little knowledge of English rugby is what you are. A while ago, there was a call for the 6 Nations always to end with England v France as these were ALWAYS the two strongest teams.

Newcastle recently told its supporters it would not sign players as it cannot afford to spend up to the salary cap. So it is not increasing its support or improving the playing standard, it seems to be languishing at the bottom.

I would happily see Newcastle and Worcester in the League, challenging for European places, but it doesn't seem likely anytime in the next few years.

[tigerburnie]

Newcastle recently told its supporters it would not sign players as it cannot afford to spend up to the salary cap. So it is not increasing its support or improving the playing standard, it seems to be languishing at the bottom.

I would happily see Newcastle and Worcester in the League, challenging for European places, but it doesn't seem likely anytime in the next few years.

The thing is they are given the chance to try and improve their position, ring fence the Premiership and you deny other clubs their chance in the limelight.Imagine you support a club that has been in the top league and were relegated, you still have a light at the end of the tunnel to rejoin, take away promotion and relegation and you extinguish that light(how ever dim it might be).Are we as supporters of a top 4 side to be so arrogant as to say"you're not good enough for us"?
Look at the round ball game and see who gets to play in europe, some mighty sides have not for a while, some have not been at the top, Liverpool for example. In recent years both Quinns and Stains have been relegated, at what point did we say they weren't good enough? Sale have been abysmal, now they seem to have strung some results together again,why not Worcester or Falcons or Bristol or Leeds or..(you get my drift).
Maybe to prevent teams playing too many games and damaging players, we may need to reduce the number of teams in the Premiership, but not to just throw them away, to build the game, the England squad, we need to have a fully functioning second tier, other wise we could end up like Wales or Scotland,a couple of decent teams and nothing else, with most of the better players playing in France.

[Smudge]

Good grief, a Burnie post I actually agree with..

We all know money is a big factor and as pro clubs it is essential to earn enough.
The trouble is, as wendyball so amply demonstrates, when individuals have obscene
amounts of it and want to buy success,the whole thing becomes an obscene mess.
May the blazers and intelligent people we entrust our game to, ever have this
in their thoughts. Amen

[tigerburnie]

Ahhh Smudge you're goin' soft in your old age(with the amount I post I guess it was bound to happen eventually).........................

[Old Hob]

OH, I think most agree that we have no time for the cheap gimmicks. (Although we should be wary of being older supporters making judgement on a younger world).

So leaving that aside, what do you see as the agenda for Griffiths ? They are never going to make money. So what is he after ?

I find it hard to guess another man's motives for anything - particularly when I have trouble understanding my own at times - but when Griffiths is building "mini-me" facsimiles across the globe, all wearing the corporate clothing and saying the same mantra then it looks like positioning to be one of the most powerful players in world club rugby. A few law changes, a threat of withdrawal, collapse of the new European competition - who knows what may happen in the future???? And there may be Griffiths - the Bernie Ecclestone of Rugby Union to claim his prize. Who knows?

[BJ.]

I find it hard to guess another man's motives for anything - particularly when I have trouble understanding my own at times - but when Griffiths is building "mini-me" facsimiles across the globe, all wearing the corporate clothing and saying the same mantra then it looks like positioning to be one of the most powerful players in world club rugby. A few law changes, a threat of withdrawal, collapse of the new European competition - who knows what may happen in the future???? And there may be Griffiths - the Bernie Ecclestone of Rugby Union to claim his prize. Who knows?

It's a thought ...

[jack]

Tigerburnie....A Premiership Two! Been saying this for years! Quite so, needed. Wont be easy but without it the game wont grow. Welcome aboard!

[Smudge]

I may have missed it but why has no one mentioned Baaaarth in this discussion.
For all their success in the old days, their core support is not much
bigger than Sarries.

Kept afloat for years by Mr Brownsword they are now financed by a much richer
sugar daddy. Will it last? What effect would Griffiths's ideas have on them?