Welsh win appeal?

[Jay C]

Quote from Torygraph (linky)

The RFU has said it will review the minimum standards criteria.
Premiership Rugby is expected to comment on Monday on London Welsh’s promotion, having studied the panel’s judgment over the weekend.

Geoff Irvine, chairman of the Championship clubs, said “The decision brings into question the whole principle of the criteria. What I hope will come out of this is a pure and simple thing – whoever wins the Championship will be promoted, warts and all."

So the efforts of Rugby to avoid the whole "lets spend money (on players) we don't have" ethos when it turned professional are now likely to be thrown out ?
Whilst not agreeing with the prevention of clubs being promoted in principal (especially for reasons that the current Prem clubs do not attempt to comply with), I can't help but feel that there was something of benefit in parts of the agreement. (Clearly the RFU are not helping the Championship clubs by witholding monies promised to them, but thats on another thread!)

Exeter are a fine example of doing things the right way & have now got a sustainable business model.

LW going to Oxford for a season to get tanked in front of three men & a dog doesn't really benefit anyone. Should they at least now return to their own ground for home matches next season ??

[Bill W (2)]

Should they at least now return to their own ground for home matches next season ??

Indeed, what is to prevent them, since de facto the MSC have been thrown out in total.

[rdracup]

Whilst I understand the "win the championship and get promoted" argument having the Oxford Leaks in for one season will do nobody any good. Not them, the Premiership, not those in Oxford who come to see them for a few months before they vacate the stadium at the end of the season.
I would not be at all surprised to see Tigers break their record win (83-10) against them, and even the premiership record of 106-12 is in danger.
The system of promotion is clearly flawed… on rugby criteria alone it should have been Bristol but the system meant that 20 bad minutes in an otherwise very good season denied them the spot. Ground size, health and safety, financial criteria, accommodating broadcaster needs are all legitimate and necessary criteria for promotion. As a result of the flawed system the welsh exiles get their chance but one that in a properly construct system they should never have had.

The rugby travesity is that Bristol will have to wait at least 2 years to get their chance ... Deano will bring falcons straight back up... and by that time Pirates may be ready to take their place. All 3 clubs would add much more to the premiership than welsh ever will.

The only saving grace is that if Tait can get fit we might just see him dump the sun tanned Orange one on his backside whilst scoring the try to make the century of points. Now that would be something to enjoy..

[h's dad]

W
The system of promotion is clearly flawed… on rugby criteria alone it should have been Bristol but the system meant that 20 bad minutes in an otherwise very good season denied them the spot.

Your argument has convinced me rdacup on the basis that to apply the same criteria to the premiership final, we should ignore the first 10 minutes and in fact Tigers actually won.

How should we break the news to Harlequins?

[Bill W (2)]

The legal eagles have clubbed together to ensure that they will now make even more money!

3 QC's have expressed an opinion. That the MSC are against UK and Competition Law.

THIS IS NOT A LEGALLY BINDING FINDING!

I have no doubt that for suitable fees several QC's could be found to express an opposite opinion. So PRL, PGB, RFU will now employ such QC's? As maybe will Newcastle, Bristol, Wasps, Saracens, Sale et al.

Meanwhile, as a previous poster has pointed out, (not) Loneon (not) Welsh will play in Oxford with two men and a dog supporting, lose money and go bust.

Newcastle (they get parachute payments) will win the championship next year. And one way or another we, Rugby Supporters, will pay for legal eagles to have a beanfeast "reviewing" and fighting over the MSC.

[DickyP]

The legal eagles have clubbed together to ensure that they will now make even more money!

3 QC's have expressed an opinion. That the MSC are against UK and Competition Law.

THIS IS NOT A LEGALLY BINDING FINDING!

I have no doubt that for suitable fees several QC's could be found to express an opposite opinion. So PRL, PGB, RFU will now employ such QC's? As maybe will Newcastle, Bristol, Wasps, Saracens, Sale et al.

Meanwhile, as a previous poster has pointed out, (not) Loneon (not) Welsh will play in Oxford with two men and a dog supporting, lose money and go bust.

Newcastle (they get parachute payments) will win the championship next year. And one way or another we, Rugby Supporters, will pay for legal eagles to have a beanfeast "reviewing" and fighting over the MSC.

Agree with most of your assessment, especially in regards to the Legal profession!

However, I feel that you, like others, strongly underestimate the drawing power of a team in Oxford. I for one will be very surprised if they don't do better at the gate than the Falcons ever did in the AP. Whether that is good enough is another matter.

[G.K]

Maybe they will, maybe they won't but at least they will have a chance and so I welcome that rather than a closed, cosy arrangement. Remember almost no-one gave Exeter a chance of surving more than one season in the AP.

[mol2]

Whilst I understand the "win the championship and get promoted" argument having the Oxford Leaks in for one season will do nobody any good. Not them, the Premiership, not those in Oxford who come to see them for a few months before they vacate the stadium at the end of the season.
I would not be at all surprised to see Tigers break their record win (83-10) against them, and even the premiership record of 106-12 is in danger.
The system of promotion is clearly flawed… on rugby criteria alone it should have been Bristol but the system meant that 20 bad minutes in an otherwise very good season denied them the spot. Ground size, health and safety, financial criteria, accommodating broadcaster needs are all legitimate and necessary criteria for promotion. As a result of the flawed system the welsh exiles get their chance but one that in a properly construct system they should never have had.

The rugby travesity is that Bristol will have to wait at least 2 years to get their chance ... Deano will bring falcons straight back up... and by that time Pirates may be ready to take their place. All 3 clubs would add much more to the premiership than welsh ever will.

The only saving grace is that if Tait can get fit we might just see him dump the sun tanned Orange one on his backside whilst scoring the try to make the century of points. Now that would be something to enjoy..

It's no travesty at all - all the participants in the league knew from day one the side that wins the play offs is the champion - therefore who finishes top of the league is almost academic. If the top of the league side was the one to be promoted sides may have elected to prioritize league matches differently and thus there is no guarantee Bristol would have finished top.

Will they drop straight back down - probably given the relative lack of time to prepare however they made the same claims about Worcester & Exeter.
Similarly Leeds didn't bounce back up & nor did Bristol.

For me, if the league has different rules for entry than it applies to would be entrants it stinks. Fine if they were new rules and time requied for all teams to impliment - but all of the sides in the Premiership have had long enough to act.

Presumably that is the view of the legal people and that if it came to court the leagues own rules would be unenforcable. Sure they could have paid for legal advisors to say the contrary but I suspect their legal advisors told them how it was likely to play out in court if the exiles chose to take it that far.

[Smudge]

Falcons have issued a statement saying that they accept and abide by the ruling.
Looking forward to rebuilding under Dean Richards.

All LW need to do now is change the name to "Oxford" and they will have excellent crowds.

It's another twist to the coming season.