Championship Expansion

[bowes]

Wow. It gets better and better for the ROFL.

It gets much worse. The RFL realised months ago that the Rebels were unviable but wouldn't kick them out as they didn't want to admit that they couldn't get 4 new sides. I know Rebels asked the RFL to reject Coventry's bid though there are other factors to be sorted before the bid can be accepted or rejected. The RFL are claiming they had 2 bids in reserve which is a lie.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

I can scarcely believe the ROFL would be a. incompetant and b. full of shit. There's just no prededent for such things!

 

[BODISGOD]

Cornwall and Devon...hey see if Hartlepool need a team in some good comp.

You really are pushing this Cornwall business aren't you.

 

[Teddyboy]

You really are pushing this Cornwall business aren't you.

Yeah remember reading on the Cornish Pirates website that they thought it was a good idea for a Rugby League club at a decent level playing out of the Pirates ground as nothing happens in the summer.

 

[BODISGOD]

Yeah remember reading on the Cornish Pirates website that they thought it was a good idea for a Rugby League club at a decent level playing out of the Pirates ground as nothing happens in the summer.

That doesn't quite mean a Championship standard club.

 

[IowaRL]

It'd be good to have a team somewhere that union doesn't. Hemel is good but the other two so far are very much union towns. In any event the midlands was the last major area of the country to not have a pro team and now it has at least two. I suppose you could say south west isn't represented but Gloucester is pretty close. Whatever the last one the big challenge is to keep them affloat withour major problems and hopefully see some of them go up and be sustainable at a higher level as well.

Another interesting point about Hemel is the new ground for Saracens. Having been based in Watford for the last dozen or so years, we may see an uptick of fans who don't want to travel far to see a game, and could switch to the Stags. There is a decent bus line between the 2, so not having to drive or sit an hour on the train would be nice!

 

[Teddyboy]

That doesn't quite mean a Championship standard club.

Neither does Wales or London and Gateshead.

 

[Evil Homer]

Pretty embarrassing considering they were arguably the RFL's flagship club for this expansion, and had by far the highest profile. I'm also a little concerned about Gloucestershire, who I haven't heard a thing about since they were accepted on what was a shaky looking bid to begin with IMO. Thankfully Hemel seem to be going alright, having just erected the first permanent stand at their home ground.

Cornwall will not be having a team for the foreseeable future.

 

[Teddyboy]

Pretty embarrassing considering they were arguably the RFL's flagship club for this expansion, and had by far the highest profile. I'm also a little concerned about Gloucestershire, who I haven't heard a thing about since they were accepted on what was a shaky looking bid to begin with IMO. Thankfully Hemel seem to be going alright, having just erected the first permanent stand at their home ground.

Cornwall will not be having a team for the foreseeable future.

Why not as it's a Rugby hotbed plus the population in summer time triples so to me they be top of the list.

 

[Evil Homer]

Because it's a huge expanse of land with very little professional sporting culture, no major population centers and no real RL presence of any kind.

 

[Teddyboy]

Because it's a huge expanse of land with very little professional sporting culture, no major population centers and no real RL presence of any kind.

No different to Whitehaven and Barrow amongst other's.
By Pro I mean Semi Pro.

 

[Evil Homer]

No different to Whitehaven and Barrow amongst other's.
By Pro I mean Semi Pro.

It's nothing like Whitehaven or Barrow. Apart from the fact that the population of Whitehaven is bigger than any town in Cornwall and Barrow several times so, RL is the only major sport in most of Cumbria whereas it has literally no presence in Cornwall. And while Cumbria is difficult to get to, Cornwall is the most isolated part of the country and hundreds of miles from any kind of RL activity. You might as well be talking about putting a team in the Sahara desert.

 

[Teddyboy]

It's nothing like Whitehaven or Barrow. Apart from the fact that the population of Whitehaven is bigger than any town in Cornwall and Barrow several times so, RL is the only major sport in most of Cumbria whereas it has literally no presence in Cornwall. And while Cumbria is difficult to get to, Cornwall is the most isolated part of the country and hundreds of miles from any kind of RL activity. You might as well be talking about putting a team in the Sahara desert.

Be more a success then London and League has done some games in places like Falmouth etc.

 

[geordiesaint]

Be more a success then London.

Really? The Skolars could reach the C1 playoffs for the first time this weekend with predominantly a side made of Londoners. The Broncos had more London Academy players that Warrington the other week too...

 

[deluded pom?]

Be more a success then London and League has done some games in places like Falmouth etc.

I think the last time RL was played in Falmouth was in the 1960s when Hull played Hull KR in a three match tour of Cornwall.

 

[Teddyboy]

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/cornwallrugbyleague/

 

[deluded pom?]

Yep that's a really substantial website with next to nothing outside of some photos of a game played two years ago. A shop for a team that don't have any fixtures and never seem to play any games. Certainly not in 2012 and I can't find any reference to the score from the 2011 game (allegedly sposored by Leeds Rhinos). Back to you Teddy.

 

[Teddyboy]

Yep that's a really substantial website with next to nothing outside of some photos of a game played two years ago. A shop for a team that don't have any fixtures and never seem to play any games. Certainly not in 2012 and I can't find any reference to the score from the 2011 game (allegedly sposored by Leeds Rhinos). Back to you Teddy.

Yer it was shite..sorry.

 

[biggestbroncosfan]

there is no way in the world Cornish Pirates will be having a semi pro RL team any time soon. Most likely the Rebels will be replaced by Conventry and the last spot will go to Chester.

 

[bowes]

there is no way in the world Cornish Pirates will be having a semi pro RL team any time soon. Most likely the Rebels will be replaced by Conventry and the last spot will go to Chester.

Chester long ago withdrew their bid and there never were Medway or Bristol bids. If Coventry feel ready to step up I expect they're in and I think they're trying they're probably trying to patch the collapsed Oxford bid together.