English Rugby Clubs In The Rugby Pro14.

 

English Rugby Clubs In The Rugby Pro14. 

I think that English Rugby Union Championship clubs should join the Pro14.

The Pro14 is a rugby union, competition, that involves teams from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Italy and South Africa.

The Pro14 started as a league as the Welsh - Scotland League, then it invited Irish sides in and became the Celtic League, then it invited Italian sides in, to become the Pro12, and then it invited South African sides in to be the Pro14.

My idea would be to invite big English sides from the lower tiers of the English rugby union pyramid system,

My idea is that the English sides in the English Championship could join the Pro14. Obviously there would need to be a name change, to bring in the extra teams.

There are big English Championship sides such as Ampthill, Bedford Blues, Cornish Pirates, Coventry, Doncaster Knights, Ealing Trailfinders, Hartpury University, Jersey Reds, London Scottish, Nottingham, Richmond, and Saracens, Selected sides could join the Pro14.  

Also London Welsh, Rotherham Titans, Rosslyn Park, and Leeds Tykes could consider joining the Pro14.

I would love Scottish, Welsh, and Irish sides to play some big English sides each season in the Pro14.

I know Cornish Pirates would be a great team in the Pro14. Cornwall has a national identity, so could be a great participatory team in the Pro14.

Jersey Reds could be cool in the Pro14. Jersey also has a national identity.

European qualification would still probably only be available to Scottish, Welsh and Irish sides, as the English would already have qualification via the English Premiership Rugby.

Imagine clubs like Glasgow, Edinburgh, Zebra, Benetton, Scarlets, Ospreys, Dragons, Cardiff Blues, Ulster, Leinster, Connacht and  Munster getting to play sides like London Scottish, Cornish Pirates and Jersey Reds in the Pro14. -

I think South Africa may have 4 teams in the Pro14, which would make it a Pro16 anyway.