Longest journeys 25/26

I'm sure Chester & Lymm will be delighted!

Thatbloke wrote:

I'm sure Chester & Lymm will be delighted!

At least they have the M56 derby to look forward to.

TBH it makes much more sense for Macclesfield to be in N2N than in N2W, so it’s probably the best compromise.

I’m sure Camborne and Redruth will be relishing three trips to Leicestershire.

"so it has also been agreed that there should be a review of the league structure during the season, ensuring significant input from clubs, to explore other options that might minimise the travel burden for 2026/27.”"

From the release.

Just looking at this, I can see two most easily implemented ideas.

1) Promote 6 sides and do 3 leagues of 16 or 4 of 12.

2) Promote 14 sides for 4 leagues of 14.

The 6 extra sides presuming the 5 relegated were still relegated would be: Jersey, Letchworth, Stourbridge, Brixham, Hudderfield, Anselmians.

The 3 leagues of 16 still has the same problem of too many northern teams so someone would have to go from Cheshire to Cornwall.

4 leagues of 12 obviously loses home games which is not to be discounted as a problem, but would leave:

W: Camborne, Redruth, Brixham, Barnstaple, Exe Uni, Taunton, Hornets, Old Redcliffians, Cinderford, Oxford Quins, Henley, Havant

E: Jersey, Guernsey, Dorking, Esher, London Welsh, Barnes, Westcombe Park, Sevenoaks, Canterbury, Bury St Edmonds, Letchworth, Old Albanians.

N: Tynedale, Darlington MP, Billingham, Wharfedale, Otley, Fylde, Preston, Rossendale, Huddersfield, Hull, Hull Ionians, SKiwifruithorpe

Midlands/North: Anselmians, Chester, Macclefield, Lymm, Sheffield, Sheffield Tigers, Syston, Loughborough Students, Hinckley, Stourbridge, Olney, Luctonians

Which is a fairly acceptable level of travel I would say, considering the shape of the country and where the clubs are.

Going to an extra 14 I've assumed no relegation for 5 clubs and the additional third places would be Manchester, Heath (Halifax), and Exmouth.

That would give 14 team leagues:

SW: Camborne, Redruth, Devonport Services, Brixham, Exemouth, Exe Uni, Barnstaple, Taunton, Hornets, Old Redcliffians, Cinderford, Luctonians, Oxford Quins, Henley

N: Tynedale, Darlington MP, Billingham, Wharfedale, Otley, Fylde, Preston, Rossendale, Huddersfield, Hull, Hull Ionians, SKiwifruithorpe, Harrogate, Heath

Mids: Anselmians, Chester, Lymm, Macclesfield, Manchester, Sheffield, Sheffield Tigers, Loughborough Students, Syston, Hinckley, Stourbridge, Bournville, Oundle, Letchworth

SE: Old Albanians, Bury St Edmonds, Colchester, Canterbury, Jersey, Guernsey, Esher, London Welsh, Barnes, Dorking, Westcombe Park, Sevenoaks, Worthing, Havant.

Going to 4 would basically solve the extreme swings of travel for the extremities, the only question is whether that compromise is worth the dilution of the level and/or the number of games being reduced.