Four year ringfence

[Gloskarlos]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... eason.html

Apologies for the link.

Not a fan myself, a 14 team league with many dead rubbers unless you limit European spots to the top 10 maybe. Reckon BT will still baulk at the idea.

[Mellsblue]

It’ll be interesting to see how hard a bargain the Champ can drive if this is going to happen.
If this comes with a guarantee of extra funding and, perhaps, official links with Prem clubs to provide academy players on loan, then it might get the Champ clubs’ approval.
If PRL do make Ealing the 14th club, rather than a Cornish or Doncaster, then we know it’s solely about short term financial gain rather than expanding the reach of the club game.
Also, £20-35million seems an awful lot to pay for the privilege of losing a few £mil a season.

[Peej]

I think it's inevitable really. Not sure how this plays into the "play less rugby, protect the players" philosophy.

[Oakboy]

I don't know what to think. Does anyone know the French club scene well? What do they do?

[Puja]

It’ll be interesting to see how hard a bargain the Champ can drive if this is going to happen.
If this comes with a guarantee of extra funding and, perhaps, official links with Prem clubs to provide academy players on loan, then it might get the Champ clubs’ approval.
If PRL do make Ealing the 14th club, rather than a Cornish or Doncaster, then we know it’s solely about short term financial gain rather than expanding the reach of the club game.
Also, £20-35million seems an awful lot to pay for the privilege of losing a few £mil a season.

Presumably £20-35 million would be buying Prem Shares and thus a vote, a right to a catchment zone, and money from RFU/television/sponsorship.

Not a fan at all. More games, more overlap with internationals, more pressure on players.

Puja

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

Bah!
Maybe they could put them into two conferences? Play teams in your own conference home and away, play other con. once rotating annually?
They won't though. And they won't get rid of playoffs. It's exactly the opposite of the direction of travel we should be going in.

[Mellsblue]

It’ll be interesting to see how hard a bargain the Champ can drive if this is going to happen.
If this comes with a guarantee of extra funding and, perhaps, official links with Prem clubs to provide academy players on loan, then it might get the Champ clubs’ approval.
If PRL do make Ealing the 14th club, rather than a Cornish or Doncaster, then we know it’s solely about short term financial gain rather than expanding the reach of the club game.
Also, £20-35million seems an awful lot to pay for the privilege of losing a few £mil a season.

Presumably £20-35 million would be buying Prem Shares and thus a vote, a right to a catchment zone, and money from RFU/television/sponsorship.

Not a fan at all. More games, more overlap with internationals, more pressure on players.

Puja

Yep. Def shares. COO of Bedford stated as such on a supporters zoom call at the start of the season. It can confer you as many rights as you like, you’ll still be losing a shed load of money.

[Scrumhead]

I think it's inevitable really. Not sure how this plays into the "play less rugby, protect the players" philosophy.

If there’s no relegation, results don’t matter that much. I imagine it will just mean the league goes the way of the Pro14 with the test players saved for big derby games or Europe and the rest of the fixtures being contested by second string sides.

It’s not my preference, but in a way it might actually improve player welfare and level the playing field a bit by evening the load put on the England players relative to the other home nations.

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

But there's still no incentive for the clubs to rest players for international duty. Unless there is they will still want all their best playing for every game so they get the fans in.

[TheNomad]

I have heard the argument - it will encourage (i) longer term views re: player development and (ii) less 'win at all costs, even if we win ugly' rugby

Maybe (i) has some merit...not sure I buy into (ii)

[francoisfou]

I don't know what to think. Does anyone know the French club scene well? What do they do?

The Top14 and ProD2 have no plans at all, as far as I know, to introduce ringfencing. The bottom side in the Top14 (Agen, who’ve lost every match so far this season) are automatically relegated to ProD2 and the side that wins the ProD2 playoffs is promoted. Then the club that finishes last but one in the Top14 plays a one-off match against the runner-up in the ProD2 playoff final for a place in the Top14. There has been talk of a Top16, but that seems to have been shelved.

[Oakboy]

I don't know what to think. Does anyone know the French club scene well? What do they do?

The Top14 and ProD2 have no plans at all, as far as I know, to introduce ringfencing. The bottom side in the Top14 (Agen, who’ve lost every match so far this season) are automatically relegated to ProD2 and the side that wins the ProD2 playoffs is promoted. Then the club that finishes last but one in the Top14 plays a one-off match against the runner-up in the ProD2 playoff final for a place in the Top14. There has been talk of a Top16, but that seems to have been shelved.

Thanks for that. I suppose it's always down to money and the number of clubs that the game can sustain. Ringfencing implies some sort of fear of losing big investors perhaps - media or entrepreneurs.

[fivepointer]

Always on the cards so not surprised by this move. Not too disappointed either. I think there could be positives in allowing clubs breathing space, knowing they arent going to be relegated.
i'm happy for the top league to be ringfenced, though I wonder just what is the plan for the Championship and what happens after the 4 years has elapsed.

[16th man]

In terms of player welfare, I suppose the argument in favour of ring fencing despite more games would be that without the threat of relegation, you can generate more funds through sponsorship etc. and be more secure financially because of the guaranteed status, allowing you to carry a larger squad.

If it allows more academy players to be kept on and gives them more game time then that possibly makes up for the dilution of talent across even more teams.

[Digby]

If we're to have this experiment it should have some criteria around selecting EQP, around selecting young English players, and around playing some decent attacking rugby. Probably to be safe we should wire up the coaches and if they fail in any of the criteria we just start electrocuting them in the genitals

[Which Tyler]

It was inevitable after the first suspension of relegation.
If confirmed, I guess I'll have to find a French club to support.