KeithR Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Using criteria set up by the Rugby League, for any team to warrant being in the Super League it has to fulfill certain conditions. It must have a ground worthy of Super League. It must have the necessary finances in place. It must have a good spectator base and it should have a good academy structure. That would mean Wakefield, Castleford, Harlequins and Catalan Dragons being relegated and Widnes being promoted. However it is unlikely that any team presently in Super League will be relegated and having being relegated twice by changing the rules it is almost certain that Widnes will not be selected for a franchise. Which leaves Salford and Celtic Crusaders. Salford haven't got the ground and Celtic Crusaders haven't got anything but they are Welsh and the Rugby League are determined to get a Welsh side into Super League. If as I suspect Celtic are chosen it will confirm what I have thought about Rugby League for some time, that it is as corrupt as Labour, Tory and the Lib Dems put together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianR Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Salford & Celtic got them. Personally i think relegation is good for any sport. Imagine for the next three years if a team is bottom what their games are going to be like. Will be plannign for next season. If they were worried about finances, shoudl have made the next league stronger instead of creating a closed shop. Alternatively increase SL to 18 clubs and have a proper home and away season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithR Posted July 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 No surprise in Celtic getting the nod, it was obvious from the start. But how a team like Celtic will manage in Super League with an average home attendance of less than 1000 and an away support of less than 100 remains to be seen. The strict criteria that the RFL laid down has just been ripped up, what a joke. They have mountains to climb before they can compete with Rugby Union. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 I wish I had put my money on those two - Salford have a new ground coming and a chairman who knows everybody - Celtic Crusaders are in Wales where Rugby league have always wanted to be. No brainer really. I feel sorry for Widnes and Leigh who would have brought much more to to the game in the way of grass roots, good local fan base and travelling support. They should have made it a 16 team league. I fear if they expand further it will be for a team in France and London! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Toulouse & Edinburgh next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Using criteria set up by the Rugby League, for any team to warrant being in the Super League it has to fulfill certain conditions. It must have a ground worthy of Super League. It must have the necessary finances in place. It must have a good spectator base and it should have a good academy structure. That would mean Wakefield, Castleford, Harlequins and Catalan Dragons being relegated and Widnes being promoted. However it is unlikely that any team presently in Super League will be relegated and having being relegated twice by changing the rules it is almost certain that Widnes will not be selected for a franchise. Which leaves Salford and Celtic Crusaders. Salford haven't got the ground and Celtic Crusaders haven't got anything but they are Welsh and the Rugby League are determined to get a Welsh side into Super League. If as I suspect Celtic are chosen it will confirm what I have thought about Rugby League for some time, that it is as corrupt as Labour, Tory and the Lib Dems put together. Absolutely spot on KeithR, not only in your prediction but also the view that the RFL are corrupt. It needs Nat league 1 & 2 to break away from Super League thus ending all promotion and relegation and get back to basics. Rugby League will never take off in Rugby Union heartlands. In 5 years time Harlequins and Celtic will not exist just as they didn't 5 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safeway56 Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 No surprise really considering that Sky TV now own the game and they call the shots. They aren't really interested what the grass root fans think they care only for their business plan and subscriber revenue. It's easy to predict what will happen half way next season. The top six will be already more or less decided and the rest, without promotion or relegation will be playing completely meaningless games, going through the motions if you will. What attraction will there be for RL fans in these games? None at all if you ask me and I can see attendances for these games going through the floor. Sky won't care of course because they take their pick of the matches they decide to screen. Thanks to Sky there is now more money in the game but has it been a good thing? Where has the joy gone from the game ? The guile, the finesse the kidology? When was the last time you observed the players enjoying the game. The game has been reduced to a muscleathon where even wingers(or edge players as some fools now call them) have to be muscle bound freaks weighing it at around 16 stones in order to play the game. You can count on one hand the wingers in Superleague who are capable of scoring long range tries. I'm rapidly losing interest in the game, too much biff bash to make it remotely exciting. If they want it, Sky can have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Get down to your local Amateur clubs on Sunday mornings and watch Rugby that is played for enjoyment, it is a much more satisfying pastime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted July 22, 2008 Report Share Posted July 22, 2008 Seems the penny's dropped! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgusted Posted July 23, 2008 Report Share Posted July 23, 2008 Toulouse & Edinburgh next.While Endinburgh & Borders is the only part of Scotland with any interest in Rugby, as far as I'm aware RL has absolutely no following whatsoever north of the border. I'd be amazed if any team even tried to get a franchise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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