Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

The ProD2 adjustment the RFU Championship could make

(Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)

Amongst the furore following the Rugby Football Union’s decision to slash their funding of the Championship in England, many players have spoken out on how detrimental this could be for the game and the development of players.

ADVERTISEMENT

A large number of players currently plying their trade in the Gallagher Premiership and also the England squad have benefited from their time in the Championship, which is why this decision by the RFU has not been welcomed. However, not as many have had experience of playing in both England’s second tier and France’s, Pro D2.

Former Bath prop Kane Palma-Newport, who is currently playing for US Colomiers in France’s second division, has weighed in on the topic on Twitter, having had a taste of both leagues.

The 29-year-old, who had a spell with the Championship’s Yorkshire Carnegie, said that clubs in France are not solely funded by the federation or from within, rather the “town/ town hall are all involved”.
Palma-Newport has said that the clubs in England need to use “the grounds and the clubs as social hubs”, in the same way they do in France in order to make them more sustainable.

Players and members of the Championship clubs have fiercely objected to this plan by the RFU, fearing it will not only end any hopes of clubs rising to the Premiership, but could seriously stultify players’ progression.

France may therefore have the model in which many of these clubs can follow by making the ground part of the community. This would not only generate support and interest in the team, but will make the clubs a viable businesses.

The biggest concern is that the gulf between the Premiership and the Championship may grow even vaster as a consequence of the RFU’s plans, which could lead to ring-fencing the top league ultimately. However, France leads the way in how these teams can still survive.

ADVERTISEMENT

WATCH: Clubs fear RFU’s savage second-tier funding cut ‘will affect many people’s livelihoods’.

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

A
AM 6 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

72 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Seven stars set to light up the Autumn Nations Series Seven stars set to light up the Autumn Nations Series
Search