Out of interest how has the split and format worked for Yorkshire 4 and 5 teams? Given there may be another restructure be interested to know your thoughts? Sorry to hijack the thread!
How does everyone feel about the proposed entry of 2nd teams from level 6 and above entering the leagues at Level 7 and below ?
That's not quite what was mentioned. The panel threw into the mix the possibility of 2nd XV's playing in the leagues. This is not limited to clubs in L6 and above. Whilst it was commented on, it didn't appear to gain much traction.
Either way, without a rewriting of the current regulations, 2nd XV's can only rise to L8 and all new entrants must start in the lowest league. To join in a higher league would need approval from the Committee and all the clubs involved.
Entering a 2nd XV is not something any club would take lightly. Commitment to fixtures is imperative. Even a club like Ilkley, based on comments in the Merit league thread suggests they have had player availability issues at 2nd team level - 3rds, no problem.