What would you be prepared to give up to make a shorter season

First topic message reminder :

The length of the rugby season and the number of games is an issue every recognises. What I'm interested in hearing about is what compromises are fans prepared to make. Rugby involves multiple stake holders Fans, Media, Clubs/Provinces, national sides. Everyone wants a vibrant club and international game.

The problems come to changes. Most often when people talk about change they pick the lowest cost to themselves, but one that impacts on their partners. For example: Reducing the club season might be good for the national team, but clubs might object. Eliminating overseas tours is another easy pick, because their often little loss to the home fan, club etc.

So here's the question: What changes that affect your love of your club and nation would you prepared to make. Only changes that adversely affect yourself need be considered. In reality World rugby has to negotiate changes. A key part of that is nations being prepared to give up things in their national interest. So for example overseas tours are off the table, they benefit someone else, it's not a compromise. The question is what are you prepared to bring to the table?

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Yeah I believe that scraping the play-offs would be the most realistic and sensible change to make.

I agree...!

They bring little revenue to the game compared to the internationals that predominantly fund it.

Good point Hammer.

"I can only see one solution... It would mean that the (national team) coaches would have to accept not being able to call up international players of Bath or Toulon in order for us to be able to play the match during a matchday of the Six Nations."

Said by Boudjellal and not Craig.

Or they both play without their internationals - after all the national side comes first?

the Internationals will not be disrupted - that is the tail wagging the dog.

Play all other postpond European matches on an agreed date - last weekend in November has been suggested.
All affected league matches will be played on the first weekend in February during the 6N

Play the Toulon v Bath game on the weekend of the 2nd January.
That weekend Bath play Newcastle and Toulon play Pau.
The Toulon v Pau game can be played on the first weekend in February as well.
The Bath game is arranged for the SF weekend of the European competitions.
If Bath make the SF - then hopefully the league game is irrelevant to one of the 2 sides.
If not tough - a completion cannot be dictated to by 1 team.

As an aside what is the Aviva going to do if a couple of weeks are cancelled because of bad weather ????

I'd give up our top players playing in the league,have a 32 team European comp 12 French,12 English,12 of the other 6N teams.

Play the leagues alongside the European comp and for the Irish sides they'd have an interpro series to warm up for Europe.Our pros should play less than 25 games a season and anyone coming back from injury could dip in and out of the league to aid recovery.Move the AI window so our home internationals are a warm up to the 6N and we don't have this constant changing of competitions,the players can focus on one team and one trophy at a time.

Hi guys - have posted before but not for a long time and not very much. Couldn't get in so have created a new account and will try to get involved a bit more!!

I think the way to go is a global calendar following the S15 and Currie Cup/ITM Cup/Australian Rugby Championship style competitions in the NH.

I also believe that a Euro League would be the way forward and could be played between March-August. Then an International window in September and October where 6N, Rugby Champs played and then international test tours to be done at home every other year. So Wales would play a test series at home one year and then away the following year.

I hope the above makes as much sense to you as it does to me – as mentioned not posted much before but keen to get involved a bit more!! Cheers.

I'm OK with 10 tests a year, and the Rugby Championship being a biennial event. Super Rugby can knock it on the head too. Should be done with before the June tests. We can make up the rest in non RC years-series, tours to the islands and other places...but I guess it's all about the bottom line.

disneychilly wrote:I'm OK with 10 tests a year, and the Rugby Championship being a biennial event. Super Rugby can knock it on the head too. Should be done with before the June tests. We can make up the rest in non RC years-series, tours to the islands and other places...but I guess it's all about the bottom line.

It's the money shortfall which is the problem for shortening the season.  Rugby is not a big profit making venture, but the national unions and clubs need to be able to fund themselves.  If people believe as I do that a more rational schedule will actually help generate more interest and money, then perhaps we can marginally reduce the number of tests and club matches per season.  If not, I am not sure the powers that be in all pro Rugby playing countries (Unions and clubs/franchises/teams) will agree to reducing the number of games at all.

Internationals will not be curtailed because they are the cash cow

It is the club game that need culling - hence my suggestion of 10 team leagues

offload wrote:Scrap the stupid playoffs........and I know this might sound strange, but award the league title to.......


THE TEAM THAT FINISHES FIRST  !

This x 1,000

George Carlin wrote:

offload wrote:Scrap the stupid playoffs........and I know this might sound strange, but award the league title to.......


THE TEAM THAT FINISHES FIRST  !

This x 1,000

Ahhh, still living in our distant past..............
Since playoffs were introduced, the goal has changed to finish top two (or top four if you like away playoff games) and raise the game for the Bg Event.  So really two requirements.  Sustained quality play across a 9 month season and the ability wo win the final.  If we want to shorten the season, the one thing I can't see going away are playoffs/knockouts because they bring attention and money.  Very much like free adverts in the media.  The Euro Rugby final is a Big Event, and on a much larger scale the prime example is the Super Bowl.  Other things may have the (remote) possibility of being curtailed, but I see the moon crashing into the earth before the playoffs are eliminated.

Good choice of finger, by the way.

doctor_grey wrote:

George Carlin wrote:

offload wrote:Scrap the stupid playoffs........and I know this might sound strange, but award the league title to.......


THE TEAM THAT FINISHES FIRST  !

This x 1,000

Ahhh, still living in our distant past..............
Since playoffs were introduced, the goal has changed to finish top two (or top four if you like away playoff games) and raise the game for the Bg Event.  So really two requirements.  Sustained quality play across a 9 month season and the ability wo win the final.  If we want to shorten the season, the one thing I can't see going away are playoffs/knockouts because they bring attention and money.  Very much like free adverts in the media.  The Euro Rugby final is a Big Event, and on a much larger scale the prime example is the Super Bowl.  Other things may have the (remote) possibility of being curtailed, but I see the moon crashing into the earth before the playoffs are eliminated.

Good choice of finger, by the way.

Remember that I am Scottish Doc, so this kind of finger is clearly the best one:

George Carlin wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:

George Carlin wrote:

offload wrote:Scrap the stupid playoffs........and I know this might sound strange, but award the league title to.......


THE TEAM THAT FINISHES FIRST  !

This x 1,000

Ahhh, still living in our distant past..............
Since playoffs were introduced, the goal has changed to finish top two (or top four if you like away playoff games) and raise the game for the Bg Event.  So really two requirements.  Sustained quality play across a 9 month season and the ability wo win the final.  If we want to shorten the season, the one thing I can't see going away are playoffs/knockouts because they bring attention and money.  Very much like free adverts in the media.  The Euro Rugby final is a Big Event, and on a much larger scale the prime example is the Super Bowl.  Other things may have the (remote) possibility of being curtailed, but I see the moon crashing into the earth before the playoffs are eliminated.

Good choice of finger, by the way.

Remember that I am Scottish Doc, so this kind of finger is clearly the best one:

Aaah, Gotcha Boss. Scottish. Expertise with fingers..........