England need a limit to playing time

[Which Tyler]

Things go well and the cracks get papered over, think of all the games, england wasnt playing great in all of them but then the 'finishers' came on and brought real momentum, england got away with not blooding to many young back rowers because our team was winning, same with player fatigue, when we were winning no one said rest players as we wanted to keep winning then we lose players to injury and cracks start to show. We all of a sudden have a shocking back row and a team of fatigued lions.

On top of which, many of these changes have been being called for, for quite a while now; they just didn't gain much traction when we were winning.

 

[McTallshort]

How would you reduce the prem size then?

**** Bath and Wasps off

 

[TRF_Olyy]

**** Bath and Wasps off

There are definitely too many clubs in the east Midlands and the South West, so makes sense

 

[McTallshort]

There are definitely too many clubs in the east Midlands and the South West, so makes sense

Excuse me. Coventry is not in the East Midlands but we should get shot of them anyway.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Everything east of Birmingham is East Midlands aka the land that time forgot.

 

[curtbob7]

Excuse me. Coventry is not in the East Midlands but we should get shot of them anyway.

Move them to the south coast or something.

 

[curtbob7]

Everything east of Birmingham is East Midlands aka the land that time forgot.

Sounds like the M62 Corridor

 

[ncurd]

I suggest getting rid of Worcester or Gloucester no need for teams within 30 mins of each other.

 

[higgik]

First the club and international seasons need splitting, with complete breaks between them.
I would like to see the July Internationals moved to September and the November internationals moved to October so that all were played in 1 seven week block, 3 home, 3 away, then on RWC years no internationals as they will be playing RWC. Much to many peoples disgust, I would also move 6N to August and Early September leading up to the international season.

Club season starts in November with a reduction to max of 21 matches (including play offs) played however each league pleases and played over 23 weeks max.

European rugby should be limited to top teams and played like a mini World Cup with 4 group games and then knockouts played at a single venue.

This gives internationals a maximum of 39 matches, which is 4 more than allowed, but less than the current number of games they miss. The season would also be over by End of May, giving 2 months of season.

 

[McTallshort]

Move them to the south coast or something.

North West nothing else there ....

 

[McTallshort]

Everything east of Birmingham is East Midlands aka the land that time forgot.

Yeah Birmingham cracking place....

 

[Brigantine]

European rugby should be limited to top teams and played like a mini World Cup with 4 group games and then knockouts played at a single venue. [...] The season would also be over by End of May, giving 2 months of season.

Having all the internationals in one block is essentially what the plan *already is* for the SH, from 2020. July Internationals, Aug-Oct Rugby Championship, November Internationals. Moving from that to TRC-Tours-AIs shouldn't be too much drama - the SH domestic comps can carry on through the tour season.

Though this is the wrong thread for talking about moving international windows.

 

[smartcooky]

How would you reduce the prem size then?

LESS = MORE

1. Increase the number of teams to 15.

2. Change the Regular season competition from Home + Away to Home or Away (each team has seven home games and seven away games).

3. The odd number of teams means each week one team have a bye.

4. Run the 6N over 5 consecutive weekends.

5. Halt the Prem during the 6N plus no matches the weekend before R1 (for prep) and after R5 (for rest and recovery).

6. Increase the post season from Top 4 to Top 6 with a six-team MacIntyre playoff system.

Result: The current Prem has a running time* of 22 weeks regular season + 2 weeks post season (24 week). Under the reduced plan, it runs 14 weeks regular season + 3 weeks post season + 7 week break (also 24 weeks but with far fewer matches (each team 14 to 17 matches instead of 22 to 24).

*Note: By running time I don't mean calendar dates from start to finish, I mean the number of rounds required. I fully understand Champions Cup matches need to be interspersed between some Prem rounds.

 

[Leinster Fan]

4. Run the 6N over 5 consecutive weekends.

Ireland, Scotland and Wales are all against this, it won't happen.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Ireland, Scotland and Wales are all against this, it won't happen.

And shouldn't, the injury count would only get bigger.

 

[scotlandfan93]

i know its different situation in scotland with the union owning the players but we have a system where the elite scotland players like hogg, russell, gray etc never play more than 6/7 games in a row i think. Would it be possible for the rfu to do something with players in the england elite squad missing one game a month or something and the rfu paying compensation to the affected clubs for each game missed.

 

[McTallshort]

LESS = MORE

1. Increase the number of teams to 15.

2. Change the Regular season competition from Home + Away to Home or Away (each team has seven home games and seven away games).

3. The odd number of teams means each week one team have a bye.

4. Run the 6N over 5 consecutive weekends.

5. Halt the Prem during the 6N plus no matches the weekend before R1 (for prep) and after R5 (for rest and recovery).

6. Increase the post season from Top 4 to Top 6 with a six-team MacIntyre playoff system.

Result: The current Prem has a running time* of 22 weeks regular season + 2 weeks post season (24 week). Under the reduced plan, it runs 14 weeks regular season + 3 weeks post season + 7 week break (also 24 weeks but with far fewer matches (each team 14 to 17 matches instead of 22 to 24).

*Note: By running time I don't mean calendar dates from start to finish, I mean the number of rounds required. I fully understand Champions Cup matches need to be interspersed between some Prem rounds.

Just need to get 15 clubs that can afford to run as pro but seems very reasonable to me

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

LESS = MORE

Not a phrase your average sports administrator understands.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

LESS = MORE

1. Increase the number of teams to 15.

2. Change the Regular season competition from Home + Away to Home or Away (each team has seven home games and seven away games).

3. The odd number of teams means each week one team have a bye.

4. Run the 6N over 5 consecutive weekends.

5. Halt the Prem during the 6N plus no matches the weekend before R1 (for prep) and after R5 (for rest and recovery).

6. Increase the post season from Top 4 to Top 6 with a six-team MacIntyre playoff system.

Result: The current Prem has a running time* of 22 weeks regular season + 2 weeks post season (24 week). Under the reduced plan, it runs 14 weeks regular season + 3 weeks post season + 7 week break (also 24 weeks but with far fewer matches (each team 14 to 17 matches instead of 22 to 24).

*Note: By running time I don't mean calendar dates from start to finish, I mean the number of rounds required. I fully understand Champions Cup matches need to be interspersed between some Prem rounds.

Generally like it. But if you don't have the AP during the 6N (and the AI?) then the only justification for a post season falls away. In a novel development the champions could be the team that came top of the league!

 

[Bada-Bing!]

LESS = MORE

But the clubs are thinking: