Rugby breakaway league coming.

[Rugbyfan564]

According to various paywalled articles a breakaway rugby league is coming that may or may not end international rugby entirely or only partly. (The Times says it won't but the Daily Mail says it would!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, I'll believe when I see it.....crash and burn after it's first season, with sides of pub league players with one or two internationals making 50x as much as their team mates playing to crowds of maybe double figures

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Yeah, I'll believe when I see it.....crash and burn after it's first season, with sides of pub league players with one or two internationals making 50x as much as their team mates playing to crowds of maybe double figures

Maybe but who knows. The England team all sound kean apparently and don't like the RFU enough to risk never playing internationals again.

 

[Which Tyler]

Maybe but who knows. The England team all sound kean apparently and don't like the RFU enough to risk never playing internationals again.

Don't believe everything you read.
Including things that are stated without any links, background, or real information.

 

[The Seeker]

Yeah, I'll believe when I see it.....crash and burn after it's first season, with sides of pub league players with one or two internationals making 50x as much as their team mates playing to crowds of maybe double figures

 

[The Seeker]

Don't believe everything you read.
Including things that are stated without any links, background, or real information.

My thought exactly!

 

[Reiser99]

The logistics alone make this ridiculous. In football it was whole clubs with their infrastructure looking to break away. In golf, there are already courses around the world and players are individuals, so it's feasible. I don't see how there can be any breakaway rugby league without the support of the clubs.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

The logistics alone make this ridiculous. In football it was whole clubs with their infrastructure looking to break away. In golf, there are already courses around the world and players are individuals, so it's feasible. I don't see how there can be any breakaway rugby league without the support of the clubs.

They will set up new clubs. The existing clubs will have to promote talent from lower down the chain.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'd love to know what models they've run to suggest this will be successful,
We've seen what happens when you force new clubs on an area and tell the locals to support them

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

They will set up new clubs. The existing clubs will have to promote talent from lower down the chain.

Yes, rugby needs to copy Wales' approach. About time somebody said it.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

I'd love to know what models they've run to suggest this will be successful,
We've seen what happens when you force new clubs on an area and tell the locals to support them

The clubs won't be based in one area apparently. Travelling about constantly.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Literally every piece of info I learn about this idea is more stupid than the last

 

[Saintjay]

Literally every piece of info I learn about this idea is more stupid than the last

I bet someone said that to the Wright brothers.

In all seriousness I agree it's just a mad.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

These things have been reported about before super 10's etc etc

Not going to happen

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Finn Russell and Antoine Dupont targeted as players offered double-your-money to join breakaway league

Exclusive: Several leading England players are also known to be on the USA-backed competition’s wish list

www.telegraph.co.uk

While any negotiations are at an early stage, and above the players' heads in many cases, most stakeholders are thought to be united in the view the league would only be viable if involvement in it does not jeopardise players' Test prospects. Clearly, that would require the league to take place around the current Test windows in July, November and between February and March.

Club v country

Top players considering a move to join the breakaway could face an uphill battle, however. RFU insiders are said to be relaxed about news of the developments and having just signed a binding £264 million, eight-year Professional Game Partnership deal with Premiership Rugby, the union will not allow players who are not based in England to play for the national team, which will force those who sign up to the breakaway deal to choose between club and country.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Isn't this what murdoch's plan in 95 was? Professionalize the players but not the club.

All French players are out of the question. English players probably not but also who knows how much cash?

Welsh and Scottish players maybe but if they leave wales they'd be better off going to France.

At best this would be ANZACs touring the world with South Africa's Currie cup players and a bunch of tier 2s who can't get pro contracts. Maybe some good amateur players would join but who would want to see this.

Premier lacrosse league has essentially this structure but it quickly lost all its moment and is returning to a real league setup.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Isn't this what murdoch's plan in 95 was? Professionalize the players but not the club.

All French players are out of the question. English players probably not but also who knows how much cash?

Welsh and Scottish players maybe but if they leave wales they'd be better off going to France.

At best this would be ANZACs touring the world with South Africa's Currie cup players and a bunch of tier 2s who can't get pro contracts. Maybe some good amateur players would join but who would want to see this.

Premier lacrosse league has essentially this structure but it quickly lost all its moment and is returning to a real league setup.

Apparently some French players are interested. Most players have a price where they would abandon international rugby.

 

[mdaclarke]

Don't see how this will be successful in the USA as they already have American Football. It could work as a vanity project in the middle east where the Sheikhs pay millions and millions for Rugby Players to play in front of a handful of people.

Don't see it working anywhere else.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

A revolutionary global franchise league intends to pay the world's top 40 rugby union players more than £1m a season to play in the proposed new competition. (The Times)

Breakaway rugby league to offer up to 40 Test stars £1m each

The franchise competition is hoping to offer contracts far in excess of present club deals but for a much shorter season — and has been welcomed by leading players

www.thetimes.com

'Organisers of the new venture want the world league to sit alongside, not compete with, Test rugby. However, those in the club game have warned that anyone who "throws in the towel and chases the dollar" should be ready for a "toxic fan reaction".

The RFU is said to be "relaxed but not complacent" about the proposal, and it would stand by its eligibility criteria which prevents those who play outside of the Gallagher Premiership from representing their country. World Rugby would need to sanction the competition officially if players were to play in it while representing their countries. A source said it would be a huge reach for the global governing body to destabilise the game by doing so.

It is the club game that this new competition would threaten. One source said it would leave competitions such as the Premiership like a "sponge with no icing", but admitted that "cash does talk, ultimately".'

 

[TRF_Olyy]

So they're spending £40m on internationals, if that's split between the 8 teams then each side has a £5m wage bill before signing the additional 30+ players they need to make their squad
Sounds really viable