However, the rugby world everywhere, not just in England, is going to look very different when all of this is eventually over, and all of the clubs are going to be desperately looking to generate cash.
In that situation it’s time for radical ideas and a 13team Premiership, with 24 matches instead of 22 for a number of years would go some way to helping the situation. It might help some of the Championship clubs too, as it would pause their fruitless chase to get promoted, and give them time to rebuild their finances and reconsider their ambitions.
For years the debate about promotion and relegation has rumbled on with very little movement on anyone’s part – in fact positions have become increasingly entrenched – but times have changed. There are rumours that one or more Premiership clubs might go under during this crisis, but let’s all hope that can be avoided, as our league is the best in the world, and despite the Sarries debacle, is run with a high degree of integrity.
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin April 05, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin April 05, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Minikin sparks a party at Twickenham for Yorkshire
EUPHORIC scenes swept round Ionians ground as Lewis Minikin dashed over to score Yorkshire's fourth try to send the white rose to Twickenham for the first time in 16 years.
Rebels facing tough test against 'Canes
SUPER Rugby Pacific play-off spots were confirmed this weekend, with the soon-to-be extinct Melbourne Rebels living to fight another day in eighth place.
Ospreys' Nicky just too tricky for Cardiff
LEICESTER-BOUND, Smith scored Nicky two tries as Ospreys squeezed into the playoffs with a bonus-point victory over a battling Cardiff in an enthralling game.
Quins want to throw fitting farewell party
HARLEQUINS stars Shaunagh Brown, Rachael Burford and Emily Scott start their final game for the club today.
Mapletoft set for Georgia challenge
ENGLAND U20s head coach Mark Mapletoft has confirmed his 30-player squad that travel to Georgia next week in preparation for next month's World Championship.
Gloucester put faith in 'some old heads'
IT was typical of Gloucester's season - make that the last couple that when they came up against a front five in last weekend's Challenge Cup final that contained four World Cup winners they were missing three frontline forwards.
Smith has final say for Saints
NORTHAMPTON Saints, having run teams ragged in glorious fashion all season, scrummaged and muscled their way to their first Premiership final since 2014 but a resilient Saracens contested the issue until the final whistle.
Finally! Bath hold nerve to see off Sharks
BATH are one victory away from winning the Premiership for the first time after surviving a Sale comeback, but they are likely to be underdogs against a Northampton that has been a couple more years in the making.
Chessum 'gutted' to miss out on England
OLLIE Chessum admits he is \"gutted\" to be missing out on a busy summer with England in the southern hemisphere.
Boyd got me back on track - Ludlam
LEWIS left the Ludlam Franklin's Gardens turf in a Northampton jersey for perhaps the last time on Friday night, six years after he thought about ending his career because he feared it was going nowhere.