Top flight losing its soul, and integrity

NICK CAIN

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GLOUCESTER'S 90-0 capitulation to Northampton at Franklin's Gardens last weekend reflected all that is rotten about a ringfenced Premiership. The same was true of the 85-14 rout inflicted on Newcastle by Bristol last month.

It confirmed that the 10 club Premiership has been turned into a parody of a competitive league by the suspension of promotion-relegation. This is because with two clubs – Newcastle in 10th place and Gloucester in 9th – adrift in the playoff race before the league's Six Nations break in mid-March, on most weekends two of the five fixtures have been devoid of jeopardy.

It has left Newcastle languishing in last place after failing to win a single match of this season's 17 Premiership rounds before yesterday's ‘Super Saturday', while Gloucester slumped to 9th in the table, losing 13 out of their 17.

However, if being obliterated in league matches comes without consequences, why bother being competitive? Indeed, why bother having a league at all, when Newcastle and Gloucester get off scot-free despite the 40 per cent of league fixtures in which they participate usually resulting in victory for their opponents?

To make matters worse, the huge semi-opposed victories at the end of the season secured by Northampton and Bristol has significantly impacted the bonus points and points differentials between the clubs competing for a place in the Premiership play-offs.

Bristol might not have been in contention with Sale, Exeter and Harlequins but for the 85 points they scored against Newcastle. It can also be argued that Northampton's 90 point avalanche against Gloucester slewed the top of the table rankings in their favour going into yesterday's away game at Bath. If it had been a narrow Saints win without a bonus point, then Bath might have had a chance of overhauling them, and securing a home semi-final.

Gloucester fielding a weakened side against Northampton last week highlighted the mess that the RFU and Premiership have created. Their director of rugby, George Skivington, had a priority that prevented him throwing the kitchen sink at a full strength Saints.

Skivington wanted to rest most of his first choice players for their Challenge Cup final against South Africa's Sharks on Friday evening – because winning the Challenge Cup would see them replace 8th placed Leicester in next season's European Cup.

Given their lowly league standing, neither Gloucester, nor Leicester, deserve to be competing in Europe's elite competition – but the downgrading of Europe's premium competition is another story.

Gloucester's no-show demands an appraisal of how some professional players view the Premiership. You would assume that, like their amateur antecedents, they would give their all for the pride of pulling on the jersey of a club with Gloucester's history.

Yet, the gravest concern after Gloucester crumbled against Northampton, conceding 14 unanswered tries, is that it is just the apex of an increasing number of blow-out results this season.

There has been plenty of cheerleading for the Premiership run-in, and those games that are competitive and compelling deserve it. However, the question that hangs over the whole Premiership canvas is whether an additional list like Exeter 65 Saracens 10, Saracens 50 Newcastle 12, Leicester 47 Newcastle 3, Bristol 51 Gloucester 26, Saracens 52 Harlequins 7, Bristol 52 Northampton 21, Sale 41 Exeter 5, Exeter 58 Harlequins 26, is the sign of a truly competitive league?

Or is it symptomatic of some Premiership players, coaches, and clubs losing their competitive compass to the degree that they are economical with the effort and determination they bring to some fixtures?

Any such approach is a league-killer, because it is short-changing fans, both at the turnstiles and those who pay TV subscriptions.

It is worth noting that although Skivington picked a weaker Gloucester side, it still included five internationals in captain Lewis Ludlow, Italy scrum-half Stephen Varney, Fiji No.8 Albert Tuisue, and Argentina hooker Santi Socino and loosehead Mayco Vivas. Add to that Shed favourite Freddie Clarke and experienced tighthead Fraser Balmain, former England U20 Grand Slam winners in fly-half Charlie Atkinson and flanker Jack Clement, as well as promising youngsters in wing Josh Hathaway and lock/back row Freddie Thomas, and Gloucester should have had the makings.

Instead, the resistance was more token than tungsten. Yet, if Gloucester had been involved in a relegation battle – as they should have been this season – there is no way they would have conceded nearly a century of points.

This is the mark of a Premiership laid bare – a league which is losing its soul, and integrity. The only way to restore it is to bring back promotion and relegation.