NEWS REPORT

The Premier League is about to complete its fourth year, and during that time, it has been necessary to make ongoing adjustments to serve the interests of the majority involved in rugby in B.C. I subscribe to a growing belief, that it is currently the most competitive league in North America - a League that has set the highest standards of weekly club play that we have witnessed in B.C. It may still be necessary to refine the present structure, but to return to the old format of "conference rugby" (playing Leagues within the sub unions) might be the single most destructive move that has ever been undertaken in this Province.

Four years ago, just about everyone in B.C. wanted to see us raise the bar in our playing performances and in our domestic competition, and to do that it required some vision that would allow us to move forward. We openly recognised that the old format was "incestuous rugby", and extremely unhealthy for any real development (playing one another four and five times a season was absurd).

The Premier League was the outcome, and although there have been some downsides, it may also have been the vehicle that gave us the best club rugby ever played here.

In the attached article, Mark Slay has articulated the concerns of some clubs, and how the ICC will attempt to resolve those concerns.

Unfortunately, because of his position, he cannot mention some of the rather selfish and extremely parochial elements in our rugby community, that are now trying to send us back to the Dark Ages by advocating major changes ,and even the removal of the Premier League. If resorting to mediocrity is a solution, then we can say goodbye to Canadian Rugby as a legitimate World competitor; goodbye to B.C. as a breeding ground for quality players, and as a vehicle that was making new careers possible in the professional era; goodbye to the great historical Club v Club encounters; goodbye to those great days when we could accept visiting overseas teams and expect to beat them; goodbye to sponsors, and hello to new financial headaches; and a final welcome to a host of other negatives, as we struggle to keep our clubs alive.

It is respectfully submitted that the raison d'etre for change by some, is not based on what is necessarily good for our Clubs, Sub Unions, Provincial and National games, but perhaps on how they can extricate themselves from the holes that they have dug for themselves. Some of these Clubs have paid the price for using Imported Overseas Gypsies (here this season and gone the next) and all this at the expense of Canadian players. They have allowed very loyal 'ancient mariners' to continue to perform without a thought for developmental programs that would would serve as replacement vehicles when the time came. Travel costs (a red herring) are now being used as a negative scapegoat , when searching for new sponsors and fresh injections of money, would be a more productive avenue of approach.

There now appears to be a secretive campaign to rally some struggling clubs, in the hope that standards will be lowered by going back to Conference play, and that in so doing, it will give them time to regroup, without having to do the necessary hard ground work to stay afloat.

Some Clubs are experiencing genuine concerns about the future, but there is also confidence that the ICC will treat those concerns as a priority, and deal with it efficiently, without lowering the quality of play. Others are not, and have not taken into account, that a return to Conference play (Leagues within sub unions) will probably see some outrageously embarrassing results that could do irreparable damage to the overall structure, and even see the complete demise of some clubs. Of course, this season we have seen the odd embarrassing results of 82 and 95 points against Seattle, but they have been in isolation ,and Seattle will not be involved next year.

And yes, we have seen some clubs fold their tents; we have seen the great threat and fear that relegation presents to some clubs; we are aware that to play rugby anywhere these days means more expense; we are cognisant that the present economy within some of our rugby communities is making recruitment difficult, and holding on to quality players is a new problem; and there are a host of other smaller challenges that exist for all Clubs. But, lowering standards of play is not the answer.

Finally, on a positive note, and in support of more Premier League rugby rather than less, or none at all, we should consider a League that also embraces UBC, UVIC and PACIFIC PRIDE as special entries, and retain the present B.C. clubs and process, as outlined under our ICC rules and regulations.

One can only hope that the present clubs in the Premier league see an absolute need to continue with much of the same, or at least to work out a refined formula that will be acceptable for presentation at the AGM. It would also seem important, that those clubs who are currently in relatively strong positions, do everything within their control to help others build their rugby houses. However, it would seem equally as important to have them protect what they have, and not allow a handful to tear down stronger houses that are a product of many years of hard work.