National Game Influence on Grass Roots and Champ

[Halliford 2]

I agree that Internationals and Prem(iership) matches represent a different type of rugby to that which we watch in Champ(ionship) and National League matches. There is, of course, the law difference around tackle heights but it's more than that. There is a problem in that P{rem Clubs are targeting as supporters the same age group that National League and other Clubs want as players - the 18-30 age group. So there is a conflict between the financial growth and the participatory growth. That could be eased by not playing Prem matches at 3 pm on a Saturday and to some extent has been eased by 6N matches at Twickenham starting at 5.15 pm or later so that they don't clash with "real" matches.

I have given up trying to watch Prem matches, I can't be bothered to track them down on TNT and, as far as I know, there is no highlights programme. Instead I head to YouTube and pick them up there. I used to go to Twickenham but am too mobility-challenged to do that now, I much prefer to watch internationals from the comfort of my own armchair, where I can pause the action to relieve myself rather than upsetting 100 people around me in a crowd.

I won't join the calls to jail Bill Sweeney but it has to be said that the Governance Review following the SGM was a farce and nothing has yet changed in the way the majority wanted. But there is always the next AGM!

[maire9]

I’m biased because the Pirates have been in the Championship for over 20 years, but to me the “Prem” and, even more so, the international game are a different sport, given the money involved, the insane cost of attending internationals, the often moronic media coverage and the lack of interest on the part of administrators and club management in anything around the game which doesn’t help them.
On the other hand , watching the Roth/ Pirates match yesterday courtesy of Blaze TV (still don’t know who they are) there is still hope for the sport and for those who continue to follow the club which intrinsically and genuinely means something to them, over and above social media clicks.

I agree that Prem and international levels represent a gulf from the Champ and if you go to Rotherham or Richmond and Plymouth Albion and I will be at the Mennaye Field in February yo ustill have that amateur/family feel to proceedings. I think Clubs like Worcester and Ealing are still important and have great fans and a substantial following that probably know eachother but When I watch Bath play on occasion, you can feel the machine behind the club, its still a great club and a good experience but it is vastly different from having a beer with the players. However, that said, for the unanointed, rugby is a dark arts mystery and we need an accessible international "Store front" to attract people who are looking for an exciting alternative to Man U, Man C and Liverpool etc. With Borthwick in charge that might be a struggle but the 6N as a whole is the best that Northern Hemisphere (and arguably the world) can provide at the moment. So this need to be accessible to grow our sport beyond the faithful fans. Blaze tv is great though and I enjoyed Roth/Pirates (not the result so much) but it was a great game to watch.

Totally agree with this. I’m a Nottingham fan and on the occasions where one of our lads turns up in the Leicester Tigers team (bit too often lately ) I may well go and watch them. I don’t like Tigers matches. Feels sterile and it also feels very much like the great unwashed who pay the wages of said Tigers players aren’t really encouraged to go near them. It can be difficult to even get to say well done to the player you’ve gone to watch, whereas it’s vastly different at Nottingham.

[Cheshire Exile]

When Dean Richards was at Quins and they spent a season in the Championship (can’t even remember what it was called then) he insisted that, when playing away, Quins players went into the clubhouse and bought their opposite number a beer. Obviously the big names were asked for autographs by local people and players like Will Greenwood happily obliged.
Northampton, not so much so.

[jblee]

....

I much prefer to watch internationals from the comfort of my own armchair, where I can pause the action to relieve myself rather than upsetting 100 people around me in a crowd.

Perhaps you should have tried using the toilets at HQ ?

[Rothoik]

Using the toilets at HQ is a sure fire way of upsetting 100 people with the room you have, especially if your 'seal goes' When everyone has just sat down with their pint of Guiness or 2 pint holder of Euro-pee.