Quote: mean_machine "I agree with a lot of this, however I do think we have enough quality available for 14 teams. Toronto, Toulouse, Leigh, Fax, Fev and London have all shown over the middle 8's inclusion that they can build teams that can at least challenge. For me I think if we want to increase participation we need more opportunities for players to reach the elite level, having 14 teams means the pathway increases for players in championship to go SL and from league 1 to championship and cycle created. What going to 14 let's say with toulouse and toronto included means you have the opportunity to target player pools rarely seen. With an inclusion of a reserve league the opportunity to increase player participation is already increasing. There are plenty of other ways to improve the skill level including rule changes, intepreatations and coaching as well as teams not playing with busted players as they have nobody to step in.
IMO these two teams are wasted in the championship where 6 of the teams have no realistic chance or aim for SL, we should harness the growth of ambitious clubs and increase our profile and player pool. Short term standard would not neccasarily increase, but I think looking at things in 3 year cycles is pointless and gives us no long term strategy.
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I agree that we have a cluster of clubs in that "too good for the Championship, not good enough for SL" bracket. I think the M8s have shown that competition is there, but let's not forget that they're competing with the lower end of SL. Competing with the worst in SL shouldn't be the ambition - we ideally need to get back to a situation in SL where we have that "any given Sunday" feeling about it, and I don't think we will get that with 14.
Over the last few years, the average winning margin in SL has increased, and the proportion of games being won by one score or less has decreased (on both measures, the opposite is true in the Aviva Premiership). That is a big problem for me and it doesn't make a for a good spectator sport. You're right in that Toulouse and North America are potential new talent pools but, certainly in the case of Toronto, they are just that for now - potential. We have only just started to sow the seeds, and it will take time before we can harvest.
Until participation levels grow, and until we become less reliant on a handful of clubs to develop the bulk of elite talent, any attempt to increase the number of clubs risks damaging the spectacle, and that's something we can't afford to do in my opinion.