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Wuss Supporters’ Evening Report
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TeflonTed View Drop Down
Academy player
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Joined: 13 Apr 2025
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Points: 29 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote TeflonTed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Wuss Supporters’ Evening Report
    Posted: 14 hours 2 minutes ago at 09:34
500+ at Sixways last night for briefing. Copied here in case anyone is interested. Copyright Wuss poster A38, to whom acknowledgment and thanks.

First pre-season v Ampthill away!

Here are the headlines I noted down:-

- highest one day sale of season tickets yesterday in club's history, upwards of 2,000 sold to date

- RFU gave no quarter allowing WW to join Champ Rugby; WW will be monitored very closely, the RFU need to show that they are holding WW to a high account, 

- no TV deal for Champ Rugby

- pre season begins 14 July; friendlies with Ampthill away and an unnamed Premiership club at Sixways on 27 September; season starts on 4 October

- next player announcements will probably be two "Fijian flyers".

- misconception that WW is spending fortunes on players; not one player has come for more money,; WW working with a tight budget, a budget which is by no means the biggest in the Champ;

- Academy is to be developed probably looking at under 20s, maybe picking up under 18s who have missed out elsewhere

- Premiership clubs acknowledge that having 10 clubs is not viable; WW potentially to be sought after to join, mechanism to be worked out

- South Stand is leased currently to an educational company, income useful - but if demand is there it will be opened for games

- Accepted that clubs will come to Sixways looking at it as their cup final motivated to win

- Shirt sponsor known but name not revealed; ditto kit supplier

- because of FA rules, Worcester City will have primacy of tenure; this is not thought to be a problem with fixture clashes

- -squad will total 36, 2 positions still to be filled; one of the players yet to be named will be a player / coach who will deal with defence. Balmain will help with scrum coaching

- both Bath and Bristol are keen to partner WW as, for instance Saracens do with Ampthill; sounded like Bath would be chosen, their squad numbers 73 players
TeflonTed, 2 miles from Sixways
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TAS63 View Drop Down
British and Irish Lion
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Joined: 13 Apr 2009
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Points: 189 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TAS63 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 hours 32 minutes ago at 10:04
Thanks for the update Ted 

Am interested to hear what's going on at Sixways. Whilst, like others on here, I don't like the process that got you back with us, I am 100% sure the having Worcester back in the league will add to everyone's season and importantly to the publicity we all receive because of it.

Disappointed with have lost Tom Cruse to you. I feel he's made a big difference to the Blues forwards this season. And, assuming rumours are true, the Garside brothers will add speed and guile to your (currently announced) "aged" squad 😉. Just make sure to play Jake at scrum half and stop the Saints odd fascination with him as a back 3 player .

Oh, and here's hoping we, and a few other teams, beat you next season 😃


Edited by TAS63 - 13 hours 30 minutes ago at 10:06
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TeflonTed View Drop Down
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Joined: 13 Apr 2025
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Points: 29 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TeflonTed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 hours 22 minutes ago at 10:14
Thanks TAS.

The Wuss forum discussions are on the rugbynetwork.net platform along with Cov and Pirates. As far as I can make out Donny have their own forum, and the rest of the Champ clubs tend to post here. Is that about right?
The Wuss forum is very active, as is the Cov page. Looks like those who want to chat have to be in various places to keep up. 
TeflonTed, 2 miles from Sixways
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gerg_861 View Drop Down
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Joined: 11 Jun 2017
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Points: 2971 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gerg_861 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 hours 12 minutes ago at 11:24
Thanks for sharing. Frustrated that it has been stated so openly that 'a way will be found' to get Worcester back in the prem, when the prem has so obviously made every effort to ensure that 'a way will be found' to keep Ealing down each year.

In terms of posting, I think I've seen one Hartpury fan post here once or twice. There is a smattering of Pirates/Cov/Donny fans that post here, even if they have their own forums. Otherwise, yes, the other team's have people here, though I would say that the forum is much less busy than it was pre-covid.
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gerg_861 View Drop Down
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Points: 2971 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gerg_861 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 hours 12 minutes ago at 11:24
Also - I note that ProD2 has a TV deal in England before the Champ does.
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Bluesman11 View Drop Down
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Points: 1163 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bluesman11 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 hours 3 minutes ago at 11:33
A couple of confusing things about that announcement:

“WW potentially to be sought to join prem. Mechanism to be worked out”. There is a mechanism. Win the league. 

Not sure why they need a link up with a prem club if running a squad of 36 players. I suspect this is more than all champ clubs bar Ealing.

