Might it just be that the lack of investment into the game at Championship level is at least in part due to the RFU and Premiership setting such a high bar for joining the top tier that Championship clubs risk committing financial suicide if they try to do so?
In almost all cases it would mean either building a new stadium (which can take decades) and/or moving away from their support base to find a ground that meets premiership standards. And with no guarantee that if they jump through this hoop that they won’t find further barriers put in their way in the future.
So we have a situation where in Ireland, Scotland, France etc. rugby authorities seek to promote spread of professional rugby as a spectator attraction, in England they seem actively to thwart it.
Iain Sharpe
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