Petition the RFU

[FOMz]

For those of you out there, who feel that the RFU have got it completely wrong with their plan to change English Club Rugby, a petition has just started up. I know alot people think that they're not worth the bandwidth, but if you love your club rugby, i'm sure you'll want to sign.

RFU petition

 

[gemarriott]

For those of you out there, who feel that the RFU have got it completely wrong with their plan to change English Club Rugby, a petition has just started up. I know alot people think that they're not worth the bandwidth, but if you love your club rugby, i'm sure you'll want to sign.

RFU petition

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To be honest with you I think club rugby was destroyed with advent of professional rugby Union almost 20 years ago. Clubs lost traditional fixtures with the introduction of leagues, foreign players, foreign coaches and the changes in laws to make the game a television friendly sport rather than the player centric sport with the vibrant club social scene that the whole family could enjoy. the only time a rugby club is now tyruly a rugby club is on a sunday when the minis are playing.

 

[Scaley brat]

Look on the bright side, the WRU always plunders the same 5 or 6 teams.
I wonder how long it will be, if this petition is successful, before football clubs start the same argument. The clubs pay the wages for the international squad to get free players. International performance is going to go down hill fast.

 

[Norman the Storeman]

Done & dusted. Got to look after my beloved Saracens, they've almost gone under a few times since I started supporting them.

 

[wolfy]

Just signed. Maybe the RFU could pay some sort of sponsorship for developing the top 50 players at under 18 through 21. This would mean clubs could be encouraged to play younger developing players but without the financial burden or the wage cap problem. It might also go someway to reducing the need to import cheap overseas players as cover for internationals etc. what do you think, its not perfect but its a starting point.

 

[I Look Like Kevin Costner]

With the introduction of professionalism in 1995, the game was always going to change out of recognition. It is the clubs, being driven by commerical interests that the best players and coaches from everywhere would be brought in and the old ethos was always going to suffer. However the national team is always going to be paramount to the RFU, it is the goose that lays the golden egg. I would suggest that if you look at the French league? Are they are playing this weekend erh, no! They have their priorities firmly based on the national outlook!

It may be time that the RFU should however, look towards central contracts like the EWCB in cricket. While the England Cricket team took a hammering from the Aussies in the Ashes this winter, it has still improved the teams position in Test Cricket rankings.

 

[Ex-Stacker]

Done.

Fomz, are you a Cornishman based at BZN with a nickname of somewhere in London?DT_Xtremez_34:

 

[Meathead]

Job done!

Glosssssss (deep breath!) sterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Ditto all the central contracts sentiments.

Off Topic Just how many goaters on here are from Gods Country then? Im a Pasty, but i just cant support the Cornish Pirates.....Penzance playing at Camborne? My grandad will be doing somersaults in his graveOff Topic

 

[wgaf]

The problem as I see it here is neither side can thrive without the other, wether the clubs, including my own beloved Bath, like it or not there is a direct link between the success of the national team and the success of club rugby and it's naive to think otherwise. After the last world cup there was something like a 40% hike in attendances at min/junior rugby teams, I can't remember the exact figure and I'm sure someone will correct me. On the other hand without a thriving club game the national team doesn't get the quality of player it needs to survive top level international rugby. Englands biggest problem is the failure of the clubs to release the players for international practice, no team in the world today can hope to compete with New Zealand, South Africa et al unless they have a similar or better match practice training scenario. This will not happen in English rugby while this constant power struggle between club and country exists.
It was not the advent of proffesionalism that has ruined club rugby in England today. Proffesionalism has given us some of the finest players to grace a rugby pitch and the means to train these players properly. It was allowing businessmen, with no prior connection to or knowledge of our magnificent game, to take over clubs as either their play things or with an eye on the quick buck that has taken club rugby down the path it's gone. I also believe that the RFU need to stop looking at international rugby as a means to making vast profits.
I for one will not sign a petition that hands more power to the clubs at the expense of the national squad when many of these clubs are run by the above mentioned businessmen who are only interested in lining their own pockets.

 

[FOMz]

Done.

Fomz, are you a Cornishman based at BZN with a nickname of somewhere in London?DT_Xtremez_34:

Nope!!! but I do know him. Is he bald yet?

Glaws through and through. Cherry and White blood runs through my veins.

 

[rugby then work]

The problem as I see it here is neither side can thrive without the other, wether the clubs, including my own beloved Bath, like it or not there is a direct link between the success of the national team and the success of club rugby and it's naive to think otherwise. After the last world cup there was something like a 40% hike in attendances at min/junior rugby teams, I can't remember the exact figure and I'm sure someone will correct me. On the other hand without a thriving club game the national team doesn't get the quality of player it needs to survive top level international rugby. Englands biggest problem is the failure of the clubs to release the players for international practice, no team in the world today can hope to compete with New Zealand, South Africa et al unless they have a similar or better match practice training scenario. This will not happen in English rugby while this constant power struggle between club and country exists.
It was not the advent of proffesionalism that has ruined club rugby in England today. Proffesionalism has given us some of the finest players to grace a rugby pitch and the means to train these players properly. It was allowing businessmen, with no prior connection to or knowledge of our magnificent game, to take over clubs as either their play things or with an eye on the quick buck that has taken club rugby down the path it's gone. I also believe that the RFU need to stop looking at international rugby as a means to making vast profits.
I for one will not sign a petition that hands more power to the clubs at the expense of the national squad when many of these clubs are run by the above mentioned businessmen who are only interested in lining their own pockets.

I totally agree that neither side can do without the other (that was hard, agreeing with a Barff Supporter)

Some of my thoughts for what they're worth:

there is a direct link between the success of the national team and the success of club rugby

That's true and for the reasons you've given, but we also have to remember that the clubs pay the players wages week in week out (well most of them anyway), provide them with top class coaching and medical care and at the successful clubs the opportunity to play in European competition. England gives those players the chance to perform at the highest level, that can only improve them as players and the clubs benefit from that experience.

England’s biggest problem is the failure of the clubs to release the players for international practice,

This is the biggest problem facing not only England but also the clubs, can they afford to release their best players for a 2 -3 week training camp (as proposed by England) during the season. The players may well benefit from the experience, England certainly would, but some clubs could lose 5 or 6 first team regulars. They only need to lose 1 game in that period to have a huge effect on club finances, i.e. missing out on European cup qualification.

It was not the advent of professionalism that has ruined club rugby in England today

I'm not so sure that club rugby has been ruined at all, when I'm not involved in grassroots rugby on a Saturday I'll either be at Kingsholm or watching Sky and the standard of rugby played in the premiership is a lot higher than it was 10 years ago. At the grass roots level rugby hasn't changed all that much in the last 30 years. I joined my 1st club at 8 years old in Gloucester, I've played in several counties, finishing my playing days down at Truro and there was more money available for training equipment, physio and the clubhouse (which is what really matters) than ever before. 30 years later I still enjoy being involved in club rugby (albeit coaching now).