Help former 🏉 players drop 20kg in 12 weeks, without giving up 🍺 or Curry.
Legends of English Rugby are bowing out tonight when Northampton Saints host Saracens in the Premiership semi-final. It’s going to be au revoir for either Courtney Lawes and Lewis Ludlam from Northampton or Owen Farrell, Mako Vunipola and Billy Vunipola. The winners will only have 1 more week before they are across the channel too. Whichever side of the fence you sit on it's going to be an emotional evening. The bigger picture is that these 5 players are going to be lost to the English Club Game. They have a lot still to offer, they don't want to go but their clubs can't afford them. This is the real sadness. From what's been reported all 5 would rather stay here and see their career out over the next number of years. Questions have to be asked of the RFU and Premiership Rugby. How has the Premiership been overtaken by France and Japan as the richest places in the world to play rugby? Why can't we afford to pay our players more than France and Japan?
Julian Rapkins
6mo
Great post Gav..!! For me, 4 key areas are causing problems that are holding the financiers back. 1) Rugby in England was always going to be the loser when players "had" to choose between money and love of the game or country... how have NZ tackled this problem for decades... but it's getting harder and harder to maintain. 2) Has the game improved so much that crowds and TV audiences actually want to pay to watch it.? Vis a Vis other sporting / entertainment options..? I'd argue no. Over officiating is the surest way to kill a product. Look at the RWC Final - the showpiece of all showpieces turned into a nightmare. 3) For how long of a 90 minute game now is the ball in play..? Less than 20 minutes..? 4) When the next government adds VAT to school fees, the player pool will drop significantly.
Ian Hepworth
6mo
When you say they don’t want to go surely they are choosing the money? That’s fine, I appreciate it’s a short career and we are not talking football money but ultimately that is the choice they made.
Peter Moody
6mo
Is it the salary cap or French club sugar daddies (creating a false economy), not enough crowds watching live club rugby in England. Businesses living beyond their means never last long so something needs to give.
John Hill
6mo
Legends, but in a four year cycle it’s time for them to cash in
Welcome to our (NZ) world.
Neil Cornmell
6mo
Running the professional game in the same way they ran the amateur game and relying too heavily on public schools for players / supporters . Huge revenue opportunities have been lost , and tbh I think that suits a lot of those in high positions
Exhibit 1 - the French TV deal.
Steven Fricker
6mo
In England the sport is overwhelmingly a Public school affair. The RFU has done next to nothing to promote the game more widely to a broader demographic. The vast majority of potential future players in this country go to a state school, and the vast majority of them have zero exposure to the sport. The NBA and the NFL have better recognition amongst my children's school friends than the RFU, despite the fact that they are leagues on the other side of the world. Without significant changes the future is bleak for rugby in England (and I write this as an avid rugby fan).
Sales Specialist | Marketing Communications | Event Host
6moMy twopence; The game isn’t as popular in England and as a result, revenues are less. Players of a certain age or on the fringe of the national team (and not guaranteed £200k match fees) are going abroad to earn more money. As a niche sport the marketing and promotion has to be on point and currently it isn’t In a quest to ‘grow the game’, I would contend a lot of the heartland has been alienated and the new crowds are not coming. Lesser broadcast revenues is the big indicator. Advertisers know the crowd a lot better and if you watch the adverts during live games, it’s targeting 40+ men. The promotions around the game on the whole don’t do that Add benefits for sponsors in France, chomage for players who’ve been there a while and it’s understandable Again, my feelings, let them go, cut cloth accordingly and rebuild the pyramid - real short term pain but possible long term gain