Writing for InTouch Magazine #1- Rugby Relegation

A feature written for InTouch magazine (May 2007), which I produced by myself during my time at university. The full magazine included a variety of features, interviews and information. This can be produced should you require to view it.

As the end of the season looms, there is one debate that arises again and again amongst the Guinness Premiership clubs- relegation.
For the clubs at the top of National League One, there is a shining beacon of success, television revenue, sponsorship deals and star signings to hope for and look ahead to. For the clubs languishing at the bottom of the Guinness Premiership, there is the dread of bumpy pitches, scrappy rugby, an exodus of big name players, team rebuilding and lost revenue.
Whether relegation should be included is a long-running issue. The Southern Hemisphere has long adopted a closed top tier, with the Super 14 franchises enjoying being included in an exclusive group. It is the same for the Magner’s League.
But does it improve the standard of rugby? Ex-England international and BBC Rugby Commentator Brian Moore thinks so. He fervently stated: “The fact is that the non-development of English-qualified talent is a serious impediment to international success. Without overseas quotas, enforceable only to non-EC nationals, or without relegation being removed, the imperative success is simply too strong for clubs to sign, coach and play promising young talent when experienced foreign players are available.”
There is some disagreement over whether this is down to the set-up of the English league. Phil Western, who is Head of Media at National League One side Cornish Pirates, has a different view to Moore:
“If we couldn’t get promoted, what would be the point in playing in the league? We are not here just for fun, it’s a business and we want to be successful. We want to be able to get promoted.”
He added: “We work hard to bring up our own players because we don’t have the money or pulling power to get the big players in.”
If there was to be an introduction of a closed Premiership, it could mean the demise of the lower leagues in the country. Having said that, in New Zealand the National Provincial Cup is still thriving, and the players from the Super 14 often return to their clubs for cup games. Southern Hemisphere players such as Justin Marshall are critical of the English league system.
Commenting last year whilst in a Leeds side on the brink of relegation, he said: “It’s a real shame that a team of our calibre- or the calibre of Saracens or Bath or Bristol- have to suffer relegation, because I don’t believe it makes a competition any stronger.”
Another problem with the introduction of a closed league is that there will always be sides that miss out on the lucrative top tier. Friction in Wales and Scotland over which clubs would join the sealed Celtic league was, for the most part, solved by the introduction of regions. The National Irish team has prospered since the introduction of their four regions, and the beginning of the exclusive Celtic competition.
Richard Deane, Financial Director of current Premiership strugglers Northampton Saints, doesn’t think such a system could work in England. He said: “I can’t see that happening. The clubs in England are too proud and have too much prestige and history. Plus, can you see Saints fans going to watch a Midland’s region play at Welford Road (home of arch-rivals Leicester Tigers)? I know I definitely can’t! It just won’t work here.”
Sky Sports Rugby Commentator Stuart Barnes is a keen advocate of relegation. He said: “In an unpleasant way relegation keeps the season alive for fans of the struggling teams. If you are 20 points adrift of a Heineken qualifying place, the scrap for survival becomes the defining element of the season as many teams and supporters will admit.
“This Premiership would be making a terrible long term mistake for selfish short term gain were it to succeed in the long cherished dream of a closed premier league.”
As ever, money is a big factor in the whole sordid business. Teams such as Rotherham (now Earth Titans), Bedford and Orrell are now shadows of their former glories in the top league, while Richmond had to reinvent themselves as Harlequins to compete once again. Worcester’s Financial Controller Jamie Evans is under no illusions what relegation would do to the club’s balance sheets. He said: “Getting relegated would be a big blow for us. It means less money, the team we are building will be split up, we’ll lose a lot of big name players and basically we will have to build up from the bottom again.
“Financially it means cutting wages, gaining less revenue from ticket sales and less sponsorship from television etcetera.”
It seems that along with the club versus country row that the relegation debate is one of those issues that will never be fully resolved. As ever, it will take seasons to sort out if anything is ever done about it. Whatever decision is made will affect some teams for the better and some for the worse.