“The budget is lower than a lot of champ squads. Nobody is moving for more money”. Tosh. As mentioned, if they are running a squad of 36 this will be larger than almost everyone bar Ealing. Bedford signed Alfie Garside from BUCS so I doubt would’ve been one of our higher earners this year. I do not believe for one second he has taken a pay cut to go to Worcester.


Edited by Bluesman11 - 11 hours 56 minutes ago at 11:40
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dawson9 View Drop Down
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Points: 4 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dawson9 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 hours 53 minutes ago at 12:43
Yer I don't buy the 'spending less' comment either. 

They're fully professional so they're already going to be spending more than 2/3 of the division who are semi pro or amateur. 

They're recruiting a squad larger than the majority of their professional rivals and to date they're announcing either internationals or players with proven track records in the top flight. Add to that internationals 7s players that have been signed/linked, 'flying Fijians' to be added, as well as rumours linking them to some of the best champ talent. 

Its a squad built for an immediate challenge. Nothing wrong with that but not buying this is somehow done on the cheap compared to their competitors. 
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JZSmith View Drop Down
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Originally posted by dawson9 dawson9 wrote:

Yer I don't buy the 'spending less' comment either. 

....

I'd imagine it is as truthful as "don't worry payment is on the way" that they were regularly uttering not that long ago.
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Richard Lowther View Drop Down
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Points: 6635 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Richard Lowther Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 hours 4 minutes ago at 13:32
Originally posted by Bluesman11 Bluesman11 wrote:

A couple of confusing things about that announcement:

“WW potentially to be sought to join prem. Mechanism to be worked out”. There is a mechanism. Win the league. 



But winning the league won't lead to promotion. 

Winning the play-off and then beating the bottom Premiership club, then hoping you meet the Cartel's minimum criteria, will get you promotion...
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TeflonTed View Drop Down
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Joined: 13 Apr 2025
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Points: 29 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TeflonTed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 9 hours 52 minutes ago at 13:44
The Prem “mechanism…a way will be found” comment didn’t go down particularly well in the room IMHO. 
Some thought Vaughan was hinting that the prem knows full well it needs 12 (or better 14) teams to work properly.
TeflonTed, 2 miles from Sixways
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islander View Drop Down
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Points: 7876 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote islander Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 9 hours 39 minutes ago at 13:57
Originally posted by Bluesman11 Bluesman11 wrote:

A couple of confusing things about that announcement:

“WW potentially to be sought to join prem. Mechanism to be worked out”. There is a mechanism. Win the league. 

Not sure why they need a link up with a prem club if running a squad of 36 players. I suspect this is more than all champ clubs bar Ealing.

“The budget is lower than a lot of champ squads. Nobody is moving for more money”. Tosh. As mentioned, if they are running a squad of 36 this will be larger than almost everyone bar Ealing. Bedford signed Alfie Garside from BUCS so I doubt would’ve been one of our higher earners this year. I do not believe for one second he has taken a pay cut to go to Worcester.

from where did you source the "quote" I've highlighted in bold Bluesman?!
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Rob C View Drop Down
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Originally posted by islander islander wrote:

Originally posted by Bluesman11 Bluesman11 wrote:

A couple of confusing things about that announcement:

“WW potentially to be sought to join prem. Mechanism to be worked out”. There is a mechanism. Win the league. 

Not sure why they need a link up with a prem club if running a squad of 36 players. I suspect this is more than all champ clubs bar Ealing.

“The budget is lower than a lot of champ squads. Nobody is moving for more money”. Tosh. As mentioned, if they are running a squad of 36 this will be larger than almost everyone bar Ealing. Bedford signed Alfie Garside from BUCS so I doubt would’ve been one of our higher earners this year. I do not believe for one second he has taken a pay cut to go to Worcester.

from where did you source the "quote" I've highlighted in bold Bluesman?!

I think he was paraphrasing the point below...

'misconception that WW is spending fortunes on players; not one player has come for more money,; WW working with a tight budget, a budget which is by no means the biggest in the Champ'
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RichardP View Drop Down
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Points: 2 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RichardP Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 8 hours 9 minutes ago at 15:27
That's not paraphrasing, it's misquoting!  My taking from that subject was that there is at least 1, maybe 2 with a higher playing budget which seems reasonable.  They were adament that all players were on even money or lower which I can also believe when you take into training facilities and other potential benefits eg non-rugby training opportunities.
Regarding playing in prem, there was talk about a need for prem to expand to 12, if not 14, with possible franchising mentioned.  How those extra teams are chosen may be through merit (promotion) or through a process such as we have just completed. I think they were just repeating hearsay rather than inside knowledge.


