Duckworth Not Happy With Playoffs

[TRF_Olyy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/8915516.stm

Cecil Duckworth, chairman of relegated Worcester, has written to the Rugby Football Union to complain about the current Championship play-off system.
Duckworth says the format does not help clubs plan for the future when it comes to signing new players as they do not know what division they will be in.

He makes a good point, you only have to look at what's happened to Bristol over the summer to see the effect this has had

 

[SelimNiai]

Playoffs just do not work and I am not just saying that because we fell foul of them. I was critical of them when we managed to get into them few season ago. However the RFU seems to think they do, all they do is add a few thousand quid to their pockets.

If they are to keep the system then they need to do a few things;

1. Get rid of this 2 legged final nonsense, its a waste. If you lose the 1st leg why should you get another chance.
2. The Palyoff start March 12th, our last league game is, as far as I can see, is Febuary the 19th. If that is right then thats ridiculous. A month gap between the last league game and start of playoffs.

 

[cyRil]

The Championship & similarly the Welsh Premiership play-offs take the biscuit. They are even more irrelevant and convoluted than the standard system.
To give the team that finish 8th the chance to win the league is just ridiculous, can't people see how big a ****-take that is?!

 

[TRF_Cymro]

To be fair the play offs are a joke unless they are competing for a second promotion spot!

 

[Teh Mite]

He makes some very valid points,

[GLOW="blue"]BUT![/GLOW]

I didn't notice him saying anything about it last season...

 

[Will Power]

In fairness to Cecil, Wuss were in the Premiership last season and as such were not involved in this farcical situation... however, he did say last season (quite emphatically) that he was absolutely opposed to ring fencing and he went on to say that it was essential that promotion/relegation between the leagues remained. This is testament to his integrity as Wuss struggled against relegation almost the entire time they were in the Prem and ring fencing would have eliminated the spectre of dropping down!

Fair play to Cecil I think.