A League

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

A bit of a rant but this is something that really really really feked me off.

In Football they have
1: Premier League - 24 team league home and away fixture.
2: Premier League 2 (age limit of 23) - 2 divisions of 12 teams with promotion and relegation with home and away fixtures
3: U18 League - 24 teams split into North and South playing home and away fixtures.

Now compare this to our Clubs pathway.
1: Premiership - 12 teams home and away.
2: A league - 12 teams split into 2 divisions of 6 playing each other once
3: U18 league - 17 teams split into 2 divisions playing each other once.

It's pretty pathetic IMO, why can't we expand them to proper leaguE, fortunately of international pathway is great currently.

Surely it wouldn't be hard to change the fixtures for the U18 and A league to home and away instead of one or the other?

I look at Tigers development squad and yes the majority are on loan to Championship, Nat 1 and Nat 2 but it isn't the same TBH.

Interesting to see Doncaster and Nottingham setting up there own private academy (Nottingham have a few former Tigers academy lads in there academy team), Notts recently beat Wasps academy a couple weeks ago hopefully both will be added to the U18 league soonish.

 

[Which Tyler]

I... agree with TigsMan... I think I need a lie down

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

See I didn't know the Aussie have a U20 league of 6 teams playing each other once.

Would a U20 league workout well in the prem? Maybe have a A league in the first (3 months Sept, Oct, Nov) and a U20 league in the second half (March, April, May). With a U18 league going on during the A league fixtures.


I mean I personally would also like to see a prem sevens circuit in the summer maybe 3 legs North, Midland, South with the hosting city rotating each week with the final playing at a random stadium similar to the current sevens with idea of having senior academy lads with a couple of sevens ringers in each team (maybe a limit of 2) would also allow Sevens to scout players not deemed big enough by the Prem clubs but could fit the sevens scene, But I can wait for that.

 

[Mackem Falcon]

I think the A league is fine personally, just needs more games to beef it up and a more regular window for it to be played in. Falcons are playing Sale tonight and it's their first A league fixture since October.

Wouldn't go all in on an U20's league but would turn the current A league into something they currently have in Football where the majority but not all of the starting line up have to be under 23. If there 15 starting on the pitch and 6 on the bench then you could say that 8 or 9 of the starting XV and 3 of the 6 subs have to be under 23.