Is Bigger Better? And Will We Welcome Worcester

There are talks occurring. There always are, but these have some fair significance for our viewing pleasure. The Aviva Premiership is looking to get bigger, as early as the 2016/17 season, as a new world rugby Callander is announced. We've been hearing these notions for a while, but they seem to have some more weight behind them in recent weeks. Two clubs would join the Premiership from the Championship, but who would they be? Even more debate is thrown in when you add the proposed ring fencing of the Premiership. Do you seal the relegated team in and bring up the top two teams of the Championship? Or does it come down to the money each team could bring to the Premiership? 

Before we get into that, there are other side discussions occurring in the Pro12. The Italians are in danger of being dropped from the Pro12, and the proposed replacements are exiles of the two least successful nations of the Pro12: London Scottish and London Welsh. The business opportunity is very exciting if it pulls off, but it does raise questions over what might happen in the European competition. This isn't the purpose of this post, though. 

No, the purpose is to consider the effects of the proposals. Now, at this point, I should stress nothing has officially been said, and from here on in, it is purely opinions, with some facts and stats thrown in. If we are to expand the Premiership, we have to take care of the players. Christian Day, the Players Association chairman, has called for mandatory rest periods. Players who play an international season will have to have weeks off mid season to rest. The 2016/17 season is a particularly strange time to bring in an expanded Premiership. With a Lions tour coming up, you will have some absolutely exhausted players. Further, there's been a gap between the Championship and the Premiership which only a few clubs have been able to bridge in recent years. Exeter and Newcastle are the two best examples of non-yoyo clubs, and London Welsh are perhaps the most obvious team to show the gap. With a points difference of -747, 21 games lost with an average 35.57 points, it's utterly staggering. Aside from this, who would be brought in? Bristol and Worcester are the obvious choice, and Rotherham, who ended the season in fourth place, were also confirmed as being eligible to promote. But for some reason, Yorkshire Carnegie, who finished sixth, ten points below London Scottish in 3rd, and 43 behind Worcester in second, are being raised as an option. Sorry, Geech, but there are teams above you who should benefit from the expansion and sealing. 

But if you ring fence the Premiership, where's the incentive for the Championship sides? Exeter are the model to replicate, having gone from a relatively small club to a real contender for several trophies and a World Cup host. The Welsh Exiles, who rotated a ludicrous 51 players before the season began, set the example of how not to do it, but at least they gave it a go. Expansion may be a good idea, but the proposed five year embargo is far too long for the clubs below the top tier. The business appeal would stagnate, and I suspect we would eventually see the Championship running out of money before the five years are over. 

Bristol and Worcester have stated their intent to push into the Premiership, and this year, I fully expect the Warriors to disappoint the Bristolians. More than that, I actually want Worcester to be promoted. Aside from the British sense of amusement for a challenger who never quite makes it, despite the money thrown in, I like watching Worcester play and the blunt honesty of Dean Ryan. I didn't like him as a pundit on Sky, but as a DoR, I respect what he's managed to do with his squad. He's brought in some new players to help contest next year, but no one with the same pay check as you'd expect from the Bristol signings. And to keep hold of a player with the quality of Chris Pennell, who would stroll into any Premiership side, and keep him in England contention is just remarkable. And unless Rotherham beat Bristol today (Sunday) and beat them well, we will see the two heavyweights contesting for the next two weeks.