Deano Speaks

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_8882245,00.html

Interesting thoughts. ...Whats your views on his thoughts on Londons power monopoly...?

Geordie, I'm surprised at his comments tbh - which London clubs does he mean? Quins? Sarries always strike me as being on the outside of the establishment. Irish and Wasps aren't really London clubs anymore. I would imagine that the likes of Tigers, Saints, Bath and Glaws have more influence?

Then London Irish and London Wasps really ought to change their names if they believe it too, As.

How come the London double-header always occurs first up in the season? A miracle of providence perhaps.

Of course there's a combined influence on the fixture list at least.

Alternatively, if us (which hopefully we are on the verge of doing), Leeds, Sale etc actually put out decent sides in the prem and were genuine title contenders the Northern sides would have more say...

You cant be constantly at the bottom of the prem, or in the championship and expect to be highly influential...

London Double Headers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Double_Header#2004

Strange that Sarries and Quins met only once. 2008. Didn't Wasps hold more sway then?

I'm not sure about the 'London' clubs ruling the game either. It would be nice to get Leeds and even Rotherham back in the Premiership though. Leeds are producing so many age grade players, it would be a shame if they all get hoovered up by other clubs.

Id love to see Leeds back up.

Until the northern clubs can resolve the merry go round that (London Welsh notwithsdtanding) means that one of the three is swapping places from the Championship to the Jeff every season and establish themselves as Jeff clubs it will be very difficult for them to have any influence.
I also agreee that the "influence" in the top tier rests more with the top clubs - does anyone wreally think that London Irish or Wasps have more clout than Leicester or Northampton?

I've got to be honest and say I'm not really sure what Deano is on about here.

London Clubs power monopoly. Really?

I'm not sure that Saracens are exactly the RFU's favourite sons, and we (Irish) certainly are not. I would be amazed to find that we hold any sway in the corridors of power at all.

Ozzy3213 wrote:I've got to be honest and say I'm not really sure what Deano is on about here.

London Clubs power monopoly.  Really?

I'm not sure that Saracens are exactly the RFU's favourite sons, and we (Irish) certainly are not.  I would be amazed to find that we hold any sway in the corridors of power at all.

I totally agree with that statement. The only influence the London clubs have are to organise the double headers with Quins perhaps being the most influential to ensure it is always treated as an away game for them. It's a curtain raiser that helps swell the coffers, but I feel the bulk of other clubs don't have the appetite to be involved in such games. There has been mild talk about Glaws, Bath, Chiefs and Wuss playing at the Millenium in a similar game, but the response I have seen to this suggestion has been very negative. I for one definitely wouldn't want it. I've only been to one double header and my impression was that it was full of prats desperate to get as drunk as possible without having any interest in the game itself. I'm not being prudish as I very much enjoy a drink at the game, but I go first and foremost to watch the game, not do Mexican waves.

I appreciate that the North does need support, but the attendances of clubs like Newcastle, Sale, Leeds, etc suggest that whilst there is an interest, they simply don't have the pull that other clubs have.

Is he not talking about the fact a third of the PRL votes are from the London Area? Get 3 more clubs on board and you've got a majority. But I'm not really sure what they do with this power. Play the final at Twickenham? No real choice for that (although going back to playing our international home games in Yorkshire would be nice for me).

Good to see Deano hasn't lost his cheek. He never spoke about this when he was Quins' (or Leicester's) DoR...

It is true that "London" clubs make up a large chunk of the AP, but I am not sure their presence is disproportionate to the distribution of rugby around the country (in effect, they also represent the home counties) and in any case, they are there because they've stayed up. Wasps and LI have flirted with relegation, and Quins have gone down and come back up. It's not like they're guaranteed places.

Just to clarify on one point made above. Quins don't exert any excess influence on the London Double Header. They were originally revenue partners in it, which meant that they would alternate in being a "home" and "away" side from year to year. But Mark Evans realised that Quins could earn more from two home games at the Stoop than they would from the revenue share from a home/away combo at LDH, so they withdrew from the arrangement while saying that they would be very happy to be the "away" team at future LDHs. As I understand it, they've got no say in the organisation of the fixture and the three revenue partners could invite someone else if they wanted to - but don't, probably because Quins can draw a bigger "away" crowd than the alternatives (which then becomes revenue that the others can share).

The one element of influence that Quins do exert over match scheduling is the agreement that they will have a home game, to be played at Twickenham, over the Christmas period. We get our share of Friday nights and odd kick off times - probably more so because we're now a bigger draw for tv. And of course other clubs have had similar schedule influence, as with Wasps' St George's Day game and Sarries' jaunts to Wembley.

Strange I thought Leicester and Saints held the most influence. Certainly Leicester. Though then again they are just 2 clubs in a league of 12.

To be honest I think this is a not so subtle jab at Quins mainly - "There is this conglomerate of clubs in the London area which think they rule the game and we need to restore the balance of power a little bit towards the North." Probably referring to Saracens too.

In terms of influence it can be difficult to tell because the clubs haven't really had too many disagreements with each other in regards to big decisions. Have they? I suppose there is the salary cap issue but where does each club stand on that?

Hammerofthunor I don't think geographical location necessarily means teams are going to support each other.

There are some clubs who want a higher salary cap like Sarries and Bath. I would say they are more naturally suited to support one another because they both have sugar daddies.

HammerofThunor wrote:Is he not talking about the fact a third of the PRL votes are from the London Area? Get 3 more clubs on board and you've got a majority. But I'm not really sure what they do with this power. Play the final at Twickenham? No real choice for that (although going back to playing our international home games in Yorkshire would be nice for me).

King Harald played his first International in East Yorkshire, HoT, and won.

A week later he was fatally bind-sided in extra time by the French and lost - darn sarf.

I appreciate that the North does need support, but the attendances of clubs like Newcastle, Sale, Leeds, etc suggest that whilst there is an interest, they simply don't have the pull that other clubs have. .

I agree with that HKC...

HongKongCherry wrote: I for one definitely wouldn't want it.  I've only been to one double header and my impression was that it was full of prats desperate to get as drunk as possible without having any interest in the game itself. 

Just like most rugby games at the MillStad then:thumbsup: 

He does know that Leicester isn't in London right? I really can't see what his comments are on about. If Sale or Falcons managed to get in to the play offs and regularly make the final then yes they could moan about always using Twickers. Likewise if their crowds manage to get in to double figures then they could look at special arrangements ala London Double Header and Big Game.

HKC you're pretty much bang on with the London Double Header, it's probably 50/50 rugby fans and people on a jolly, which can make it entertaining when the teams are playing well but as with today's generation of 5 second attention spans if the play ever has to stop then the dreaded mexican wave comes out and you get the idiots shouting at people (with their backs to the game) to join in with that rather then actually watch the rugby.

Still this'll be my fourth LDH and I'll probably keep going after this aswell, it's good value for money and if you're with a good crowd then it's not too bad.