Clubs on the brink

[chewbacca]

I too fear for our and other sports. The paucity of science and societal understanding or perhaps caring is certainly a major issue. I would argue the truth is the truth and that should be enough but under those conditions the presentation and leadership is absolutely vital. Not withstanding the service failures the message, its presentation and comprehension has so far been woeful.

[BFG]

Frankly rugby union isn't suited to being fully professional.
Full time training has made the sport inherently dangerous.
When you do this the need for financial security for players beyond injury and retirement is an absolute must, which the sport simply can't now sustain on it's own.
Time to slow down a bit and for the sport to get real.
Just my opinion.

[GB72]

Frankly rugby union isn't suited to being fully professional.
Full time training has made the sport inherently dangerous.
When you do this the need for financial security for players beyond injury and retirement is an absolute must, which the sport simply can't now sustain on it's own.
Time to slow down a bit and for the sport to get real.
Just my opinion.

This is something that I have to agree with. Rugby is just not a big enough draw at club level to attract the sort of money that it needs to pay the wages that the players are looking for, have squad sizes big enough to allow players rest and to look after players after their career. Sadly I think a return to the semi professional game may be the way forward

[johnthegriff]

People sustained and life changing serious injury before professionalism, I think the game change to being paid to play and subsequent changes to the rules, not all of which I am in agreement with has actually made rugby safer. However BFG is right that there is an obligation on the clubs and the RFU to provide a means to financial security beyond injury and retirement, players on high wages have the answer in their own hands but the majority sharing the pitch with them will be on much lower wages whilst facing the same risks. That all comes at a cost, I do not believe the average fan can be asked to pay much more than they already do, the salary cap was a good idea but became distorted by the introduction of marquee players causing wage inflation. Prior to the 2015 salary cap inquiry and the subsequent increase in the cap Tigers were breaking even over the years whilst spending heavily on ground improvements, wealthy men taking over and spending big on clubs with no assets helped inflate wages to a non sustainable level all teams being forced to pay the higher rates or risk losing their stars.

[RagingBull]

We are clearly at risk.
I could see end of this a smaller ring-fenced league with smaller squads.

[Tigerbeat]

Irrespective of the size of the league, clubs will still need revenue and this will come through gate reciepts, season tickets and events and hospitality.........not a promising outlook for the future of todays clubs.

[RagingBull]

I would be very interested to know what other clubs cuts looked like before coming into the restart?
Wondering how much money we might have saved compared to potentially others.
I think some clubs haven't even come to agreements with players for next season.

[BFG]

People sustained and life changing serious injury before professionalism, I think the game change to being paid to play and subsequent changes to the rules, not all of which I am in agreement with has actually made rugby safer. However BFG is right that there is an obligation on the clubs and the RFU to provide a means to financial security beyond injury and retirement, players on high wages have the answer in their own hands but the majority sharing the pitch with them will be on much lower wages whilst facing the same risks. That all comes at a cost, I do not believe the average fan can be asked to pay much more than they already do, the salary cap was a good idea but became distorted by the introduction of marquee players causing wage inflation. Prior to the 2015 salary cap inquiry and the subsequent increase in the cap Tigers were breaking even over the years whilst spending heavily on ground improvements, wealthy men taking over and spending big on clubs with no assets helped inflate wages to a non sustainable level all teams being forced to pay the higher rates or risk losing their stars.

The pandemic has exposed something that has been going on for a few years on the fringes of the Premiership, and around the Championship and National One level, that is players (damaging their health) on low earnings.
Of course in the amateur days players at the top level trained a lot and played very hard but they were very big fish in a much smaller bowl, which is probably something similar to where this current scenario might end up.

[Dangerous4]

Let's forget all the ifs, buts, whatevers, therefores, etc. etc. We just do not have a clue as to what will happen, and all the surmising is just hit and miss guess work. It is certainly an unerving situation, as we can all agree, and will affect all the rugby nations.

I quite like the thought of a return to amateur rugby, but we can all dream can't we?

We shall see what we shall see, when the "Fat Lady" has sung

[h's dad]

Some comments from Peter Tom:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... s-without/

[tigerburnie]

This doesn't look good for sport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/54284735

[jgriffin]

This doesn't look good for sport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/54284735

THEY can give millions, nay billions, to their rich pals to reward failure, but anything else except blood sports and racing can go hang. Don't criticise me for getting political, it Is political.

[chewbacca]

This doesn't look good for sport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/54284735

THEY can give millions, nay billions, to their rich pals to reward failure, but anything else except blood sports and racing can go hang. Don't criticise me for getting political, it Is political.

We could tie some heather to the seats, carry shotguns and claim we were attending a grouse shoot. That seems to be permitted.

[jgriffin]

This doesn't look good for sport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/54284735

THEY can give millions, nay billions, to their rich pals to reward failure, but anything else except blood sports and racing can go hang. Don't criticise me for getting political, it Is political.

We could tie some heather to the seats, carry shotguns and claim we were attending a grouse shoot. That seems to be permitted.

Very true. Bring our dogs and pretend we're a hunt. Sponsor horse racing at Cheltenham. Claim we're all in Leicester for an eye test.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

THEY can give millions, nay billions, to their rich pals to reward failure, but anything else except blood sports and racing can go hang. Don't criticise me for getting political, it Is political.

We could tie some heather to the seats, carry shotguns and claim we were attending a grouse shoot. That seems to be permitted.

Very true. Bring our dogs and pretend we're a hunt. Sponsor horse racing at Cheltenham. Claim we're all in Leicester for an eye test.