Bruce MacGregor

@CharlieFelix You are only looking at this in terms of the Prem, not English rugby. Ring fencing effectively blocks investment from reaching the Champ and lower tier clubs. No growth, no future.

Would the threat of relegation liven things up? Yes. Would it make Sale, Gloucester, Harlequins and Newcastle better? Doubtful. Did investment need it gone? Seems so.

@CharlieFelix @SportKing01 Sorry Charlie, Ealing have just gone a year unbeaten. Surely they deserve to be promoted rather than creating a new franchise

@BruceMacGregor @SportKing01 Fair bit of merit as well, no? Poor season notwithstanding

Big piece on the possibility of a Yorkshire franchise in Prem. Might seem wild that an area with 110 union clubs and a population the size of Scotland has been without a top-flight side for so long… but it’s complicated. thetimes.com/sport/rugby-un…

@CharlieFelix @SportKing01 In pole position due to geography not merit

@SportKing01 You’d say they were in pole position

@RugbyInsideLine @Oval_Insights Barbery

❓ GUESS THE PLAYER ❓ In the last five seasons, he has been: 🥇 Metres (5km ball in hand) 🥇 Carries 5th Defenders Beaten 5th Contact Metres 7th Minutes 17th Tries But he's also conceded the ball the most of any player... Powered by @Oval_Insights

@rugbyexpansion Nothing at all against England but then coming into the six nations bragging about a 12 match streak and winning the wooden spoon is very VERY funny

Nothing at all against Scotland, but them fucking up the chance to win their first Six Nations for about 500 years because they completely bottled it vs Italy is very funny.

@TheLooseH Have you ever stopped to wonder why, let me think, perhaps it's because funding for the Championship has been devastated. Or perhaps O share holders get to distribute TV funds. Or maybe absurd ground qualification rules.

Scrapping relegation-promotion in the Prem is nothing really new, though, is it? Bar Saracens, what was the last team to come through? Was it Bristol in 2018?

@neilfissler *sigh*. The reason why Champ clubs don't want promotion is because under the current cartel, even after promotion they will only get a fraction of the funding that the existing Prem sides get, as they don't hold a P Share. Promotion means bankruptcy.

Mixed feelings about scrapping relegation and promotion from the PREM. Now little incentive for clubs at the bottom to improve but clubs aren’t exactly queuing up to leave the Championship. One thing is for sure ten PREM isn’t the answer needs 12-14.

@ROB_Robireland Fundamentally disagree, the Red Bull thing is neither here nor there, the question remains, can this side improve under his stewardship, unless we beat either France or Ireland, we end up 4th .. again

Agree/ disagree?

@neilfissler The irony... Prem clubs don't like the 15k seat requirements because it is unachievable, yet they expect Champ clubs to have 10k+ to be promoted

I love the use of torpedoed. Vastly underrated word.

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@TheVickiJones the Prem wont let well funded English teams in (Ealing), why do you think they would allow unfunded Welsh ones in?

This is where English rugby union should entice ospreys and Scarlets to join them Play with them in English prem. You would get good revenue from away teams. I know it won't be done but it's time we say fuck you to the WRU We all know ospreys go Scarlets next

@mangorugby TJ is not being played at fullback for Bristol because he has to play 10 due to McGinty's injury, not because Lam doesn't think he is any good at it.

Jordan is poor at fullback, as both Franco and Bristol have realised, so including him there is a mistake. If you were going to rest Kinghorn (deserved, as he’s played more minutes than any other Scottish player since the autumn), Rowe would have been a more deserving choice.

@ScotRugbyNews is it being broadcast anywhere?

🚨 TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT🚨 Here is the Scotland 'A' team that will face an Italy XV in Rieti on Friday evening Full team news 👉 shorturl.at/hhC0Q

Let Ealing IN! Petition Bill Sweeney c.org/kbVqZRrK via @UKChange @SquidgeRugby @thepaulwilliams @SBarnesRugby @CharlieFelix @bencoles_ @JLyall93 @willgkelleher @AlanDymock @CharlesRTel

@RugbyInsideLine So there is still a chance that this squad maybe in the "Champ" next season. Lets watch the RFU come up with more excuses not to promote Ealing.

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@Rugby_Scoop There are good refs, and there are bad refs, there are even good refs that have a bad day, respect for the ref is core to our game and should be unquestionable.

This Aki situation has created a lot of chatter on the timeline. I’m just wondering: if a player is then “suspended” post-match, would it be wiser for officials to issue a red card during the game instead of a yellow – a straight red? From personal experience: Players often have these sorts of outbursts/questioning a ref’s decision based on how “bad” they deem the official to be. If they think you are a balanced or good ref, or even just show good communication on the field, players buy into your officiating and work with you.

@RugbyWorcs AS a ref and a coach, I agree with the general point but the EPRC is a mess

One of my biggest issues with rugby is the fact we try and relaunch competitions, laws and formats way too often If you're not a die hard fan it's actually quite hard to follow with any consistency. Not even saying this is a bad thing... But the format was not even changed that long ago

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