Rugby to become like Football - Do We Want That?

In the past when I lived the right side of the bridge I have been a season ticket holder and Ebbw and the Dragons but moving away stopped that but for me International rugby has always been the pinnacle and everything should be geared to making your respective Country the best they can be.

However there seems to be a push in certain areas by clubs and fans that the club becomes more powerful and has more say with again certain fans and certain clubs not wanting to sign current test players as they won't see them much throughout the season.

In years gone by clubs and fans were proud that their teams were producing test players and that these players whilst representing the Country were also representing the individual club again in certain corners that doesn't seem the case now and people would rather see their teams becoming like a Toulon and available week in week out.

I guess I am "one of those fans" as club rugby means more to me than international.

This is because I view club rugby as my steady diet, wthe international is the icing on the cake.


However I want to feel that my club (and country) represent the community (and by association me). I would not want a toulon style side of all stars from all corners - but nor do I want the international side stuffed full of people with very vague associations to the country.

One thing football does have right is that big stars do still play for 'minor' international teams generally, which has come about because of the strength of the domestic leagues and a lack of QP quotas. I'm not sure rugby should go down that route though.

Personally I think rugby is a pyramid and the top slice (ie internationals) are too frequent and have become a money spinning exercise. Sadly the Autumn Internationals basically bankroll the rugby world so I don't think that will change.

That said I still want internationals to be at the top, and part of the role of any club should be to get as many of its players into the international squads.

LondonTiger wrote:I guess I am "one of those fans" as club rugby means more to me than international.

This is because I view club rugby as my steady diet, wthe international is the icing on the cake.


However I want to feel that my club (and country) represent the community (and by association me). I would not want a toulon style side of all stars from all corners - but nor do I want the international side stuffed full of people with very vague associations to the country.

LT,

I agree to a point but dont like the idea of clubs having power over the National side.