$txt['mentions'] = 'Mentions'; $txt['scheduled_task_removeMentions'] = 'Remove seen mentions'; $txt['scheduled_task_desc_removeMentions'] = 'Automatically removes seen mentions older than the specified days'; Not a lot of fun. Is this a record?

Not a lot of fun. Is this a record?

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Sail By

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Reply #15 on: October 21, 2019, 08:20:55 AM
This is not a national league but a regional league just like Scabs are playing.

For the pathway of players the quality has to go up so National leagues in some form are required for the young up and coming players.
I read a very interesting report of where the current England team had played in their rise to the top which showed the use of Championship, Nat 1&2 teams.

Before criticising national leagues, which i agree need reviewing, it may be best to go out there and watch what is on offer.


Speccy

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Reply #16 on: October 21, 2019, 08:33:09 AM
You have to give credit to South Leicester for even fulfilling their fixtures. However,sense should prevail and the RFU should surely allow them to drop 2/3 leagues. Incidentally,they are not even bottom. Peterborough Lions who are in a similar predicament,after being relegated with SL,are on -5 points ! At least thosetwo will save Doncaster Phoenix from relegation !


backrowbandit

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Reply #17 on: October 21, 2019, 08:46:12 AM
This is not a national league but a regional league just like Scabs are playing.

For the pathway of players the quality has to go up so National leagues in some form are required for the young up and coming players.
I read a very interesting report of where the current England team had played in their rise to the top which showed the use of Championship, Nat 1&2 teams.

Before criticising national leagues, which i agree need reviewing, it may be best to go out there and watch what is on offer.
But the problems were caused at national level and aspiring to be at the level.
Scrap the national leagues - the clubs don't disappear, they just play up to a regional level. Very few players playing national League level now will ever play at level 1.


Everything will readjust hopefully with as much overhead.

Loving all rugby but especially at grassroots level.


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Reply #18 on: October 21, 2019, 09:06:56 AM
Totally disagree with the comment re very few players using national league on the way to playing level 1.
You need to get closer to the pathway of the the academies to understand just how much these clubs are used, sometimes relied upon, in the progression of young players.

At least 6 of the staring team last Saturday came through this route, but we do not see them in the headlines as they are all 18-20 years old.

I am not saying that there are no issues in national leagues, with sustainability being a massive issue, just don't underestimate how good the rugby can be and what a great platform it provides for some of our future stars.



backrowbandit

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Reply #19 on: October 21, 2019, 09:22:12 AM
I'm not underestimating....in some ways the quality is irrelevant.

The issue is funding....spend 5 mins looking at the accounts of any, say, 5 clubs in the national leagues.

Loving all rugby but especially at grassroots level.


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Reply #20 on: October 21, 2019, 09:59:14 AM
I totally agree re finances, which is why sustainability should be looked at.

Re the quality being irrelevant, how would you prepare a young academy lad for Prem duty then?
With the Prem teams having around 20 of these lads between 18-23 they need a viable outlet.

Currently we have a number of hidden tiers for them;
England
European Cup
Premiership
Premiership Cup - 4 games (6 for qualifiers)
Championship
Premiership A League - 4 games
Nat 1 & Nat 2

Every sport has and needs a tier system to the top, therefore we need something to give the route.
Yes we could go North and South at Nat 1 / Championship but this would be a detrimental move for northern rugby in my view.


backrowbandit

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Reply #21 on: October 21, 2019, 10:46:49 AM
I mean quality is irrelevant if we are heading to armageddon in respect of finances. National league matches are generally played in front of empty grounds (if the rugby paper attendances are correct) with clubs often not running 2nd or 3rd teams and in some cases a limited junior set up...

Whatever the benefit of the "pathway" it just doesn't work financially.

Its like everyone loving their village pub and church but no one wanting to pay for it...
Loving all rugby but especially at grassroots level.


Speccy

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Reply #22 on: October 21, 2019, 10:56:28 AM
You just have to look at the Merit League fixtures and results. There are now not much more than a couple of handfulls of games played at 2/3rd team level each week in Yorks. Teams can be halfway up a merit league table but still not playing a game! They claim victory and the points,when the away team cry off on a friday.Often a game of chicken to see who cries off first,so the other team claim the win and the points!


Fredsbar

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Reply #23 on: October 21, 2019, 07:21:59 PM
The matter is being discussed again by the Rfu


avinastella

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Reply #24 on: October 21, 2019, 08:25:48 PM
Read an article today regarding South Leicester.
They confirmed the problem kicked when ALL the 1st xv left at season end ..along with the main sponsor.
Now complaining they can't afford to pay 'wages' for a second team
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Billy36

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Reply #25 on: October 22, 2019, 07:43:34 AM
And they wonder why it’s not sustainable. A group of mercenaries brought together who have no ties to the club and barely know each other’s names. They’re hardly going to create an atmosphere in the clubhouse afterwards.

Can’t imagine ‘past players’ dinner will be well attended if that’s the way it’s operated for years.


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Reply #26 on: November 15, 2019, 08:14:50 PM
Having played some rugby in Leicestershire, and against South in my time, I can agree with Radio Gnome’s assessment of the club.
Plenty of benefactor money via a sponsorship deal facade, climbed out of what was then National 3 Midlands soon after their national league neighbours Hinckley a few years ago.
To be fair to South their Sunday mornings used to be quite well attended back at the start of the decade and I hear the current colts are a decent outfit in the area at their age group.

However, with no second or third team to blood these in they soon move to clubs that can off adult rugby with appropriate levels to blood them in. Not every 18 year old is Marcus Smith of Harlequins at that age.
Some did go full circle at 22 onwards having been superstars in lower leagues, but it’s not a recipe for success. Especially if you’ve grown a group of friends at that club and South could cancel your contact and leave you teamless at any point. Not the enjoyable environment to thrive in.

Interestingly Birmingham and Solihull, who both came down with South from National 2 level have both also lost all their playing squad and pulled out of the RFU pyramid to play in the Birmingham Merit Leagues.

Look anywhere up and down the country and there are centenary year and beyond established “first teams” now in local merit leagues. Rugby is becoming unsustainable at the higher levels. Professional fees for unprofessional set ups and unprofessional individuals...sorry amateur set ups and individuals. There’s no longer a glass ceiling, more a giant wrecking ball for any club not willing to spend beyond their means to find their level.

Brilliant post.
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the Stars.
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