How Times Have Changed

[bc]

Haven't me changed for Tigers and the pecking order in English Rugby in the space of 12 years?
2003 - England squad contained 7 Tigers, no Exeter Chiefs
2007 - 7 Tigers 0 Chiefs
2011 - 7 Tigers 0 Chiefs
2015 - 3 Tigers 3 Chiefs

OK, Parling has not played for Chiefs yet but that is slightly offset by the fact that Exeter had another player who did not make the final 31.
There are also 3 players who have played for Tigers since 2011 who are in the squad.

We can all have our views on the figures but all I see is a terrible indictment of our playing and player management policy. If any of us ran an organisation like that we would have been shown the door!

[RagingBull]

How many have saints got who finished 1st in the league?

One of which has yet to play a game for them.

It has shown that the league is far more competitive now than it was before and the tables have shown that.

Anything else is just restarting the whole debate cycle over and over again.

Leicester have accepted things were not right have made the changes and the rest is wait and see.

[tigercaspian]

So Cockers contract has a clause that says " You will at all times have X number of players in the England squad" ?
What a load of arrogant tosh ! How dare other clubs players improve!!
Oh, sorry sorry sorry....I've just realised : it was tongue in cheek wasn't it...........

[Doghashadhisday]

Haven't me changed for Tigers and the pecking order in English Rugby in the space of 12 years?
2003 - England squad contained 7 Tigers, no Exeter Chiefs
2007 - 7 Tigers 0 Chiefs
2011 - 7 Tigers 0 Chiefs
2015 - 3 Tigers 3 Chiefs

OK, Parling has not played for Chiefs yet but that is slightly offset by the fact that Exeter had another player who did not make the final 31.
There are also 3 players who have played for Tigers since 2011 who are in the squad.

We can all have our views on the figures but all I see is a terrible indictment of our playing and player management policy. If any of us ran an organisation like that we would have been shown the door!

Statistics and damn lies.

If not for injuries and other problems we would have had Manu and Croft in that squad and as Parling has not played for Exeter he must have been picked on the basis of what he did at Tigers. That would have made it 6 - 2. I would also say that if not for injury Slater would have been in contention and Kitch has been a bit unlucky after the season he has had for us. All in all not as bad as you make it appear. Another dig at the club even before the season starts.

[Tiger_in_Birmingham]

In the age of salary cap, and the league playing on during international windows you're only ever going to get a levelling of the field.

From an individual club's perspective you can't afford to pay all internationals, nor can you afford a second string team to cover for all the internationals when they're away.

In this respect the salary cap is working - it is spreading talent around and making the league more competitive. It's just a shame certain teams flaunt this

[TigerCam]

The only thing that matters is that the Tigers win the Prem and the ERC. Internationals - if they are good enough to be selected, then so be it? Club first, country second IMO

[MurphysLaw]

[quote="Tiger_in_Birmingham"]In the age of salary cap, and the league playing on during international windows you're only ever going to get a levelling of the field.

From an individual club's perspective you can't afford to pay all internationals, nor can you afford a second string team to cover for all the internationals when they're away.

In this respect the salary cap is working - it is spreading talent around and making the league more competitive. It's just a shame certain teams flaunt this[/quote]

Quite right - why do some people just assume that it must be Tigers in decline? Just to add that now almost every club also has some form of financial backer, and are able to spend up to the salary cap (and as T-i-B says,possibly beyond in one or two cases).This has not only enabled other clubs to improve their playing squads, but also to catch up with facilities, coaching, and academies.

So, yes times have changed - changed much since 2003. Tigers period of dominance was remarkable, and imo it is highly unlikely that any one club will do so again, such is the competition now. Just this time last year, I remember seeing some media pundits saying that there was no reason why Saints shouldn't dominate for the foreseeable. Not so long ago Quins were in the same position.
A world cup year is always a little different, but I suspect this year will be as tight as ever.