Cragg demands changes to tier two schedule

HACKED-OFF Rotherham chairman Nick Cragg has called for a review of the Championship fixture list amid a growing cash-flow crisis afflicting tier two clubs.

London Welsh’s recent expulsion means Rotherham will have played just four home matches between New Year and start of next season, while hard-up Nottingham are also at crisis point with just two home games remaining this season.

The Rugby Paper can reveal RFU officials are investigating the possibility of redistributing cash earmarked for London Welsh to compensate clubs who have lost fixtures.

However, Cragg believes the entire fixture programme is unfit for purpose and has questioned the continued viability of the British & Irish Cup.

He said: “The lack of home fixtures is hitting us hard. We need a game every other week to keep the momentum and interest going, which we don’t get anyway, and this sort of carry on with London Welsh has been pretty poor.

“The B&I Cup is not attended well so that needs looking at and there’s nothing to stop us playing more games within a 12-team league. We had an extra local derby four years ago but that wasn’t followed through so maybe we could revisit that.

“You could have 22 regular season games and then put Nottingham, Doncaster, Rotherham and Yorkshire in a Pool of four and play an extra round home and away. That could be mirrored elsewhere to make a solid 28-game fixture list.”

Cragg added: “You could play 30 or 32 games, but something has to be done to make the Championship viable because three home games between now and September is unsustainable and Nottingham are in a similar situation.”

Meanwhile, Cragg has warned Rotherham maybe going backwards if he and co-owner Martin Jenkinson cannot attract new funding. He said: “If people don’t want to pick up the gauntlet, the alternative is for us to drop down the leagues.”