Anglo-Welsh League would draw a TV deal
CARDIFF, WALES - JANUARY 14: Detailed view of Cardiff Arms Park with the Principality Stadium in the background during the European Rugby Challenge Cup match between Cardiff Blues and Toulouse at Cardiff Arms Park on January 14, 2018 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)
I READ Chris Hewett‘s article about introducing a British and Irish League. This would never work due to the Irish and Scottish Unions owning multiple teams; nor would Premiership Rugby allow it.
Far better to have an Anglo-Welsh league of 20 teams in two divisions with ten clubs in Division 1 (top ten from Premiership) and ten clubs in Division 2 including the four Welsh pro clubs, bottom three from English Premiership and three from English Championship who can afford pro rugby and have the desire to play in the Premiership.
Each season you could have two up and two down. Last place in the Premiership would automatically be relegated and first place in the Championship automatically promoted. The next four clubs in the Championship could play off with the winner playing against the ninth placed Premiership club.
This set up would bring a much-needed TV deal for the Championship with BBC Wales and S4C paying to broadcast Anglo-Welsh games.
These games would bring big crowds back to the four Welsh clubs and English Championship clubs would love the traditional rivalry.
Having only ten clubs in each division would mean fewer games but of higher quality. This would help player welfare and also mean international players don’t miss any club games because of Test match clashes.
