Champ Rugby: Bedford vs Worcester shows strength of second tier
This Sunday afternoon at Bedford Blues’ Goldington Road could be pandemonium. The home team take on Champ Rugby giants Worcester Warriors looking to be crowned winners of English rugby’s second tier.
But what’s the point, when you cannot get promoted?
Well it is the continued proof that the Champ is and can be competitive, where a sustainable league can be formed as an eventual feeder of clubs to the top flight Prem.
Ealing Trailfinders outspend the rest of the league by a significant margin, and went unbeaten across the regular season, but were unable to topple Worcester Warriors in their semi-final last weekend.
There’s some fire in the Champ, then, even if there’s no way into the Prem just about now.
And that’s because the top flight is ringfenced until the end of the decade. In reality, it’s the right call.
Champ the future for Bedford and Worcester?
Salary cap spend data released by Prem Rugby this week shows every top flight team aside from Newcastle Red Bulls spending close to the legal ceiling for last season. That figure should rise for the northern club this year and again next year when a minimum spend is introduced into the league.
But even Newcastle are massively outspending much of the Champ and promotion now, for either Bedford Blues or Worcester Warriors, would only demonstrate the gulf between the two leagues.
For now, then, the Champ trophy will be handed to a team who cannot go any higher. And that’s about right, I think.
In time, when investment flows into the second tier and their commercial footing becomes more stable, that question can and should be revisited with a preference of inviting teams into the Prem.
Having teams in the south east, Midlands and north east would be beneficial to the top flight and the recent stipulation that any expansion franchise must first play in the Champ will only strengthen the top flight.
Whether that is a new club, a phoenix club risen from the ashes of administration (hello Wasps) or a side promoted into the second tier, like Blackheath, the multiple pathways are, too, a positive.
This push was clearly led by Prem Rugby but the Champ have done well to go along with it. It will strengthen the league in both the short and long term, and it will allow clubs to launch financial modelling that can see them enter the top flight sustainably.
This weekend, though, it’s all on the line over 80 minutes. There’s no promotion but there’s a title on the line. All to play for.
Former England Sevens captain Ollie Phillips is the founder of Optimist Performance. Follow Ollie @OlliePhillips11