The Premiership final was an exciting game won by the better team on the day. However to me that does not validate the current system whereby the winner of the marathon (league fixtures) has to win a couple of sprints to be awarded the title. Only 4 times out of 15 has the league winner also won the knockout phase. On one occasion Saracens came from 4th to win it. In 2002-3 Gloucester were 15 league points ahead of Wasps in second place; they had shared their head to head games, but Wasps beat them in the final. Is this really the way to decide the best team in the league?
The official line AIUI is that teams can be unfairly disadvantaged by international calls and injuries during the season. Surely injuries are random events, so why should you expect all team to be better off at the end of the season? I don't have an easy way to check the impact over the season but for internationals it is easier.
Last season there were 9 internationals, but on only four of those weekends were there any League games scheduled. Saracens, Exeter, and Leicester were hardest hit by calls - usually 4 or 5 each. Exeter won all four of those games; Saracens won 2 and lost 2; Leicester lost all four (contributing to their very bad year).
Is it cynical to suggest that maybe it actually comes down to sponsorship/ticket money?
The official line AIUI is that teams can be unfairly disadvantaged by international calls and injuries during the season. Surely injuries are random events, so why should you expect all team to be better off at the end of the season? I don't have an easy way to check the impact over the season but for internationals it is easier.
Last season there were 9 internationals, but on only four of those weekends were there any League games scheduled. Saracens, Exeter, and Leicester were hardest hit by calls - usually 4 or 5 each. Exeter won all four of those games; Saracens won 2 and lost 2; Leicester lost all four (contributing to their very bad year).
Is it cynical to suggest that maybe it actually comes down to sponsorship/ticket money?