This is the last write-up I did,, but the general idea has been evolving for what? 15+ years since we collaborated as a board and wrote a letter to Rob Andrew when newly appointed to the RFU.
We do t talk about not as much now, as were mostly the same posters making mostly the same arguments, that will never go anywhere, so prefer not to bore everyone with repetition - it also means that most of the discussion, especially the early ones have been lost over the course of several board moves.
Personally, I'd like to see the Championship better funded, with better promotion, higher MSCs (I think), and with a proper TV deal; but with the professional tiers shrunk a little to compensate. If we could get that, I'd be willing to ring-fence at that level (subject to set-in-stone criteria for promotion / relegation to the amateur national leagues.
However, I don't want to see bailouts of clubs who've simply failed to manage their business.
I did my big thing on this over a decade ago now, and it's been lost with various site moves and computer changes; but in essence, my mind hasn't really changed.
Reduce the Prem to 8 teams; with 10 in the Championship; 1 up, 1 down automatically, and a play off between 7th and 2nd.
If a TV company wants to bid for Premiership rugby, then they have to show Champ as well; 2:1 ratio.
All 18 clubs to have RFU funded academies.
5 Prem teams in Euro1 cup; 3 in Euro2.
Cup competition between the 2 leagues with 6 guest teams (probably the Welsh & Irish, maybe the best of the amateurs) - 4 pools of 6; ideally with handicaps*
In terms of matches; the Prem would go from 22(+2) in the Prem; 6(+3) in Europe; 4(+2) in AWC = 32(+7).
To: 14(+2) Prem; 6(+3) Euro; 11(+2) AWC* = 31(+7).
The Championship on the other hand would go from 22(+2) in the Champ; 6(+3) in B&IC(?) = 28(+5)
To: 18(+2) Champ; 11(+2) AWC* = 29(+4). I'd like to keep the B&I cup, but viability may be an issue, and it'd need to drop the current H&A fixture list.
This way our pyramid of talent becomes slightly pyramid, rather than a blunt column; a little more filtering of the top talent into the top teams (player combinations etc); fewer clashes between the Prem and internationals; in terms of player welfare, there's some inbuilt welfare for the AWC; in terms of supporting the lower level clubs, there's more finance, more exposure, some chances at giant-slaying, funded academies and greater movement between the 2 leagues.
*eg. English top seeds + Welsh regions only allowed 4 >23 year olds; 2nd seeds only allowed 8 (at least for the pool stages). Another option might be to limit it to that number of players who played >1000 minutes in the previous season. Include Cup, Plate and Shield competitions so that everyone gets knock-out rugby.
Of course ALL of the above is up for debate, and there are a number of preferences amongst those of us generally in favour.
As you can see, it's a bit more than "sacrifice 2 clubs to obscurity. Job done"
product
