Trailfinders a sad indictment of rugby

[Tiglon]

Yet we have Mike Brown in our squad...

I wonder if Mr "Ealing" isn't the "right" sort of person in some eyes.

What is obvious is a 10 club top division isn't sustainable.

It's pretty blatantly a case of "old money" looking down it's nose at "new money".

Typical rugby union blazer-wearing snobbery and short-sightedness.

Proof of these statements please

Proof of any of the forthright accusations you've bashed out on your keyboard today?

[Rugbygramps]

It's pretty blatantly a case of "old money" looking down it's nose at "new money".

Typical rugby union blazer-wearing snobbery and short-sightedness.

Proof of these statements please

Proof of any of the forthright accusations you've bashed out on your keyboard today?

Such as

AFAIK I’ve mentioned the shocking pitch FACT, their employment of older players FACT, the lack of youngsters in their squad FACT

[tigerburnie]

We are not trying to prove ourselves as Premiership material and have a large number of under 25s in our first team squad including a number of England internationals.
I have no idea who Mr. Ealing is.
An 11 club top division with a club who can’t attract 3000 spectators for one of the biggest club names in the world will make it more sustainable?

Last season Sale played Bristol in a Premiership game in front of 3,969, what would be the reason for having either of them in the league if we base it solely on attendances?

[tigerburnie]

What would be sustainable is 6 regional pro teams supported by 2 leagues of semi pro teams, which Ealing would be ideal for, in a British mainland league.
Unfortunately the wrinklies would never buy it

So you now propose getting rid of the English clubs and having regional pro teams, so you want to get rid of Leicester Tigers then?

[Rugbygramps]

We are not trying to prove ourselves as Premiership material and have a large number of under 25s in our first team squad including a number of England internationals.
I have no idea who Mr. Ealing is.
An 11 club top division with a club who can’t attract 3000 spectators for one of the biggest club names in the world will make it more sustainable?

Last season Sale played Bristol in a Premiership game in front of 3,969, what would be the reason for having either of them in the league if we base it solely on attendances?

Not aware I’ve said that, but neither of those clubs is trying to get into the premiership.
I do agree that the attendances at Sale do make you wonder how they would survive without a very wealthy benefactor

[Tiglon]

Proof of these statements please

Proof of any of the forthright accusations you've bashed out on your keyboard today?

Such as

AFAIK I’ve mentioned the shocking pitch FACT, their employment of older players FACT, the lack of youngsters in their squad FACT

The lack of long term strategy F... oh wait...

[Rugbygramps]

What would be sustainable is 6 regional pro teams supported by 2 leagues of semi pro teams, which Ealing would be ideal for, in a British mainland league.
Unfortunately the wrinklies would never buy it

So you now propose getting rid of the English clubs and having regional pro teams, so you want to get rid of Leicester Tigers then?

Depends if you want the game to survive as a professional entity. I think it’s worth exploring, but it won’t be.
I see no reason why the Midlands team couldn’t be based in Leicester and Tigers become one of the major feeder clubs.
In New Zealand the major cities Canterbury, Auckland all have super rugby sides based there plus they still have successful city sides

[Not a jock]

Lots of the old arguments about issues such as 10-team Premiership, cartels, closed shop, 57 old faerts at the RFU etc. The fact remains that last weekend, Ealing could barely half-fill their ground. They had an opportunity to prove they had a potential fan base as there was no competition from other sides in West London, or even the wider area. They had the best supported team visiting. They had the prospect of taking a major scalp and reaching a final.

None of the Championship sides have a stadium capable of accommodating more than 5,000 spectators so something needs to change. Either a Championship side takes a punt on a larger stadium
(building a new one or ground sharing one), or PRL relaxes it's 10,000 rule. If any of these things were to happen, there's no guarantee that the crowds would appear a la Exeter (who 20 years ago were languishing in the Devon leagues but sharing an old 5,000 seater stadium - the former County Ground). I guess Worcester were a similar example - ambitious, built a new out of city stadium but they never really made it.

[Rugbygramps]

Proof of any of the forthright accusations you've bashed out on your keyboard today?

Such as

AFAIK I’ve mentioned the shocking pitch FACT, their employment of older players FACT, the lack of youngsters in their squad FACT

The lack of long term strategy F... oh wait...

Which I’m still waiting to see proof of, and no I’m really not that bothered to look into it further I’m basing it on what I see and 50 years of rugby experience, which may seem a strange concept to you

[Tiglon]

Such as

AFAIK I’ve mentioned the shocking pitch FACT, their employment of older players FACT, the lack of youngsters in their squad FACT

The lack of long term strategy F... oh wait...