Edited by RichardP - 8 hours 8 minutes ago at 15:28
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Bluesman11 View Drop Down
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Points: 1163 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bluesman11 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 7 hours 39 minutes ago at 15:57
It was paraphrasing. I personally think if by “tight budget” and “by no means the largest budget in champ” actually means “the 2nd largest budget in the champ, significantly more than most teams” then it’s a bit misleading.
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cheshire exile View Drop Down
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Points: 2613 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheshire exile Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 6 hours 4 minutes ago at 17:32
The key phrase is “the Premiership acknowledges that a league of 10 clubs is not viable “. 
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The Blues View Drop Down
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I thought I listened to a Championship podcast that said that Worcester would have an average budget, but they will be more top 4 budget. Ealing will be the best funded club.

The podcast also mentioned the strict financial conditions.

It is great that you have 2,000 season tickets sold that all helps with finances and the more fans this division has the better! Blues and Coventry have a new rival for the best supported club in the league and Coventry took our crown last year. Not sure how this year is going.

Next season will be pretty much about the other 5 clubs out of 6 who will join Ealing in the playoffs. Unless the current top 6 recruit well I don’t see any of them challenging the top 6 + Worcester.

Funny the Premiership want 14, so that is 4 more, they could easily accept Ealing who are stuck in limbo land!
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Marlovian View Drop Down
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Points: 13 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marlovian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 4 hours 3 minutes ago at 19:33
"Premiership clubs acknowledge that having 10 clubs is not viable; WW potentially to be sought after to join, mechanism to be worked out"

I think this is pretty clear. Franchised premiership. Pay (say) £40 million and anyone can join.

Give it 2 years or so and the model will spread to include URC/French teams all driven by a huge investment partner. The same as the Celtic League became the Magner's League became the Pro12 became the Pro14 became the URC.

I will stick with the championship - the top tier of English competitive rugby.
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Exiled_Scots View Drop Down
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Points: 2592 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Exiled_Scots Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 3 hours 4 minutes ago at 20:32
Absolutely bang on. Why on earth have the RFU been fawning themselves over backwards to ensure that the tax debt defaulters are back in the Cartel fold asap to bring it up to its rightful numbers. 

You don’t supposed that the RFU would not have taken a similar approach with Wasps or LI. They must be spitting feathers that neither has a ground similar to the tax debt defaulters, otherwise they would also would have been shoe horned into the Championship. 

The biggest challenge the RFU & Cartel have is that if even if the tax debt defaulters do gain promotion via the play offs this will result in one of the current Cartel having to spend a sabbatical season in the Championship and hence the numbers in the top league will remain the same. A mechanism must be found to bring it up to 11, but with additional plans for the other excluded Cartel teams to somehow get back into the Championship.

As for Ealing you would have thought that the penny would have dropped by now that they have zero chance of promotion unless they spend a fortune upgrading their current ground to the required standard or move to an already suitable ground. Simple options otherwise they can wave good bye to every being promoted however well their team performs on the pitch. 
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Se7en View Drop Down
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Points: 673 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Se7en Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 3 hours 3 minutes ago at 20:33
The top tier of truly competetive rugby in England is National League 1.

The Championship or Champ as it'll be known next season is a mismatch of actual fully pofessional outfits, and a number of semi-pro stragglers resulting in regular mismatches on the scoreboard and resultant league table from week to week.

The Premiership should indeed expand to encompass Ealing, Cov, Pirates, Donny and Worcester as the fully professional clubs. Whether or not they become franchises and the Premiership is ringfenced is another matter.

The remaining semi-pro Championship sides ought to be merged with the top National League 1 teams to make a new semi-pro league and pinnacle of English rugby outside the Premiership. That would then be truly competetive from week to week. In essence, the professional and semi-profesional game would be separated.

Going back to the subject of Worcester Warriors, and despite the negativity on here, I personally hope that they succeed. They are certainly assembling a strong-looking squad and will bring many more £££ and exposure to the league as a whole by being part of it. The failure to secure a TV deal for next season is a big blow, however.


Edited by Se7en - 3 hours 1 minutes ago at 20:35
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Mickyboy View Drop Down
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Interest what you say about the Semi pro sides in the championship. The side sitting in 2nd place is semi pro has made a profit for £ out of the last 8 years and have recently won games by over 60 points and also won at Ealing
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