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'Exactly right decision' - How English rugby has responded to scrapping relegation
The RFU’s decision to scrap relegation in the Gallagher Premiership this season has been met with support from figures across the game.
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The league will be expanded next season to 13 teams with one team from the Greene King IPA Championship being promoted. This is a result of the disruption Covid-19 has caused to clubs across England, particularly with regards to cancellations, which has seen this weekend’s fixture between Northampton Saints and Newcastle Falcons cancelled.
A RFU statement said: “Council members considered the impact Covid-19 has had on all areas of the game, including the earlier decision to suspend promotion and relegation in the community game and the Gallagher Premiership cancelling a significant number of matches in the 2020/21 season. These cancellations have resulted in a material impact on league positions which could mean relegation based on cancellation not on field merit.”
This decision has raised a variety of responses online, and though there is inevitably some disagreement, many see this as a logical response to the pandemic.
This support seems to be on the provision that this is only a short term course of action rather than a precursor to permanently ring-fencing the Premiership. Such a decision is likely to evoke a far more vociferous reaction, and remains one of the most polarising topics in English rugby.
Saracens have frequently been mentioned online since the news was announced alongside an apparent agenda to ensure they return to the top tier next season.
The five-time Premiership winners will still need to overcome the hurdle of winning the upcoming Championship season to claim promotion, and it would be equally unfair to deprive any winners of the second division the chance of being promoted.
On a lighter note, bottom place Gloucester fans are jubilant the Cherry and Whites are avoiding the drop this season. Despite being at the foot of the table, Gloucester are only one point behind Worcester Warriors and three points behind Bath with eight games played, so there is plenty of time for them to turn their season around.
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The truncated Championship season will start on the weekend of March 6th.
Exactly right decision. Too much has happened to relegate anyone. I would’ve been tempted to think about no relegation and make it two up to the ?@premrugby? – creating a top 14 and with that create an expansion based model. Stability is fundamental https://t.co/TypHopxFFn
— Ben Ryan (@benjaminryan) February 12, 2021
Prudent approach and entirely necessary considering the pandemic. Thankfully some much needed breathing space for @gloucesterrugby too. https://t.co/wJmGhWGWt5
— Ryan (@RyanWalkinshaw) February 12, 2021
Agree with no relegation Nick, but I willing to bet if Saracens weren’t in the Championship there would be no promotion either. Dying to get Saracens back up, then ring fence Stinks really
— Keith Barker (@BarksBarker) February 12, 2021
Sensible decision in the current circumstances. Relegation does need to be reinstated. If not it will be the end for a lot of clubs in the Champ. . There has to be aspiration to attract investment. No relegation makes for a dull “end of season” for the majority of Prem clubs.
— Pete Carr (@pete1074) February 12, 2021
Thank goodness common sense has prevailed for once. The right decision if we were top, or while we’re bottom. Now go out there tonight and get a win! #glawsfamily https://t.co/S8GLlOwJcn
— Ross Hancock (@RossiHancock) February 12, 2021
The right decision, I think, to scrap relegation this season and make some space for a wider conversation about the relationship between the Prem and the Champ over the longer term. https://t.co/mVzGGGyCLf
— Matt Merritt (he/him) (@MattMerritt) February 12, 2021
https://twitter.com/gdberry12/status/1360239356804534273?s=20
I hope this is for a season only. Completely counterproductive to continue it if the sport wants to grow. If a team is bottom half by mid-season, where does the motivation come from to push for wins?
Raising the standard in the championship through funding is essential.
ADVERTISEMENT— Adam (@ABarrettWrites) February 12, 2021
Gloucester have been awful so far and would deserve it but I feel it’s fair considering they’ve played all their games and got zero points from games they’ve lost where other games have been cancelled for COVID reasons and both teams have been allocated points
— Ross Wayman (@realrosswayman) February 12, 2021
Delighted to see common sense prevail. https://t.co/FYU9qD7W7V
— Rupert Forsythe (@rupertforsythe) February 12, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Beautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to comments