Which I’m still waiting to see proof of, and no I’m really not that bothered to look into it further I’m basing it on what I see and 50 years of rugby experience, which may seem a strange concept to you

It does seem strange to me to outright refuse to look for something, but still be happy to loudly proclaim that it does not exist.

[tigerburnie]

What would be sustainable is 6 regional pro teams supported by 2 leagues of semi pro teams, which Ealing would be ideal for, in a British mainland league.
Unfortunately the wrinklies would never buy it

So you now propose getting rid of the English clubs and having regional pro teams, so you want to get rid of Leicester Tigers then?

Depends if you want the game to survive as a professional entity. I think it’s worth exploring, but it won’t be.
I see no reason why the Midlands team couldn’t be based in Leicester and Tigers become one of the major feeder clubs.
In New Zealand the major cities Canterbury, Auckland all have super rugby sides based there plus they still have successful city sides

Why are you posting on the Tigers board if you want them to fail and become a semi pro feeder team? What kind of Tigers fan are you exactly? or have you already answered that, I shall use the ignore facility on this board as you clearly are not be going to post anything of much interest to a Tigers fan with more rugby years than you profess to have.

[Not a jock]

The RFU vs PRL feels like a war of attrition. Neither will to give an inch but as we're seeing elsewhere, the side with the most resources will usually win out in the end.

The RFU has already prised the door open and stuck its toe in with first of the hybrid contracts. Cue the analogies containing the words cat/bag, door/horse etc. More will come as the RFU tries to keep most of the test-quality talent playing in England. It's not hard to imagine this could eventually lead to a model much like Ireland's. Three strong regional teams (SW, Mids, SE/London ) and a development team (North). They'll play in an expanded Champions League plus (even more) internationals (eg home and away 6/7/8 Nations??). The traditional clubs will revert to being semi-pro at best and be feeder teams to the regions. It may take a generation so some of us may not live to see it happen.

[Rugbygramps]

What would be sustainable is 6 regional pro teams supported by 2 leagues of semi pro teams, which Ealing would be ideal for, in a British mainland league.
Unfortunately the wrinklies would never buy it

So you now propose getting rid of the English clubs and having regional pro teams, so you want to get rid of Leicester Tigers then?

Depends if you want the game to survive as a professional entity. I think it’s worth exploring, but it won’t be.
I see no reason why the Midlands team couldn’t be based in Leicester and Tigers become one of the major feeder clubs.
In New Zealand the major cities Canterbury, Auckland all have super rugby sides based there plus they still have successful city sides

Why are you posting on the Tigers board if you want them to fail and become a semi pro feeder team? What kind of Tigers fan are you exactly? or have you already answered that, I shall use the ignore facility on this board as you clearly are not be going to post anything of much interest to a Tigers fan with more rugby years than you profess to have.

Where have I said that I want Tigers to fail please point it out or retract your statement. I am offering a possible different pathway. I really am sorry if you don’t feel that is appropriate but options need looking at or the game is going South.
FYI though it’s non of your business I first started supporting Tigers in the 70s and used to be one of those that would help to man the scoreboard on the old mound.
Is that supporter enough for you

[Rugbygramps]

The lack of long term strategy F... oh wait...

Which I’m still waiting to see proof of, and no I’m really not that bothered to look into it further I’m basing it on what I see and 50 years of rugby experience, which may seem a strange concept to you

It does seem strange to me to outright refuse to look for something, but still be happy to loudly proclaim that it does not exist.

Looked on their website and your favourite google and nothing. But then I’m guessing you already knew that

[Rugbygramps]

The RFU vs PRL feels like a war of attrition. Neither will to give an inch but as we're seeing elsewhere, the side with the most resources will usually win out in the end.

The RFU has already prised the door open and stuck its toe in with first of the hybrid contracts. Cue the analogies containing the words cat/bag, door/horse etc. More will come as the RFU tries to keep most of the test-quality talent playing in England. It's not hard to imagine this could eventually lead to a model much like Ireland's. Three strong regional teams (SW, Mids, SE/London ) and a development team (North). They'll play in an expanded Champions League plus (even more) internationals (eg home and away 6/7/8 Nations??). The traditional clubs will revert to being semi-pro at best and be feeder teams to the regions. It may take a generation so some of us may not live to see it happen.

You need to be careful you’ll be told you’re not a proper fan