Ealing Ospreys

[chipnchase]

Lots of noise that this may actually become a reality but I still cant see how or why?

How could you have a Welsh 'region' playing out of London? Also Ealing are affiliated to the RFU, surely they cant affiliate to WRU? Imagine the fall out of that and the preseciodent it sets especially to club on the border.

Is this just a play by Ealing to force PRLs hand top allow them into the Premiership having been rejected again on ground capacity?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... uture-urc/

[GB72]

From what I have read, and it is not that much, it is a marriage of convenience that could happen. Ealing want a place in an bigger league and the WRU need to ditch a region.

It would effectively be the end of Ospreys from that I can understand. Matches will be played in London and Ospreys will provide some players and their league and European places. In fact the deal may as well be for Ealing to buy those league and cup places.

The WRU ditches a region without actually ditching a region and the RFU gets rid of team that are blocking others from a shot a promotion whilst continuing to not fulfil the requirements themselves.

Mad as it seems, I can see it happening. The problem is that it also sets a precedent. What if a Premiership team wants to swap over, seeing the format and opposition more attractive to their overall plans. How could they stop them if it had been agreed before.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Substitute Ospreys for Seagulls.....

[Hot_Charlie]

From what I have read, and it is not that much, it is a marriage of convenience that could happen. Ealing want a place in an bigger league and the WRU need to ditch a region.

It would effectively be the end of Ospreys from that I can understand. Matches will be played in London and Ospreys will provide some players and their league and European places. In fact the deal may as well be for Ealing to buy those league and cup places.

The WRU ditches a region without actually ditching a region and the RFU gets rid of team that are blocking others from a shot a promotion whilst continuing to not fulfil the requirements themselves.

Mad as it seems, I can see it happening. The problem is that it also sets a precedent. What if a Premiership team wants to swap over, seeing the format and opposition more attractive to their overall plans. How could they stop them if it had been agreed before.

To be honest, are looking at URC would you really want to swap to play them rather than traditional English rivals. Huge logistical costs going to SA and some fairly mediocre opposition teams at times.

This is more genital waving from Ealing I think, particularly given then original name of the phantom company "Conflict Rugby" raised at Companies House. They are just throwing their toys out of the pram again. If they were really serious they'd have built a stadium and not kept peddling the joke that it Vallis Way.

[GB72]

From what I have read, and it is not that much, it is a marriage of convenience that could happen. Ealing want a place in an bigger league and the WRU need to ditch a region.

It would effectively be the end of Ospreys from that I can understand. Matches will be played in London and Ospreys will provide some players and their league and European places. In fact the deal may as well be for Ealing to buy those league and cup places.

The WRU ditches a region without actually ditching a region and the RFU gets rid of team that are blocking others from a shot a promotion whilst continuing to not fulfil the requirements themselves.

Mad as it seems, I can see it happening. The problem is that it also sets a precedent. What if a Premiership team wants to swap over, seeing the format and opposition more attractive to their overall plans. How could they stop them if it had been agreed before.

To be honest, are looking at URC would you really want to swap to play them rather than traditional English rivals. Huge logistical costs going to SA and some fairly mediocre opposition teams at times.

This is more genital waving from Ealing I think, particularly given then original name of the phantom company "Conflict Rugby" raised at Companies House. They are just throwing their toys out of the pram again. If they were really serious they'd have built a stadium and not kept peddling the joke that it Vallis Way.

I could see a team who wanted to focus on Europe without the worry of a back breaking league with, possibly in the future, relegation.

In total conspiracy theory mode, I could one day see the RFU backing and supporting a franchise side or two in the URC as somewhere to place centrally contracted England players and allow a similar set up to Ireland with the associated benefits.

[Hot_Charlie]

From what I have read, and it is not that much, it is a marriage of convenience that could happen. Ealing want a place in an bigger league and the WRU need to ditch a region.

It would effectively be the end of Ospreys from that I can understand. Matches will be played in London and Ospreys will provide some players and their league and European places. In fact the deal may as well be for Ealing to buy those league and cup places.

The WRU ditches a region without actually ditching a region and the RFU gets rid of team that are blocking others from a shot a promotion whilst continuing to not fulfil the requirements themselves.

Mad as it seems, I can see it happening. The problem is that it also sets a precedent. What if a Premiership team wants to swap over, seeing the format and opposition more attractive to their overall plans. How could they stop them if it had been agreed before.

To be honest, are looking at URC would you really want to swap to play them rather than traditional English rivals. Huge logistical costs going to SA and some fairly mediocre opposition teams at times.

This is more genital waving from Ealing I think, particularly given then original name of the phantom company "Conflict Rugby" raised at Companies House. They are just throwing their toys out of the pram again. If they were really serious they'd have built a stadium and not kept peddling the joke that it Vallis Way.

I could see a team who wanted to focus on Europe without the worry of a back breaking league with, possibly in the future, relegation.

In total conspiracy theory mode, I could one day see the RFU backing and supporting a franchise side or two in the URC as somewhere to place centrally contracted England players and allow a similar set up to Ireland with the associated benefits.

I get what you're saying. I can't see the IRFU letting a set up happen in Ireland though!

