‘Regionalise national league rugby for more derby games’
NATIONAL league rugby should be aiming for a regionalised structure, says Fylde’s Josh Beaumont, the son of World Rugby chairman Bill.
The former Sale Sharks forward returned to his boyhood club last October, bringing nine years of top-flight experience.
And the 29-year-old told TRP: “I’d personally like to see the leagues more regionalised and have derby games as much as we can throughout the season.
“Also carrying on the pathways, seeing more national league rugby players playing at the age of 17-18 and reaching the highest levels. If more players can do that, it will only put the national leagues in more of the spotlight.”
Beaumont joined Fylde last year, returning to the side he played for at six years old. And the forward wants more top-flight stars to follow this route, continuing: “The community game is where it all starts for every international.
“I benefitted massively from playing at Fylde from 18 to 21 before I went to Sale, not just in terms of my playing ability but also playing with lads who are working Monday to Friday and training.
“You realise the fundamentals of the game and get a different perspective rather than being stuck in the cocoon of an academy system. I think it’s crucial for the game.”
Fylde boast other players with Premiership experience,
helping them become the highest-scoring national league team this season.
Beaumont said: “They have been entertaining, that’s for sure! There’s been a couple of tough losses but they’ll want to keep pushing on and playing their style of rugby.”
Fylde are one of six teams at the top of National 2 North separated by just nine points.
Beaumont said: “It’s getting tight at the top. In a lot of the years gone by, across the three National Leagues you’d often get a runaway winner from an early stage. The fact that National 2 North is so competitive makes it even more exciting.”
Fylde boast a strong history, having been a second-tier side in the 1990s. And Beaumont believes that a return to National 1 should be part of the club’s plans this season: “You can’t curtail ambition, especially within the group of players and coaches who are all young and ambitious. You can’t say ‘promotion may not be the best thing’.
“I’m sure they’ll be gunning for promotion.”