imported_Roopy4246
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pinched from the totalrl forum
From thissportinglife.com:
"Do not ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee."
After the difficulties of the last few years is Rugby Union finally giving up the ghost? Frequently described as an anachronism the ancient sport may finally be consigned to history as recent events show the accelerating decline within the game. It started to go wrong for the old Unions a hundred years ago when the upstart Rugby League turned the enjoyable pastime into a competitive sport. Since then Union has had to retreat into the institutions from which it first came: schools, universities and members clubs. Hastening this retreat, the progressive League made rules changes for a better sport and ran its clubs like businesses increasing the success and popularity of that âcodeâ. Meanwhile Union tried desperately to preserve its place as a domain for the wealthy, the educated and the white.
In an attempt to rival the popularity of League and to try and make Great Britain more competitive in international competitions, many Union clubs turned professional on the 90s. Ignoring the warnings from League and Football about the dangers of such a move the Union clubs forged ahead. Despite having always paid their players (a situation often called âshamateurismâ) the move to professional rugby would see spiralling costs for the clubs. Coupled with falling attendances in the face of resurgent Association Football clubs the end result was never in doubt.
First the traditional but small clubs collapsed, unable to compete with their wealthier rivals. Moves by other clubs to larger stadia saw momentary improvements in attendance followed by more decline but now with the additional costs of renting football grounds. The announcement today that the old Welsh club of Neath had gone bankrupt with no possibility of a rescue package adds further weight to the argument that the sport is in terminal decline. Which club will be next? Bristol? Sale?
Worse was to come for the ailing game. The falling interest in the sport, described by most as boring, lead to decay amongst the âgrass rootsâ. Fewer young players take up the sport nowadays, many associating Rugby Union with a long dead era of class rule in Britain. The sport itself does not encourage good fitness or skilfulness in all itâs participants instead concentrating only on one or two players within a team. The few young players who do take up the sport often find themselves consigned to playing roles that see them inactive for long periods of matches or worse, performing repetitive physical activities that rely on brawn over brains â strength over skill. In such conditions young players find themselves unchallenged and their development suffers. The seeds of Union were cast onto stony ground.
To combat the falling standard of the sports professionals, Union looked to League for help for the first time in the 100 years of bitter conflict between the codes. Rather than spending revenues from television and international competitions on infrastructure, the sport made a last gasp effort to regain some of its former stature. Helped by centralised funding, clubs started to offer excessive sums of money for League players in what was a desperate attempt to bolster the failing game. Record sums were tabled to âcherry pickâ the stars of League, stars which the League clubs quickly replaced from their own junior ranks without even breaking stride.
All but the most short sighted of observers could see that this final gesture was in fact the death throws of a dieing institution. Soon we will hear the death rattle from the throat of British Rugby Union as it joins its place in history alongside other relics such as Colonialism, the Monarchy and Knowing Ones Place. May it rest in peace.
From thissportinglife.com:
"Do not ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee."
After the difficulties of the last few years is Rugby Union finally giving up the ghost? Frequently described as an anachronism the ancient sport may finally be consigned to history as recent events show the accelerating decline within the game. It started to go wrong for the old Unions a hundred years ago when the upstart Rugby League turned the enjoyable pastime into a competitive sport. Since then Union has had to retreat into the institutions from which it first came: schools, universities and members clubs. Hastening this retreat, the progressive League made rules changes for a better sport and ran its clubs like businesses increasing the success and popularity of that âcodeâ. Meanwhile Union tried desperately to preserve its place as a domain for the wealthy, the educated and the white.
In an attempt to rival the popularity of League and to try and make Great Britain more competitive in international competitions, many Union clubs turned professional on the 90s. Ignoring the warnings from League and Football about the dangers of such a move the Union clubs forged ahead. Despite having always paid their players (a situation often called âshamateurismâ) the move to professional rugby would see spiralling costs for the clubs. Coupled with falling attendances in the face of resurgent Association Football clubs the end result was never in doubt.
First the traditional but small clubs collapsed, unable to compete with their wealthier rivals. Moves by other clubs to larger stadia saw momentary improvements in attendance followed by more decline but now with the additional costs of renting football grounds. The announcement today that the old Welsh club of Neath had gone bankrupt with no possibility of a rescue package adds further weight to the argument that the sport is in terminal decline. Which club will be next? Bristol? Sale?
Worse was to come for the ailing game. The falling interest in the sport, described by most as boring, lead to decay amongst the âgrass rootsâ. Fewer young players take up the sport nowadays, many associating Rugby Union with a long dead era of class rule in Britain. The sport itself does not encourage good fitness or skilfulness in all itâs participants instead concentrating only on one or two players within a team. The few young players who do take up the sport often find themselves consigned to playing roles that see them inactive for long periods of matches or worse, performing repetitive physical activities that rely on brawn over brains â strength over skill. In such conditions young players find themselves unchallenged and their development suffers. The seeds of Union were cast onto stony ground.
To combat the falling standard of the sports professionals, Union looked to League for help for the first time in the 100 years of bitter conflict between the codes. Rather than spending revenues from television and international competitions on infrastructure, the sport made a last gasp effort to regain some of its former stature. Helped by centralised funding, clubs started to offer excessive sums of money for League players in what was a desperate attempt to bolster the failing game. Record sums were tabled to âcherry pickâ the stars of League, stars which the League clubs quickly replaced from their own junior ranks without even breaking stride.
All but the most short sighted of observers could see that this final gesture was in fact the death throws of a dieing institution. Soon we will hear the death rattle from the throat of British Rugby Union as it joins its place in history alongside other relics such as Colonialism, the Monarchy and Knowing Ones Place. May it rest in peace.
