Championship Clubs Start to Play Hardball?

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:12:03:10:18:26 by Kimbo.

Beginning to?
It IS mockery, along with the wholesale DR drafting thing.
Emergency or season-long (probably with a view to potential contract exchange at season end) loans ONLY.

I would guess the three clubs are Scottish, Ampthill and Pirates? Maybe Hartpury?

We had a good debate about the pros and cons of this last season, and for me as a Scottish fan this is great news. Our entire deal with Quins seems to benefit them first and foremost, with us only picking up a handful of wins since the deal started, and we've been rooted to the bottom of the table for the entire time we've had this arrangement. Would mirror what the dad of one of our own players tells me when I see him on the touchline - no consistency, players in and out of camp at Quins whim, players brought in the day of the match because Quins want them match fit etc. We are playing our third Quins hooker of the season vs Pirates tomorrow, with a third Quins lock starting - and we wonder why our lineout is totally dysfunctional week in week out... Seems to be a deal that is very heavily weighted towards Quins players matchfitness rather than getting Scottish wins...

Can I ask where you saw this Paul? Cant see anything on the club websites or championship social media? Would be very happy for it to be true.

Sure dawson9
If you go to the X feed (ex Twitter) of the ChampionshipClubsPod it was there, posted just after 8am. I have no reason to believe it not to be true.
As regards the clubs' you mentioned, could be , although I am not so sure about Pirates.
Enjoyed the visit to the RAG the other week, not too enamored with Friday night travel, but hey , it is what it is. Good luck with the season.

Been thinking about this a lot. If the objective really is development rather than getting players fit then I could get behind something like this.

Two DR windows per season
Max 6 DRs per club per window, no replacements for injuries / form.
Loans for emergency front row cover ONLY

This gives a maximum of 168 DR places per season (based on 14 team league) - more than enough for the Prem teams even if take up was say 75% ?

Clubs can sell DR slots if they don't want them?

Can someone just clarify the clubs with links to me? I know about Gloucester & Hartpury, Quins & Scottish, Pirates & Exeter (?) and I think Notts are tied in with Leicester somehow. Are there any others?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:10:04:19:08:01 by Gazbert.

Oh, Saints & Bedford maybe?

Ampthill/Saracens

Thanks!

So it looks like 6 or 7 clubs in the championship this season could be heavily reliant at some stage on short term loans from the Premier league and not necessarily as injury cover. Those loans do not benefit the host club whatsoever apart from maybe a higher finishing position in the league.
, That is soft ball not hard ball.IMHO, loans should be for the whole season and there should be no short term loans except for injuries. Be assured that any plans drummed up by the RFU and the Premier League are for their benefit only and the rest of the pyramid can go swing.

This practice has been misused for far too long. Nobody begrudges players gaining experience but not in such a widescale. The fact that there has been no reasonable and sensible level set that does not effect results one way or another is farcical. If a club cannot exist without them, then do not play in a league where results have such large consequences. Time for the championship to be true to itself and supporters and sell an HONEST PRODUCT.

For me , the integrity of the league is of paramount importance, and takes precedence over providing Premiership squad players with game time. Not only could dual registered/loan players influence the outcome of the Championship title race, they could also affect qualification for the following year's Premiership Cup, which I assume has significant financial implications for the non qualifiers.

If the Premiership squads are not sufficiently large to run second teams, why don't they have combined representative matches e.g. Northampton/Leicester v Sale/Newcastle? Squad players will also find game time in the Premiership Cup.

I can just about accept a limited number of season long loans as well as (front row injury) emergency loans, but nothing more.

Can't agree more it's ridiculous that teams can almost field any players they like. Not picking on these teams but for example what league would Hartpury be in if they did not play mostly Gloucester players. And the Pirates would we not have finished above them last season if was not for all their Exeter players. It would be better if All teams were restricted to 4 loan players and only allowed extra for injuries. Only my opinion but i really think it's unfair on most teams who field their own players. Cheers Colin.

Just the 12 Quins players in the 'London Scottish' match day squad at Donny yesterday, following on from the 9 that played against Pirates last week.

Why don't they just be honest and call themselves Quins Extras and play at the Stoop?

Seriously bringing the league into disrepute

Quote:

RichardStokes
Just the 12 Quins players in the 'London Scottish' match day squad at Donny yesterday, following on from the 9 that played against Pirates last week.
Why don't they just be honest and call themselves Quins Extras and play at the Stoop?

Seriously bringing the league into disrepute

Yep, i actually commented on the facebook LS post when they announced the team about this that this was wrong (interesting that some of the likes I got were from players dads and our old team manager!)

It's really frustrating as, with our summer recruitment, I hoped wed move away from this this season, but we've suddenly shifted the other direction dramatically. And similar to my post above, makes me wonder who's really calling the shots - we had a Quins scrumhalf who hasnt played a minute for us this season replacing another quins scrumhalf who played last week, who wasnt even on the bench this week. I(t doesnt help that half our coaches have dual LS/Quins roles, but makes me wonder who is making the call on this - is it to get us wins or to give their guys gametime?) Meanwhile, poor Jonny Law (contracted LS players) has been on the bench as backup both weeks. Hasn't got a start this season yet. In another example, Will Brown has managed one start all season, and we had some random Quins teenager on the wing whos never played a minute for us before. Brown was the champ top try scorer two years ago...

I find it so frustrating as I actually think there is a very decent LS core team there -we could feasibly put out this backline if everyone is fit: 9. D.Nutton; 10.H.Sheppard, 11.N.Ferdinand 12. W.Simonds 13. W.Talbot-Davies 14. W.Brown 15. J.Holmes. Thats not a title winning backline, but its got more than enough premiership/champ experience to be solidly mid table!

Anyway, big old rant from me, but I know I'm not alone on those of us on the LS terrace who share the same frustrations as you guys. And i do hope this limit comes in next season

Very interesting contribution dawson9 and worthy of comment.
It's something that I have been wondering about for some time. It is something that is not a situation here at Cov and other sides in the Championship.
LS , and others, Ampthill being a prime example, must think it works for them, lots of quality players, but the knock-on of players leaving for other clubs, Pete White and others.
I just wonder what the players that Ampthill recruited this season feel about it?
Have heard that members of the the coaching team are ' embarrassed ' about it. Think the situation in Bedfordshire is worth watching to see how it develops. As long as they are winning yes, but ......?

Quote:

LS , and others, Ampthill being a prime example, must think it works for them, lots of quality players, but the knock-on of players leaving for other clubs, Pete White and others.

Id prob argue it's just about cost saving on wages really. From a quality on the field perspective, the team we had pre the Quins deal /Covid was a consistent '8-11th' place finisher. Since the deal, we now have a consistent '8th-11th' place finishing team, but we've with the knock on effect we've completely lost our identity. Shame really.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:10:15:15:54:36 by dawson9.

It is dawson9. I used to enjoy popping along to watch LS when I was in the area. I don't anymore as there doesn't seem much point.