Tier 2 re-launch

[Banquo]

Like the strap line 'The Proving Ground'

[FKAS]

Nice. Dare we hope there might be some televised action?

[Which Tyler]

Is that this article, but rendered invisible for non-twits?'
Welcome to The Proving Ground

English rugby’s second tier reveals new competition format and brand as it gears up for the 2025-26 season.

[Puja]

Is that this article, but rendered invisible for non-twits?'
Welcome to The Proving Ground

English rugby’s second tier reveals new competition format and brand as it gears up for the 2025-26 season.

Interesting that they've still got promotion and relegation in there. Admittedly, they've got it as tightly locked up as they can, with Champ playoffs to increase the chance of a dominant team not qualifying, MSC, and then a two-legged play-off with the bottom club to make sure that there can't be a one-off upset, but I thought the whole point was that they were selling investment in the Premiership on the basis that there would be franchises and you couldn't lose all your money by getting relegated (instead you lose it all in a slow bleed from the day-to-day of just investing in a rugby club).

Looks like a decent enough structure though. Is there going to be anything in the way of actual funding provided for this, do we think, or are the RFU still expecting the Championship clubs to live off dust?

Puja

[Mellsblue]

[Banquo]

Nice. Dare we hope there might be some televised action?

....thats the next step. 12 months wasted tbh

[Banquo]

Is that this article, but rendered invisible for non-twits?'
Welcome to The Proving Ground

English rugby’s second tier reveals new competition format and brand as it gears up for the 2025-26 season.

Interesting that they've still got promotion and relegation in there. Admittedly, they've got it as tightly locked up as they can, with Champ playoffs to increase the chance of a dominant team not qualifying, MSC, and then a two-legged play-off with the bottom club to make sure that there can't be a one-off upset, but I thought the whole point was that they were selling investment in the Premiership on the basis that there would be franchises and you couldn't lose all your money by getting relegated (instead you lose it all in a slow bleed from the day-to-day of just investing in a rugby club).

Looks like a decent enough structure though. Is there going to be anything in the way of actual funding provided for this, do we think, or are the RFU still expecting the Championship clubs to live off dust?

Puja

no new funding, in fact less as not pro rata upwards for 2 more teams. Allocation not really sorted as some/ a lot central marketing. max 6 dual reg,exc season loans.18 eqp in 23 squad...sanctions, etc.

[Which Tyler]

English second tier gets Champ Rugby rebrand in new 14-club league

Operating standards and promotion still to be agreed
Plan for top six to enter playoff with bottom Premiership side

[Puja]

The announcement ends uncertainty over the future of the second tier of English rugby, which has been hit hard financially since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Central funding has dropped from about £600,000 in 2019 to about £150,000 - and last year champions Jersey Reds went bust.

And while the additional matches will mean Championship clubs will no longer have time for the Premiership Rugby Cup, Pettifer hopes some of the acrimony between second-tier clubs and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) will end.

Saw this turn of phrase in an article on the BBC and thought it might be fun to post here and see if we can make Mells and Banquo's heads explode with rage: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 85k9399ddo

I'm just hoping that the Championship clubs no longer having time for the PRC hasn't left the Premiership teams in too much of a bind. With luck, they'll be able to be flexible and find some way to arrange a Prem-only cup competition.

Puja

[Banquo]

The announcement ends uncertainty over the future of the second tier of English rugby, which has been hit hard financially since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Central funding has dropped from about £600,000 in 2019 to about £150,000 - and last year champions Jersey Reds went bust.

And while the additional matches will mean Championship clubs will no longer have time for the Premiership Rugby Cup, Pettifer hopes some of the acrimony between second-tier clubs and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) will end.

Saw this turn of phrase in an article on the BBC and thought it might be fun to post here and see if we can make Mells and Banquo's heads explode with rage: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 85k9399ddo

I'm just hoping that the Championship clubs no longer having time for the PRC hasn't left the Premiership teams in too much of a bind. With luck, they'll be able to be flexible and find some way to arrange a Prem-only cup competition.

Puja

There is a prem only PRC or are you taking the Mickey

[Puja]

The announcement ends uncertainty over the future of the second tier of English rugby, which has been hit hard financially since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Central funding has dropped from about £600,000 in 2019 to about £150,000 - and last year champions Jersey Reds went bust.

And while the additional matches will mean Championship clubs will no longer have time for the Premiership Rugby Cup, Pettifer hopes some of the acrimony between second-tier clubs and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) will end.

Saw this turn of phrase in an article on the BBC and thought it might be fun to post here and see if we can make Mells and Banquo's heads explode with rage: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 85k9399ddo

I'm just hoping that the Championship clubs no longer having time for the PRC hasn't left the Premiership teams in too much of a bind. With luck, they'll be able to be flexible and find some way to arrange a Prem-only cup competition.

Puja

There is a prem only PRC or are you taking the Mickey

Me? Be flippant? Perish the thought.

Puja

[Banquo]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 0nqxjjzryo

[Oakboy]

Can a play-off between bottom prem team and top champ team work as things are? I like it in principle but money must rule overall team strength.

[Puja]

Can a play-off between bottom prem team and top champ team work as things are? I like it in principle but money must rule overall team strength.

Not even slightly. And that's a feature, not a bug, as far as the Prem is concerned.

Puja

[Banquo]

Can a play-off between bottom prem team and top champ team work as things are?

in what way?

[Oakboy]

Can a play-off between bottom prem team and top champ team work as things are?

in what way?

What I was thinking of was the champ club's ability to pay sufficiently well to attract quality players and compete against the bottom club. At present, the prem gets the TV money etc. Can a champ club pay enough? Dare it risk not winning in terms of the following season's commitments? If straight promotion is achieved, the club can recruit in the summer knowing that premiership income is certain.

For a bottom v top play-off, more money has to go to the second tier as a matter of course (than now) for it to be a 'fair' contest.

[Banquo]

Can a play-off between bottom prem team and top champ team work as things are?

in what way?

What I was thinking of was the champ club's ability to pay sufficiently well to attract quality players and compete against the bottom club. At present, the prem gets the TV money etc. Can a champ club pay enough? Dare it risk not winning in terms of the following season's commitments? If straight promotion is achieved, the club can recruit in the summer knowing that premiership income is certain.

For a bottom v top play-off, more money has to go to the second tier as a matter of course (than now) for it to be a 'fair' contest.

ah ok. I think Ealing would give Falcons a scare (and wuss are an unknown at the moment, player/budget wise), but they have millions thrown at them by a sugar daddy, and have smaller crowds than us. The bigger problems are stadium capacity (see crowd comment...even if they build it, they won't come) and buying p-shares, plus no relegation parachute.

I see a lot of bollox about Ealing (and Cov) not being prepared to spend the money to hit the stadium rules....but would you spend 750k-1m on planning PERMISSION, let alone the build, with a- may not win the play off, b- the amount you need to spend to get in (p-share) stay (player quality and depth) in the prem, c- no backstop.

That said the RFU hasn't got the money to support all the pro game men/women, plus grass roots plus pathways 'properly' as it stands. The whole (English) game desperately needs more footfall AND substantial private investment- a chicken and egg right there

[Banquo]

Like the strap line 'The Proving Ground'

we proved we were a bit sh*t again yesterday

Mind Bedford chose to keep Glister, Baker and Logan warehoused at Saints rather than released to us, and it wouldn't have made any difference to the end result, but a better game for the crowd (2k) and given them more experience. Bitter....absolutely