Give Germany a boost
There are always questions about where we should promote our game but I never hear anyone mention Germany, where it is rapidly growing in popularity.
It’s vital we assist Germany to give them a chance to become professional and having them regularly involved would be exciting. They’ve been close to a World Cup and I hope in the future they prosper and become a regular Tier One side.
John Shenton, Perth, Western Australia
Season revamp
To me it makes no sense that South African teams would want to join up with the Pro14 when they have such potential in Super Rugby Unlocked. The club season would make more sense if they adopted the following structure.
The Pro14 could be changed to have two seven-team leagues with promotion and relegation. These would be the four Irish teams, the four Welsh teams, three Scottish teams (Borders resurrected), the two Italian teams and a Georgian franchise. Super Rugby Unlocked (with Jaguares added) then gets qualification into a revamped Champions Cup.
This Champions Cup could have 28 teams – seven Pro14, seven Premiership, seven Top 14 and seven Super Rugby Unlocked – in seven pools of four. The top two in each pool and two best third-placed teams qualify for a round of 16.
Wilkie Dent, 16, London
Pro18 is a winner
Expanding to a Pro18 ( Letters, Feb 2021 issue) is a great idea. It is simple, makes business sense, common sense and, most importantly, rugby sense.
Adding South Africa’s
‘Big Four’ is going to be great for Pro Rugby but not at the expense of axing the Cheetahs. I hope someone in Pro Rugby takes it seriously.
John McClements, Glasgow
Expand to strengthen
As a passionate Irish fan and Ulster season-ticket holder, I welcome any proposal to make Pro Rugby stronger. I’m sick of our league being compared unfavourably to the English Premiership.
At the moment, the Pro14 is, in reality, a league within a league, as the four Irish sides stand first and second in both conferences (as of mid-Jan). This imbalance is not good, so the news of the addition of the ‘Big Four’ South African teams was music to my ears.
However, what doesn’t hit the right note is the injustice done to the Cheetahs as they look set to lose out. So the proposal to retain the Cheetahs and replace the bankrupt Kings with the Jaguares is very interesting. If it became a reality, the league would be up there with any in the world.
John Cameron, Ballymoney, Co Antrim
Worthy Jaguares
As an Irish exile living in
New Zealand, I keep a close eye on Pro Rugby and the Pro18 proposal is interesting.
Argentina’s historic win in November was a reminder of how strong their rugby is and Jaguares’ addition to Pro Rugby can only strengthen the competition. After all, we’re talking about Super Rugby’s 2019 finalists. I have read about a forthcoming South American club championship but with only six teams…
Willis Beckett, Foxton Beach, New Zealand
RW says: A Jaguares XV is due to play in Super Liga Americana de Rugby 2021.
Conference approach
In this Covid-affected season there are calls for ring-fencing the Premiership with no relegation. Far better would be to copy American Football for next season and have two conferences featuring 12 teams from the Premiership and the top two from the Championship, so seven in each. At the end of the season the top team in Conference A plays the second team in Conference B and vice versa, with a final the following week.
Advantages include fewer games in an over-crowded season and shorter travel to away fixtures if the conferences are organised geographically. When things get back to normal, we could revert to the old system or keep the new one.
Paul Aynsley, London
Limit ‘pitch invaders’
It’s time for the excessive number of non-players entering the field in club matches to be curtailed. The situation is becoming ridiculous, with regular bands of pitch invaders wearing high-vis vests.
The field of play (including the dead-ball area) should be limited to the players, officials and essential medics. Anyone else is obstructing, delaying and seeking to influence the game.
John Brenchley, Sevenoaks, Kent
More sanctions needed
A fracas broke out near the end of the Gloucester-Sale game. Billy Twelvetrees was condemned as starting it by pushing a member of the Sale back-room staff. But there should be a serious sanction for the water carrier involved as he has no right to affect play on the field.
Rugby should also ban replacements celebrating tries. It is unsportsmanlike and refs should punish them for invading the pitch. The sledging of defenders is not a good part of our game either.
Dave Healy, St Mawgan, Cornwall
RW says: These topics are discussed in The SecretReferee (P16) and Face-Off (P20).