Next season
Printed From: National League Rugby Discussion Forum
Category: League Rugby - www.leaguerugby.co.uk
Forum Name: Champ Rugby
Forum Description: Discuss the 14 clubs who play in Champ Rugby
URL: http://www.leaguerugby.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=18935
Printed Date: 29 May 2025 at 06:50
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Topic: Next season
Posted By: Cherub
Subject: Next season
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2021 at 20:57
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Thatbloke’s post in the Round 12 thread alerted me to the RFU’s recent announcement that next season there will be 12 clubs in the Championship. Brilliant. Status quo. A 22 game season. I suppose this means the totally meaningless Cup competition will be repeated. I have been following this forum for about a year now and I cannot recall anyone posting anything to support this structure. The RFU have invited thoughts in a questionnaire and again I cannot recall anyone expressing an opinion to support an ongoing 12 club division. Yet the RFU ignore all this and announce no change. I despair. Thatbloke raised an interesting point. The RFU informed the National Division 1 clubs, but did they inform each of the Championship clubs? The RFU remind me of Boris. So many own goals. One after the other. ------------- Always trying to stay bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. |
Replies:
Posted By: Thatbloke
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2021 at 21:15
| Cherub - said email is posted under the Nat1 "Promotion Issues" thread addressed only to the NCA clubs. Surely someone can answer the question "Have the Championship clubs been notified?" |
Posted By: Cherub
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2021 at 21:20
I am hoping so. AmpthillRUFC, can you help on this? ------------- Always trying to stay bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. |
Thatbloke wrote:Posted By: dropout22
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2021 at 22:03
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The Champ Cup will go at the end of this season, i understand. Replaced by a new cup competition. Rumour of play offs returning aswell. But as we know with the RFU that can all change in a heartbeat so there is a long way to go till next september. It will be interesting to see who comes up, as it'll be a fairly new face to the Level 2 game - as in a side who is new to the level or hasn't been around that level for a good few years. Saying ealing do go up, we will have 2 sides come up next season, it looks like Rosslyn Park & Cinderford with Caldy, Sale FC & Cambridge all following closely behind. 2022/23 should be good fun i think.
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Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2021 at 22:43
How exciting a new cup competition involving… ------------- The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused. |
Posted By: Mark W-J
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 07:52
| On the Championship Clubs podcast this week, the Chairman of Jersey and COO of Bedford both stated that their preferred option was a 14 team Championship alongside some form of 'meaningful' cup. Both were fans of the B&I, although recognised that some clubs weren't, but neither had any interest in a Championship Cup. |
Posted By: islander
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 08:25
It was an interesting discussion. Jersey Chairman Mark Morgan did add that any move to 14 clubs in the Champ might not be achievable in time for next season. Meanwhile the National League body has publicly confirmed the advice issued to N1 clubs last week - https://www.ncarugby.com/announcements/rfu-confirms-promotion-situation-from-national-one/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ncarugby.com/announcements/rfu-confirms-promotion-situation-from-national-one/
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Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 09:32
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The only thing stopping a 14 team league is the cut in funding by 14% the current clubs need to take. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: Thatbloke
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 09:51
| But could this be offset by the 3 extra home league games that would be played? (as opposed to mickey mouse cup games that no one wants to play in or watch) |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 11:27
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You might think that, I could not possibly comment. The question is how much less income does a cup game actually bring in? Taking a huge pinch of salt and using the statbunker figures, it seems the Champions Cup attracted somewhere between 300 and 500 fewer attendees per match. Costs were presumably roughly the same, or higher in the case of the B&I. I do not know if that takes it from being an income generator to being a net cost. The other question clubs have to ask is would a game against two from Sale, Caldy, Cambridge, Chinnor or Rams generate the same income as games against old foes. Would it make more than a cup game against those sides. Looking at our home gates - possibly not. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: Kimbo
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 11:46
More than offset. But the more important thing is that spectator interest is boosted. I don't want to see the same team multiple times in a season, and I'd suggest most others don't, either, evidenced by the reduced attendances and multiple previous comments on this site. ------------- Our Club |
Posted By: gerg_861
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 11:53
100% agree. Also think everyone here should take the time to listen to the Champ clubs podcast. Very clear statements made by two guys in the know.
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Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 12:52
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Do you have a link? ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: KnightsBoy
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 15:58
https://champrugbypod.podbean.com/" rel="nofollow - https://champrugbypod.podbean.com/
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Posted By: cheshire exile
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 16:15
Quite right. The trips involved in the old B&I Cup were great. With all due respect there are only so many times per season that one wants to visit, say, the RAG.
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Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 23:13
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Don’t know about other Bedford supporters, but a trip to Cambridge would be okay. ------------- The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused. |
Posted By: corporalcarrot
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2021 at 20:33
Do any of the clubs in the Championship actually meet the Minimum Standards Criteria? I'm guessing Ealing do and Pirates when they build S4C - are there any others? If the winner doesn't meet the MSC wouldn't it be better to promote the highest ranking club who does meet them if the MSC is essential and they clearly want 14 teams in the premiership.
