Revolution mapped out for survival of grass-roots clubs
HRFU proposes regionalising leagues to reduce travel costs hradical overhaul needed to reverse fall in player numbers
The Rugby Football Union is to propose a radical overhaul of its community game competition structures in an attempt to address falling participation in the men’s 15-a-side game and protect the longterm health of the sport,
can reveal.
An RFU working group, chaired by board member Stephen Pearson, has determined that the adult male competitions – historically based on a pyramid structure – are no longer fit for purpose, after consulting clubs and players.
The blueprint, which was presented to clubs yesterday, proposes reducing National League One, the league below the Championship, from 16 to 14 clubs and “flattening the pyramid” of the national leagues by introducing regionalisation to reduce travel time and costs for away matches and the issue of player churn.
It is proposed that the new structures will be implemented for the start of the 2021-22 season if they are passed by the RFU council meeting in October following further consultation with the game.
While the proposal retains promotion and relegation, it argues that the two leagues in level four, known as National Two League North and South, which both have 16 clubs, are reduced to 14, but with a third league introduced.
Under the plan, the four levelfive leagues would rise to six, but the numbers of clubs in each would reduce from 14 to 12.
A national cup competition would be introduced at the end of the season, with the finals potentially played at Twickenham.
Dedicated “break” weeks and a two-week break from league action over Christmas are also proposed.
Pearson said the working group had based its restructuring plans to address four principles: player centricity/player welfare, appropriate travel time/distance, quality of player experience/quality of competition and club sustainability.
The working group’s analysis shows that it requires an average of 43 players for clubs to complete a first XV season, which has resulted in an increasing number of walkover results for lower teams.
“At the core heart of it, the adult male 15-a-side game is shrinking,” Pearson said. “You hear that at council meetings and around the game. We have been looking at that and whether the competition structure is fit for purpose.
“This proposal restructures the season to provide a balance between cup and league, reduces some of the load around player welfare and travel and provides excitement and freshness into the competitive structure that should attract and retain more players.
“We believe there is a very strong argument for change. There are lots of clubs who are doing a fantastic job and flourishing in the current structure, but more and more you are seeing fewer teams supporting the clubs, more walkovers, more players required to complete firstteam fixtures. That is feedback from across the game. This is about the health of the game as a whole.”
The previous attempt to restructure the leagues, following a review in 2014, failed to gain the support required for the changes to be implemented. Pearson, however, is optimistic that given the level of consultation and the challenges
Message received: Clubs told the RFU they wanted the length of their seasons reduced caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, the new structures will gain the necessary support.
“Things have changed since the last adult competition review,” Pearson said. “One of the areas that we have worked very hard around was level three and four, where the 16-team league was a very important part. That is the elite professional end of the community game.
“But we heard from the players and the directors of rugby that the intensity of the competition and the length of the season – the number of fixtures and the distances they were travelling – was something they wanted to see change.
“That direct feedback helped us to balance that up with the administrators.
“I am hoping this will move it forward, declutter the season and get it more aligned by providing some breaks, making clear where the season starts and finishes and putting in a cup competition that runs nationally that creates some fizz and excitement with a national finals day.”
Pearson also hopes that the new competition structures would entice back clubs who have opted to leave the RFU leagues to play in the breakaway Lancashire Rugby Counties Leagues.
Those clubs have reported significant increases in revenues and player retention soaring, after establishing a two-division structure two years ago to reduce the amount of travel.
‘The adult male 15-a-side game is shrinking. We believe there is a strong argument for change’