Quote ="Richie"You're right about the length of the season. However, the sport just can't afford to give up that many games. You would be asking teams to give up a third of their match day revenue.'"
The clubs don't need to reduce the number of games. However, they do need to call on test stars less, and release them for test training and duty. Since they won't release players from SL to test duty, the RFL would need to restructure the elite competitions.
Quote ="canagoo"18 regular matches
Play offs'"
Like I'd suggest in the [url=http://viewtopic.php?f=43&t=384805&start=15last post of the thread Workload for England test players must be reduced[/url
The RFL should limit players to 32 games maximum per season, that is in line with practice with Rugby national teams that draw on sports science research. England's RFU and Premier Rugby agreed a 32 game limit, and England RU has won a World Cup and Six Nations in the past decade. Since English RL players play so much more Rugby than Kangaroo players, and receive a much smaller off season. Basically, England international players could be involved in a maximum 32 games, down from the current 38 to 41 many have been involved in over the last decade:
1) Super League (regular rounds) =
16 games
2) SL Finals series = top 7, 3 weekends, straight knockout basis.
3 games maximum. Minor premiers qualifies directly for a semi-final, 2nd to 7th play in Quarter Finals. SL would run from late February to a Grand Final on last weekend of August.
3) Challenge Cup transformed into a pool based competition involving the 32 English SL & Championship clubs. 4 pools of 8 clubs.
10 rounds in total.
a) 8 rounds pit SL clubs up against Championship/C1 clubs. Test players only play certain games. Held in September/October.
b) Rounds 9/10 held in late Feb/early March of next season. SL clubs play 2 other SL clubs, Champ clubs play 2 C1 clubs and vice versa.
c) The top 8 clubs would go on to play in Challenge Cup QFs, SFs and Finals on three bank holiday weekends in April and May. The next best 8 clubs from Championship/C1 pools would play in Northern Rail Cup finals on the same weekends, as curtain raisers. All test players would be available for these games. For test players that have played all games previously - 5 games maximum.
4) Amateur clubs would play for a national knockout trophy.
Pre-season = 2 games
Challenge Cup last 2 regular rounds = 2 games
CC finals = 3 games
Super League = 16 games
SL finals = 3 games
(Test players that don't play in all finals games can play in tests against France and Wales, or in other games for their club)
Lancashire/Yorkshire= 2 games
Kiwis = 2 games
Kangaroos = 2 games
TOTAL = 32 games
tb
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