------------- Dont kick it. Pick it up and GO FORWARD. |
Posted By: Cherub
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2021 at 20:49
I think the current RFU option at least keeps a door open to The Premiership, which is far better than the other option which has frequently been mentioned and discussed, which is ring-fencing the Premiership. ------------- Always trying to stay bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. |
Posted By: dropout22
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2021 at 21:26
Ealing have a ground/share in place was Loftus Road, may be that again. Pirates right now don't as S4C is stalling abit. Maybe Doncaster? Apart from that can't think except for sides moving to temporary grounds. Sides have until January to apply for MSC process. |
Posted By: Whistle watcher
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2021 at 08:17
| I'd say there's a fine line between Doncaster and Coventry's facilities and imagine that if one meets the standards, so would the other? |
Posted By: Mark W-J
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2021 at 09:40
| The MSC don't just relate to the number of seats and the spacing between the urinals. There are all sorts of requirements about the structure of the organisation, the sales & marketing roles, the academy/ player pathway. But the most important clause in the document is the one that says a team has the right to appeal in the event of being refused promotion - that's the only one we followed to the letter. |
Posted By: castleparknight
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2021 at 09:53
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When last audited for these criteria Doncaster were accepted, we have expressed the intention of being audited again this season if necessary. ------------- Onward and Upwards C'mon Donny! |
Posted By: dropout22
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2021 at 10:56
Yes sorry you're right, Coventry are another possible one. Although probably not relevant for them this season. |
Posted By: Thatbloke
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2021 at 11:08
| Can I ask a question? Do you get your ground and facilities inspected and then if failing have the right to be reassessed on the basis of another submission through a groundshare agreement with (probably a football club) so let's say Donny and the Keepmoat or do you have to go with the complete business plan for starters? In other words do you have recourse to a second option/proposal? |
Posted By: Mark W-J
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2021 at 11:59
| I believe the audit is completed at the end of the season (edit: March/ April-ish), so there's no opportunity to make changes or fall back on a reserve option in the event of a failure. In that situation you either use the next 12 months to make the changes or look at an alternative option (ie a football ground) ready for next year, but I don't think you can have a back-up plan in your back pocket just in case. |
Posted By: castleparknight
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2021 at 12:08
I know that when we lost to Bristol in the play off finals - we had a plan in place that meant for the first 6 weeks of the season we would have been at the Keepmoat Stadium until the remaining works was done to get Castle Park to the standard required and this was accepted. I thought the audit usually takes place around January / February? ------------- Onward and Upwards C'mon Donny! |
Posted By: Kimbo
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2021 at 14:58
But probably by the time that promotion is once again available, and by which time both the west and north sides of the BPA could well be built, making it a better ground than e.g. The Rec (currently) at least. Edit: north, not east. Brain fart.
------------- Our Club |
Posted By: Raider999
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2021 at 15:34
Bath have now got planning permission to develop the Rec (after years of refusal) ------------- RAID ON |
Posted By: Kimbo
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2021 at 17:06
Yes. Hence my putting 'currently'. ------------- Our Club |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2021 at 17:40
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I did not think they had planning permission yet, but the court ruled the covenants are not enforceable, so there is nothing blocking the granting of permission. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: front5
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2021 at 23:35
A number of National 1 clubs meet requirements DMP, Rosslyn Park, and Sale I'm sure there are others
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Posted By: Mark W-J
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2021 at 08:07
I think you might be confusing the Premiership with the Championship.
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Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2021 at 12:10
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I think that if Darlington Arena passes a safety inspection, it would meet minimum criteria for the Premiership. It would be one of the larger grounds - I have no idea how they manage to make it pay. Sale FC's ground was used for top flight rugby until Sharks moved out. I am not sure about the Rock, if it passes, then Plymouth's ground probably does too. Carnegie could presumably move back to Headingley if they were in danger of two promotions. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: Mark W-J
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2021 at 12:22
| I wouldn't be surprised if Darlington met the criteria, I'll give you that one. I think one of the reasons Sale moved out was that they needed somewhere that met the new criteria (capacity, at the very least). Goldington Road has hosted Premiership matches, but we know it doesn't meet the current standards, and there's no way that Priory Lane does. |
Posted By: Cherub
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2021 at 13:25
Just to be clear, for the sake of clarity, I am fairly sure that my club, Ampthill RFC, just fall short of the Premiership criteria. Just saying…………..  ------------- Always trying to stay bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. |
Posted By: castleparknight
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2021 at 15:11
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Roslyn Park does not, on this planet currently meet the Prem standards ------------- Onward and Upwards C'mon Donny! |
Posted By: Raider999
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2021 at 18:10
Not sure their team does either ------------- RAID ON |
Posted By: Even Older Hooker
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2021 at 18:23
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Ooh Raider. How perceptive. Happy Xmas all posters ------------- Another one against the head |
Posted By: kempstonblue
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2021 at 20:34
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Like Quidditch World Cup, Muggles can’t see the 90,000 witches and wizards watching Ampthill matches. Next Whiskey please ------------- The older I get, the more the RFU leave me confused. |
Posted By: KnightsBoy
Date Posted: 08 Jan 2022 at 10:36
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-10380531/Ealing-Doncaster-await-Premiership-promotion-verdict-applying-join-expanded-tier.html%20" rel="nofollow - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-10380531/Ealing-Doncaster-await-Premiership-promotion-verdict-applying-join-expanded-tier.html
This has just been tweeted, dont know how much truth is in it.
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Posted By: corporalcarrot
Date Posted: 08 Jan 2022 at 10:49
------------- Dont kick it. Pick it up and GO FORWARD. |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 08 Jan 2022 at 12:26
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A clear statement would be good. I would like to have a definitive statement about London Scottish - I think it is more likely they will stay, but who knows. It means Nat 1 clubs are still having to work on the assumption between one and three teams will go up. Of course, that simply means taking it one game at a time. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |