Relegation is a must, Garry Schofield tells Ian McGeechan
McGeechan argues that by scrapping relegation for five years and removing the fear of relegation, teams would play a more attractive brand of rugby. The former Lions boss also believes that removing the threat of relegation would provide top-flight clubs with breathing space to develop their businesses.
McGeechan suggests the Premiership might expand to 14 or 15 clubs and that such a move would benefit England in the run up to hosting RWC 2015.
But former Leeds and Great Britain star Schofield disagrees, citing the reorganisation of Super League as evidence that ‘ring-fencing’ does not work.
He told The Rugby Paper: “I don’t think quantity equates to quality and licensing, franchising – whatever you want to call it – has achieved absolutely nothing in Super League.
“We should bring back promotion and relegation, with two up and two down, and Rugby Union should avoid what Rugby League has done, big time!”
Since 2009, Super League has operated a licensing system in which each of the 14 competing clubs is guaranteed a minimum of three years’ top-flight rugby.
In that time, Welsh side Crusaders have folded, Wakefield and Bradford have been in administration and there are question marks over the future of Salford.
Schofield says there is no evidence to suggest that removing the threat of relegation works. Quite the opposite, in fact, and he advises proponents of ring-fencing in Union to think again.
Schofield told The Rugby Paper: “There should be promotion and relegation because what taking relegation away does is put people in the comfort zone.
“If you look at the state of Rugby League, with Bradford and Wakefield having been in administration and the financial problems Salford, Castleford and Hull KR have had, the franchising system in Super League has been a joke…nothing more than a gimmick.
“It puts people in the comfort zone for three years and for players who are halfway through a season and know there’s no pressure on, they don’t really perform because they’re thinking about their holidays. There’s no fight or battle in them.
“To say there’d be more quality by doing away with relegation in Rugby Union, I don’t think so. Yes, promoted clubs might struggle, but you can’t take that ambition away and you’ve got to make sure everyone is on their toes throughout the season.
“The top clubs never have to worry about relegation anyway, but it’s important that the bottom four or five are made to play to the best of their ability up to the last game of the season.”
Schofield also rubbished the notion that increasing the number of Premiership clubs might provide an answer.
“All increasing the number of clubs in Super League from 12 to 14 has meant is we’re bringing over more overseas players,” he said.
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