As lower league clubs struggle to survive, why is the Championship not being given more help and direction?
Follow @Mazana17By Daniel Schofield
London Irish tackle London Welsh in the Championship.
W hat is the point to the Greene King IPA Championship?
It seems an apposite question to ask, in light of The Telegraph's revelations surrounding the harshfinancial realities for both clubs and players in the second tier of English rugby, and yet the answer is
far from clear.
Certainly, it is hard to call it
a vibrant, professional league like France’s ProD2. Between the
extremes
of recently relegated London Irish and the part-timers of
Richmond there are a smorgasbord of differing resources and ambitions.
Realistically only two clubs,
Irish and Yorkshire Carnegie, have infrastructures geared towards
promotion
this season, but what fate awaits them? The last two teams promoted, Robinson’s Bristol and London
Welsh, have lost 28 consecutive games in the Premiership between them.
Is it then a development tool for young English talent? Many England players, from Dan Cole to Owen Farrell, cut their teeth in the second tier but the majority of the estimated 250 contracted academy
players
on the books of Premiership clubs are forced to drop into the semi-professional National Leagues in order
to get game time. The Championship is, according to Robinson, completely rudderless.
this season, but what fate awaits them? The last two teams promoted, Robinson’s Bristol and London
Welsh, have lost 28 consecutive games in the Premiership between them.
Is it then a development tool for young English talent? Many England players, from Dan Cole to Owen Farrell, cut their teeth in the second tier but the majority of the estimated 250 contracted academy
players
on the books of Premiership clubs are forced to drop into the semi-professional National Leagues in order
to get game time. The Championship is, according to Robinson, completely rudderless.
“What the Championship needs, if it is to grow, is the support of the
Premiership and the RFU to give
it some direction on where they would like the Championship to go,” Robinson, the Bristol director of
rugby, said. “At the moment, it is one of those that people look and go 'there’s no point'. Nothing is happening with it. It is crying out for some direction.”
The Daily Telegraph understands that moves are afoot to scrap the play-offs and revert back to the
first-past-the-post system for next season. Certainly that would help clubs build for promotion rather
than be held hostage by the cruel fate of the play-offs that effectively only allows recruitment to begin in June.
Yet the Championship remains less a junior partner and more of an abandoned pet in its relationship
with English rugby’s governing bodies. That was made brutally clear when the £225 million agreement between the RFU and Premiership Rugby directed no extra funding towards the second tier where
clubs operate on central funding of around £550,000 a season.
it some direction on where they would like the Championship to go,” Robinson, the Bristol director of
rugby, said. “At the moment, it is one of those that people look and go 'there’s no point'. Nothing is happening with it. It is crying out for some direction.”
The Daily Telegraph understands that moves are afoot to scrap the play-offs and revert back to the
first-past-the-post system for next season. Certainly that would help clubs build for promotion rather
than be held hostage by the cruel fate of the play-offs that effectively only allows recruitment to begin in June.
Yet the Championship remains less a junior partner and more of an abandoned pet in its relationship
with English rugby’s governing bodies. That was made brutally clear when the £225 million agreement between the RFU and Premiership Rugby directed no extra funding towards the second tier where
clubs operate on central funding of around £550,000 a season.
Former Doncaster Knights player Brad Field has spoken of the struggle in the Championship.
Given that only four clubs
attracted attendances of more than 2,000 people last season it is little
surprise
that clubs such as London Welsh are struggling financially, which in turn leads to players having contracts cancelled and wages docked.
Perversely that means that part-time clubs in the National Leagues can often offer better packages
to players with the offer of full-time work and a couple of nights training a week as Steve Pape,
a former London Scottish and Ealing second row, confirms. “There are a load of very good players
in the National One who aren’t prepared to risk playing in the Championship because they will have
less money and less insurance,” Pape said. “Playing in the Championship means you are putting all
your eggs in one basket.”
London Irish are one of the few Championship teams geared for promotion.
that clubs such as London Welsh are struggling financially, which in turn leads to players having contracts cancelled and wages docked.
Perversely that means that part-time clubs in the National Leagues can often offer better packages
to players with the offer of full-time work and a couple of nights training a week as Steve Pape,
a former London Scottish and Ealing second row, confirms. “There are a load of very good players
in the National One who aren’t prepared to risk playing in the Championship because they will have
less money and less insurance,” Pape said. “Playing in the Championship means you are putting all
your eggs in one basket.”
London Irish are one of the few Championship teams geared for promotion.
Since the appointment of Nigel
Melville as the director of professional rugby, the RFU are at last
paying serious attention to the Championships after years of neglect. Driving up the division’s profile
through increased sponsorship and television coverage are immediate priorities. In the longer term,
Melville wishes to make the Championship more of a breeding ground for the bottleneck of young
talent from Premiership academies.
Some clubs already happily perform that function. Bedford have a long-standing arrangement with
Saracens. Geoff Irvine, the Bedford chairman, vividly recalls being sent Owen Farrell, George Kruis
among others by Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter six years ago. “My view is that the Championship – and I know Eddie Jones believe this – is vital for young English-qualified players
to learn their trade in a competitive environment,” Irvine said.
“We were the 16th best rugby club in the country last season and we are a proper rugby club. What’s
wrong with that? 3,000 people can turn up at Bedford on a Saturday afternoon, have a few pints and
watch their team. That has to be good doesn’t it?”
paying serious attention to the Championships after years of neglect. Driving up the division’s profile
through increased sponsorship and television coverage are immediate priorities. In the longer term,
Melville wishes to make the Championship more of a breeding ground for the bottleneck of young
talent from Premiership academies.
Some clubs already happily perform that function. Bedford have a long-standing arrangement with
Saracens. Geoff Irvine, the Bedford chairman, vividly recalls being sent Owen Farrell, George Kruis
among others by Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter six years ago. “My view is that the Championship – and I know Eddie Jones believe this – is vital for young English-qualified players
to learn their trade in a competitive environment,” Irvine said.
“We were the 16th best rugby club in the country last season and we are a proper rugby club. What’s
wrong with that? 3,000 people can turn up at Bedford on a Saturday afternoon, have a few pints and
watch their team. That has to be good doesn’t it?”
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