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English fans have their say on possible new British League
After a division around the rugby world earlier this year with the now binned Nations Championship idea, British rugby has its own idea that is splitting opinion.
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An anonymous chairman of a Gallagher Premiership team has said that a new British League will be in place in two years’ time. Similar to what they have already done in the Premiership, CVC are seeking to buy a stake in the PRO14 with the aim of forming a possible Anglo-Welsh League, or a British and Irish League.
While this idea has been warmly welcomed by Welsh fans on social media, many English fans have their reservations. The Welsh regions have struggled in recent years both on the field and in terms of garnering support. Stadium attendances have plummeted as have viewing figures, and there have been funding problems with the Welsh Rugby Union.
On the other hand, the Premiership is in a much healthier position, not only with attendances, but they have a lucrative TV deal with BT Sport. Many fans are struggling to see what the incentive is for English clubs to give up their league.
The biggest concern for English fans is that a British and Irish League would devalue the Champions Cup considerably. If all nations from the British Isles were competing week on week, it would mean that there are only a handful of new and unique fixtures against French opposition in the Champions Cup. The prestige and gravitas of the European competition would be diluted as a result.
Regional rugby supporters believe an Anglo-Welsh League would bolster attendances… @rhigarthjones crunches the current @PRO14Official and @ChampionsCup numbers that need to be considered ?https://t.co/UX7fNbitDQ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 23, 2019
Furthermore, when looking at the Champions Cup, it is the matches against the Irish and French sides that draw in the biggest crowds in England and receive the most attention. While an Anglo-Welsh League seems the least likely of the options in the future, matches between the two countries will not be as attractive to English clubs as they are to Welsh.
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However, with the funding that CVC will provide, the British and Irish League may be different from what many think it will be and could very well be a success. That is why there are some English fans that are keen on this idea. But the majority seem to be content with what is in place currently. This is what has been said:
Can’t see an upside for English clubs with a British and Irish League. Not suddenly going to be making profits on the back of playing Cardiff and Newport. ???? pic.twitter.com/0W7HUDyPql
— David Summers (@davidsummers64) July 21, 2019
The Prem is doing just fine.
But thanks for the interest.— Mark murray (@Markmur29392563) July 21, 2019
No thanks. I like my rugby to mean something every week and would rather fewer games in the league with a European cup that means something different.
— peter r (@DaddyRiz1) July 22, 2019
Can’t see an upside for English clubs with a British and Irish League. Not suddenly going to be making profits on the back of playing Cardiff and Newport. ???? pic.twitter.com/0W7HUDyPql
— David Summers (@davidsummers64) July 21, 2019
I don't really see what is in it for the us (the English clubs), the overall league will be better off but some of the individual clubs will become just smaller fish in a bigger pond
— Mark Roberts (@Markdaktari) July 22, 2019
And it would destroy the European cup
— Goonersquare (@goonerquins) July 22, 2019
Terrible idea. Crowds will drop, shouldn't use the English Premiership to bale out the poorly supported pro 14.
— Shedview22 (@Shedview22) July 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/Stephen91314828/status/1152868235278213120?s=20
I think I’d prefer to ring fence the English Premiership than have a British League and I absolutely hate the thought of ring fencing.
— Andy Moakes (@AndyMoakes) July 20, 2019
Given the success Irish provinces have had over the past few years both domestically and in Europe, it is no surprise that this new league seems to be an unpopular option across the Irish Sea. Likewise, given the growing success of the Scottish sides in the PRO14, they are equally unlikely to match the Welsh’s zeal for this change.
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With the South African clubs only joining the PRO14 two seasons ago, and the Italian sides not many years before that, this new league idea would put out a number of countries if it were to happen. These are early days in this saga, but many fans already seem set on what they want.
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Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
65 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments