Would u not say Union is a slight minority sport in so much that it couldnt and wont ever afford the wages etc that the players are paid. I know still a fraction of what footballers earn but maybe there was a reason it was an amateur sport for pretty much all its history up to 25 years agoWasps now know that they’ll have to come back in the Championship, which ironically is where Coventry currently play, alongside other clubs that went into administration: Richmond and London Scottish. Going the other way, the team that is currently in line for promotion, Ealing, probably won’t meet the stadium criteria to play in the top flight, which just shows what a mess the game is in today. It’s ironic because the quality of play on the pitch is really good, but the way the game is run is not.
Not sure why they ever thought that would work.Never understood Wasps moving 90 miles to play in the Ghost Town.
When they first moved there from playing at Wycombe Wanderers ground, they got decent crowds - but it was a bit like Manchester Storm at the MEN Arena, when the majority of 'fans' there are on complimentary tickets to attract a new audience. The city has their own RUFC team (and are, like their football team, a bit shite) but locals weren't that stupid to join the Rugby Union equivelant of MK Dons.
Covid of course didn't help the finances of any sporting club, but Wasps demise began the day they left the London area.
I would imagine that the wages are too high but presumably some of the clubs are well run and capable of sustaining them. I think there might even be a salary cap, the breaking of which saw Saracens relegated. It’s a difficult one because the RFU has no control over what are private companies.Would u not say Union is a slight minority sport in so much that it couldnt and wont ever afford the wages etc that the players are paid. I know still a fraction of what footballers earn but maybe there was a reason it was an amateur sport for pretty much all its history up to 25 years ago
England phenomenally poor again today. Awful in the scrum and at the line out, even worse in open play, dropping the ball almost every time they try and run it, and no-one with anywhere near the pace or power to hurt the opposition. Borthwick looking as clueless as Jones on the current evidence. Astonishing how far backwards they’ve gone in the last 5 years
Funny day. I was at Murrayfield. Scotland abject in first half France abject in second. A thrilling if poor quality game of rugby. England just look abject.It’s embarrassing how bad we have become.
One of the worst halves of rugby I've seen from England. Just getting the basics so badly wrong. Set piece was atrocious and the defensive line was just awful. Gone backwards under Borthwick and no real glimmers of hope.