Who can stop DMP winning NL2N 2026/27

[Sedge Tiger]

Evening all

Just to get a bit grist into this new forum. Is it right this seasons prospective crowned champions of NLN2; DMP : Is It good for the game?.

Two games in, and yep Sedge are doing well as are others PGH wow: but it’s two games in, so a long way to go, but here's the question Im chucking out there: Is it right for National League Rugby, no I’ll go further, rugby in general when a franchise takes over a Premiership club and in turn and by association another local traditional club, who has its roots in a town and has traditionally punched well above with the very best of them in the league pyramid.

A club who also has a history but more importantly have very strong links into the community.

The question is why does that club have to decline itself (and they will do) as a progressive and ambitious club to pacify another bigger clubs short-term needs and development goals.

I mean no disrespect to any club taking this avenue. Especially DMP.

Sadly the Championship is already forming itself to an academy league status, but ‘the Champ’ had been a flawed and irrelevant model since 2007/2008.

So the question is what is club rugby

All the best

ST

[tigerburnie]

It's all been done before, nothing changes, with no "A" league anymore the Premiership sides need to get their players match fit, so the Championship and the National leagues are there, some maybe struggling a bit and an offer comes in for some players for free. Not just Premiership clubs doing it either, Championship clubs do it too and I know a Nat 1 team had a decent sized squad and loaned out a couple of their signed players to a league or two down so the players got some game time.

[Sedge Tiger]

TB

I think you missing my point. It has been done before and can be again.

No one gives a s@@t about A league rugby or anything else.

Players and supporters all want to be part of something. Aspiring player, aspiring club. Getting there. A collective will.

Do that numerous times everywhere in the country you have a progressive growing sport.

We and club rugby did this in the 90s and everything changed. The term community game actually meant something. It took Rugby to a new level meaning participation and support to a new level. A game for all

I remember going to (invite) to a Albion Cornish game. 9k was the attendance. Bonkers

Let the game grow. Grit blood deeds and glory. Out turning point, Blackheath in the cup 1997-98 season. The rest is our history.

Good luck to DMP, I sincerely mean that, however I fear this model will see the end of progressive club rugby

All the best

ST

[tigerburnie]

I think you feel disadvantaged as Sedge don't have a Premiership side to link up to, let me explain, certainly from the Lions perspective, having academy players is not the way to success, it did not help the Lions did it. Now being able to borrow a player when injury strikes when you have a small squad, is very helpful. The flip side is having Leicester Tigers 5 miles from your dressing room door means you will never play in front of a big crowd, unless the opposition bring one. Funds will always be difficult to find from sponsorship, so competing with established Nat1 sides proved to be very difficult. Unless you find a wealthy sponsor like Oundle seem to have found, stepping up a league is difficult to do and maintain. The Lions being a young club founded by the amalgamation of two other clubs, have only just started getting the mini's and juniors now feeding into a good colts side. This season is the first season their own colts have been promoted to the senior side, so a very young and somewhat inexperienced group will be beginning their journey again, I hope they enjoy the ride and have some success The promotion from Nat2 West to Nat 1 was part of a 5 year plan to achieve what they did, maybe this new side can have their own great journey.

[jblee]

I don't think you need to be "disadvantaged" to be unhappy with the situation as described by ST.

More to the point I have no idea whether he feels disadvantaged I would imagine others don't either.

[tigerburnie]

It's life though isn't it, those with money and connections have, those who don't have to adjust to the fact, not everyone can rise to the top, I considered myself very good at my job, but a junior management role was as high as they would let rise in the pecking order. Those who played golf got promoted, those who played rugby got a shoeing at the bottom of a ruck.

[Sedge Tiger]

I don't think you need to be "disadvantaged" to be unhappy with the situation as described by ST.

More to the point I have no idea whether he feels disadvantaged I would imagine others don't either.

Good afternoon all

Jblee, you are right we don’t and I don’t feel disadvantaged.

The title of this thread was about getting notice and to try and stimulate some debate on this forum.

Maybe its the wrong bored question I’m asking!!

I don’t resent any club who are taking up a tight link with a premiership club. My fear is for club rugby! As if feared the Champ is been crafted for and will be solely for academy players. What’s the point of that club.

This will be devastating for club rugby and we have some evidence of this from Rugby League who did the same some years ago which had devastating effects on that game. Participation, playing, watching and funding all destroyed. I saw this first hand.

I just hope we do not follow this rugby league disastrous initiative. RL is trying to turn that situation around but they have sadly lost generations to the sport.

TB

With regards to no natural premiership link up to Sedge you couldn’t be further from the truth. Sale Sharks are just 8 miles and three junctions anti-clockwise around the M60.

We have a great relationship with Sharks. We did even link up heavily to them at the back end of our 5 season stint at level 2.

That model wasn’t for us. It had a severe impact to the club and the social side which has always been very strong at Sedge. It took a long while to get it back where it is now.

Oh and we still take loans from Sharks and usually they become permanent signings.

So Sedge are in a good place on the field and off the field, it was a hard lesson though.

BTW this wasn’t down to funding by over gigantic spending by a money daddy, far from it. It was the impact of players populating the team on a here today gone tomorrow basis, pissing off players who had come through the ranks.

I have to say some of the Sale Sharks academy players who we did sign long term were and still are Claret and Gold through and through.

Finally the big question is can anyone beat DMP to the title? Of course they can. There are some excellent teams in National 2 North. And it’s very early days.

My hope is the powers that be will simply keep that connection of promotion and relegation burning brightly. Making the game competitive and relevant to all.

Good luck to DMP and all who sail in her

All the best

ST

[jblee]

Well said ST.

[tigerburnie]

There are 31 rugby clubs in Leicestershire (32 if you if you include the Tigers), the thought of any of those clubs getting to level 2 with their own players only is about the same as me winning the Euro Millions, which seemingly for me to do that I have to at least meet them half way and actually buy a ticket. The utopian idea of clubs just getting to the top without money is derisible, rugby is not the game, it is a business and the higher you climb the more onerous it becomes to meet those financial commitments, the leagues are littered with clubs who tried and fell.
I am old enough to have played in the 1970's when the game was amateur, it was cut throat then and taking the money only increased the demands. Being successful in rugby is as much about the office staff as it is about the players who take to the pitch.

[jblee]

Not every lower level club aspires to get to level 2. I suspect most do not aspire to this at all.