[GB72]

To be honest, are looking at URC would you really want to swap to play them rather than traditional English rivals. Huge logistical costs going to SA and some fairly mediocre opposition teams at times.

This is more genital waving from Ealing I think, particularly given then original name of the phantom company "Conflict Rugby" raised at Companies House. They are just throwing their toys out of the pram again. If they were really serious they'd have built a stadium and not kept peddling the joke that it Vallis Way.

I could see a team who wanted to focus on Europe without the worry of a back breaking league with, possibly in the future, relegation.

In total conspiracy theory mode, I could one day see the RFU backing and supporting a franchise side or two in the URC as somewhere to place centrally contracted England players and allow a similar set up to Ireland with the associated benefits.

I get what you're saying. I can't see the IRFU letting a set up happen in Ireland though!

If I were in full tin foil hat mode, it could be argued that the URC is the template for the future. Club rugby does not sort out its finance issues. RFU leaves the clubs to fail and revert back to semi pro status. Meanwhile they centrally contract the top players to be distributed amongst 3 or 4 franchise teams that are dropped into a reformed URC to create a league wholly controlled by the respective unions. The league shedule is set with around the international windows and europe. The unions have total control and start to build a league that has more serious TV interest with big international match ups every week. May be insane but not impossible.

[chipnchase]

All the above is far too forward thinking to ever be considered by the RFU

[Scuttle]

I could see a team who wanted to focus on Europe without the worry of a back breaking league with, possibly in the future, relegation.

In total conspiracy theory mode, I could one day see the RFU backing and supporting a franchise side or two in the URC as somewhere to place centrally contracted England players and allow a similar set up to Ireland with the associated benefits.

I get what you're saying. I can't see the IRFU letting a set up happen in Ireland though!

If I were in full tin foil hat mode, it could be argued that the URC is the template for the future. Club rugby does not sort out its finance issues. RFU leaves the clubs to fail and revert back to semi pro status. Meanwhile they centrally contract the top players to be distributed amongst 3 or 4 franchise teams that are dropped into a reformed URC to create a league wholly controlled by the respective unions. The league shedule is set with around the international windows and europe. The unions have total control and start to build a league that has more serious TV interest with big international match ups every week. May be insane but not impossible.

I would still go Tigers rather than some unidentifiable regional thing.......unless the latter nicked WR too!

[Hot_Charlie]

I could see a team who wanted to focus on Europe without the worry of a back breaking league with, possibly in the future, relegation.

In total conspiracy theory mode, I could one day see the RFU backing and supporting a franchise side or two in the URC as somewhere to place centrally contracted England players and allow a similar set up to Ireland with the associated benefits.

I get what you're saying. I can't see the IRFU letting a set up happen in Ireland though!

If I were in full tin foil hat mode, it could be argued that the URC is the template for the future. Club rugby does not sort out its finance issues. RFU leaves the clubs to fail and revert back to semi pro status. Meanwhile they centrally contract the top players to be distributed amongst 3 or 4 franchise teams that are dropped into a reformed URC to create a league wholly controlled by the respective unions. The league shedule is set with around the international windows and europe. The unions have total control and start to build a league that has more serious TV interest with big international match ups every week. May be insane but not impossible.

I think the problem with URC is the fact it has 2-3 different club/region models across all the countries.

[Grimlish]

I think the problem with URC is the fact it has 2-3 different club/region models across all the countries.

What difference does that make?

[Hot_Charlie]

I think the problem with URC is the fact it has 2-3 different club/region models across all the countries.

What difference does that make?

It makes a difference to the quality (you might get Leinster B side for example, or you might get Leinster C). You might suddenly find 3 or 4 of the clubs or regions suddenly have no money because their union has run out of money.

They are problems.

[johnthegriff]

It is my belief that for a team to compete in European knockout stages they need a ground of a certain minimum size with a percentage of tickets available to the opposition. How would Ealing provide that and if it presents no problem why were they unable to do it to enable promotion from the Championship?

[GB72]

It is my belief that for a team to compete in European knockout stages they need a ground of a certain minimum size with a percentage of tickets available to the opposition. How would Ealing provide that and if it presents no problem why were they unable to do it to enable promotion from the Championship?

That is a very good point.

[mol2]

Would fans in England buy into regional rugby?
If they don’t there may we be problems persuading sponsors to buy into it. Fans at the grounds are a maker for TV audiences.
Then you will be back to fewer teams reliant on even fewer sponsors and sugar daddies/benefactors. Then the RFU will have so stump up more.

The Welsh regions may well be seeing the collapse of Worcester and Wasps as an option to revisit combining into the Premiership. Given that their current league means they are facing the Ireland development squads and realistically have no meaningful chance of competing, they are not seen as an attractive option by sponsors.
Outside of the EU only multi national companies will benefit from the audience that the Welsh sides bring.
Playing in the Premiership would be different, the sponsors, be they from England or Wales will be targeting the same audience.
The costs of including games in South Africa, both financial and time, you wonder how long their championship will last?

Will English clubs accept the incorporation of Welsh clubs with hefty central funding? After all the top clubs are not entirely happy that they don’t get a fair proportion of the RFU funding for developing and providing England players.

A chance was missed to have a strong 2 tier pro game in England Wales years ago.
Will the chance be taken to achieve that or is it too late.