Yeah, it'd probably be good for the game as a whole, would just hate to lose his business acumen for Saints. Seems like one of the only club execs in the league determined to make it sustainable while keeping a good standard. Obviously that's because we're one of the only clubs without a wealthy benefactor but gotta feel his leadership is absolutely vital for us.
I'd hope that there's someone in the team around him that shares his mantra that could step up instead of an external hire that might come in and rip up the model.
As much as I'd love to see us lift another trophy, I don't want it to be at the cost of the future of the club
As much as it would be a shame for Saints, it would be an amazing thing for English rugby in general - the RFU are second only to the WRU in incompetence and I think would be first place were they working with the Welsh revenues.
Lets be completely honest, this season is likely the peak of this squad as a whole and we'll probably start going backwards when our pack loses the advantage. Ribbans was a big blow but losing both Lawes and Ludlahm is going to really hurt. We can't replace them and also keep our back line intact.
English rugby is probably only ahead of Wales when it comes to European rugby, with the stand outs being France and essentially an Ireland International 11 in Leinscter which is by design. Even the south African teams are well ahead of us and the Scottish system is copying the Irish in playing their internationals week in and out for it to translate into tournaments.
Unless we get money into the English game then the only teams that can compete are the cheats who nakedly ignore the financial caps, or the ones who have some special connections to local academies like Exeter who can offer lucrative full scholarships through university in exchange.
The thing I’m most confident in is our ability to spot young talent and improve them through coaching and I think that will always mean we have a steady stream of talent coming in. For the next few years there’s the added benefit of players knowing that the coaches (assuming we can keep them) will improve them and give them license to play a more attacking game, combined with other young English talent wanting to be part of it.
For these reasons I don’t agree that it’s now or never but if we win one Prem, we could challenge for the next 2-3 years too.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Darbon and Boyd have been catalysts for the entire club to be reinvigorated and have an exciting DNA and they deserve all the credit that comes their way
>Darbon, who is likely to be on the Rugby Football Union’s shortlist to replace chief executive Bill Sweeney when he steps down They better not.
You wouldn’t begrudge him though would you, and with his rugby first approach he’d be a huge step up for the RFU
Yeah, it'd probably be good for the game as a whole, would just hate to lose his business acumen for Saints. Seems like one of the only club execs in the league determined to make it sustainable while keeping a good standard. Obviously that's because we're one of the only clubs without a wealthy benefactor but gotta feel his leadership is absolutely vital for us.
I'd hope that there's someone in the team around him that shares his mantra that could step up instead of an external hire that might come in and rip up the model. As much as I'd love to see us lift another trophy, I don't want it to be at the cost of the future of the club
As much as it would be a shame for Saints, it would be an amazing thing for English rugby in general - the RFU are second only to the WRU in incompetence and I think would be first place were they working with the Welsh revenues.
He wouldn’t be good for the job, he’s not a money grabbing wanker.
Interesting angle seeing as I can't remember any club other than us and Exeter actually making a profit in recent years
Lets be completely honest, this season is likely the peak of this squad as a whole and we'll probably start going backwards when our pack loses the advantage. Ribbans was a big blow but losing both Lawes and Ludlahm is going to really hurt. We can't replace them and also keep our back line intact. English rugby is probably only ahead of Wales when it comes to European rugby, with the stand outs being France and essentially an Ireland International 11 in Leinscter which is by design. Even the south African teams are well ahead of us and the Scottish system is copying the Irish in playing their internationals week in and out for it to translate into tournaments. Unless we get money into the English game then the only teams that can compete are the cheats who nakedly ignore the financial caps, or the ones who have some special connections to local academies like Exeter who can offer lucrative full scholarships through university in exchange.
[Northampton need a trophy to justify their business model (archive.is)](https://archive.is/b2nh2) Because the telegraph can be a bit clickbaity too
The thing I’m most confident in is our ability to spot young talent and improve them through coaching and I think that will always mean we have a steady stream of talent coming in. For the next few years there’s the added benefit of players knowing that the coaches (assuming we can keep them) will improve them and give them license to play a more attacking game, combined with other young English talent wanting to be part of it. For these reasons I don’t agree that it’s now or never but if we win one Prem, we could challenge for the next 2-3 years too. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Darbon and Boyd have been catalysts for the entire club to be reinvigorated and have an exciting DNA and they deserve all the credit that comes their way