Mass postponements tarnish Premiership A League
Just a few short weeks into the season and the Premiership’s A League is already coming in for heavy criticism.
The competition, which has been expanded for this season from five games to 10, has seen four games postponed in the last week alone.
Bath were the first to postpone a fixture, rescheduling their match with Harlequins due to the significant number of injuries in their squad.
Harlequins will not only have to find space for that fixture later in the season, but also their clash with Saracens, which was due to go ahead today, but has been postponed by “mutual agreement”.
Leicester Tigers have also postponed their game with Newcastle Falcons this week, with “player welfare concerns” cited as the reason, whilst Sale Sharks have rearranged today’s game with Worcester Warriors for March 19th.
Sale have not given a reason in an official release for the game’s postponement – or even an update on their website to let fans know – but Worcester have confirmed the new date for the fixture.
There is no doubt the Premiership is suffering from an injury crisis at the moment and late injuries to front rowers for both Harlequins and Leicester explain their decisions to postpone this week, but it is not a good look for the league.
Bath owner Bruce Craig is reportedly spearheading the move for the A League to be expanded to a full 22-game season schedule to mirror the Premiership, but if clubs are struggling to field sides in the current 10-match format, the prospects of an increase do not look promising.
With player wages rising faster than ever and the salary cap set at a sustainable level, there are challenges in fielding a squad large enough to compete in two competitions per week, but it is a problem exacerbated by sides who do not allocate the funds for a sizeable senior academy.
The quantity-quality balance is not an easy one to manage but as stands, the A League looks an increasingly difficult competition to sustain, let alone expand to a full 22-game schedule.
UPDATE: Sale’s Academy Transition coach Neil Briggs confirmed that Sale were preparing to play the fixture before Worcester contacted the club and informed Sale that they were unable to field a team.
Comments on RugbyPass
Which captains were not human?
2 Go to commentsIt left him open to savage sledging most memorably POMs ‘Sh1t McCaw’ comment which prompted a national NZ meltdown. Cane was later substituted in that game. He had some redemption in the RWC quartfinal against Ireland but unfortunately he will be remembered for torpedo-ing his team with that red card in the final with NZ already 12-3 down.
2 Go to commentsThere should be a smaller number of teams cut off to play finals after the regular season, of course. However, with all due respect, the Crusaders aren’t playing well enough to even make that cut. They may have a late rally, if they can get some key players back from injury, but this is still a speculation as it stands. They will still have to rely on other results going their way too - their season is now entirely out of their control.
10 Go to comments1 week for two cynical and dirty plays? Absolutely pathetic punishment. He should’ve at least received 2 weeks - 1 week per trip. The guy is a cheating moron and liability. He should go back to league.
2 Go to commentsTest rugby is different level Some players are just big time players when the stakes are high they play better. The boks often lost to AUS on tour as they wanted to beat AB. Even at school level this is the case where some guys play better in tough games.
43 Go to commentsLet’s hope he misses more than just the Force game or the Reds won’t get very far in the finals.
2 Go to commentsThanks Nick. I’m looking at the other 7 options in Australia and they don’t seem to be close behind Fraser at the moment? Even before reading this I thought he was well ahead. A random one - Slipper and Allalatoa seem to be getting well beaten in the scrum. I can’t remember this happening often before. Is it a technique/teamwork issue or are their bodies finally past it?
32 Go to commentsNZ is now entrenched in Div 2 of womens rugby. Canada would be thrashed by the likes of France or England. Europe are Div 1, with massive competitions, massive money…
2 Go to commentsBlackadder dies not deserve selection. He has not played enough games. Finau is just better. Kaino's replacement at Blindside On form TJ should be the starting 9 .
129 Go to commentsThe difference is Cotter..
6 Go to commentsThey can’t handle the level of comp in the NH. Pollard was a complete waste at Montpellier - and was the backup 12 when he left. Kitschoff was stealing his paycheque every week at Ulster,- getting absolutely rinsed by backup THs in the URC. There is a reason all the Boks go to Japan - they don’t have it in them to be able to compete. And yes, they won the RWC. Where Barnes and O'Keeffe were the direct reason for that tragedy occurring.
43 Go to commentsTrouble with Jones is he has so many impractical innovations. Kemeney wasn't good enough in any position for top level test rugby. I like how Vern has Papalii playing. He's always had the workrate when in form, although I'm not sure that he quite has Cane's mongrel.
32 Go to commentsPut those results on the old CV and send it in to the crusaders bro.
1 Go to commentsJust go with a top 6 system where the top 2 teams go straight to the semi-finals and the other 4 teams fight it out for the other 2 semi-final spots.
10 Go to commentsIt’s a shame that Baxter wasn’t nominated for DoR of the season. what he did is more impressive than McCall imo
1 Go to commentsSeveral boks said during World Cup they play so hard to give people back home hope. As an Englishman the Springboks Captain’s life story is an inspiration which should give us all hope and inspiration. Rather like that other great South African, Nelson Mandela
43 Go to commentsFox News, Tucker Carlson, Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan? Yikes.
1 Go to commentsThat is harsh though. Messi has/had a reputation for trying to keep his feet and keep dribbling for goal. Many of his brethren were the histrionic divers but not him.
2 Go to commentsMcReight is certainly one of the first picked. He’s going to be the glue, a Wallaby with some rugby IQ and the everywhere man for the Wallabies.
32 Go to commentsSophie De Goede is one of the best players we’ve ever produced. Kicked all the points, 2 try assists, line out takes, carries, tackles, charge downs… what a player
2 Go to comments