Quote Rogues Gallery="Rogues Gallery"Agreed,
This is my solution, apologies to all of you who have heard it before.
Six substitutes and substitutions, but NO interchange (bringing fitness and stamina back into the equation).
Two of those substitutes have to be 21 or under at the start of the season (or an agreed date) and English qualified.
Thoughts please?'"
I like the idea of bringing a bigger stamina factor in and in the past have thought 4 subs with 6 substitutions would be perfect.
One quiet day in work last year I came up with a whole program for a 3rd competion to replace the extra SL games, so that teams only played each other twice in the league.
the main points of the competetion were as follows:
8 of the starting squad must be 24 or under.
5m offside rule - this will benifit two fold. First, it will reduce the impact on our forwards, reducing the stress on there bodies that acumulates over a season and puts the lighter, younger players at less of a disadvantage. Secondly, having the defensive line start closer means we will have to improve our playmaking skills, hopefully producing a couple more players with the playmaking touch of a Gregory or Goulding, who learnt their trades under the 5m rule. It will also place a bigger imprtance on the kicking game, as yards will be harder to win with ball in hand.
Encourage a fast PTB. The 5m defensive line should ensure that blind scooting isn't rewarded, so a fast play the ball will bring fast entertaining rugby.
I came up with a playing scheulde for 16 team (including 2 from the division below) in four groups of four, with semi finals and a final to finish.
The competetion will help improve our players skills, bring on youngsters, give us another trophy to play for instead of a handfull of repeat fixtures and generally mix things up a bit.