Got to say we have been internationally appalling, protecting failing clubs from relegation has solved nothing on this front, what is the aim of the current structure, is it benefitting the game as a whole or staving off the inevitable for failing clubs.
Our games marketting may look good at home, but if were honest its Mutton dressed as Lamb.
Radical thought! stop copying the Aussies and Yanks and do something for ourselves, well always be behind the times if not.
Scrap Franchising now, scrap allowing development sides and foriegn teams to push out British talent and clubs from playing at the highest level, show some faith in the whole Rugby family, and stop focusing on Stevos cliched tripe spouted on Friday nights about how good his show is.

If you were expecting miracles after two seasons then your seriousley stupid.

anything good that happens is because of franchises
anything bad that happens is because franchises havnt had enough time

Exactly!

Any changes takes time to be a complete success, or at least needs to be given time before judgement on its success is made.

On a club level I think that so far the franchising seems to have been a success and it will be interesting to see how teams like Celtic go next season.

On an international level I doubt franchising had any impact upon the team being developed. In the long run though that (together with the rules on international players) should hopefully lead to more teams having a good selection of home grown players meaning in future there will be more competition for places in the squad.

Spot on, Phil Clarke said it spot on too, Clubs seems to focus on themselves, fans seem to too, i.e. I want my club to not get relegated. RL has become selfish and lost its way. Some good will come from Franchising no doubt, but lets stop pretending it wont also do harm. The RL family is now disfunctional in England.

Paradox alert!
So dispersing and dilluting the game makes it stronger, allowing clubs to play more foriegners helps develop youth? i think you will find the main reasons are clubs protecting their own interests and TV money being king, Sky dont want to fund a regional sport so we dance to there tune, Its the Pied piper in RL and nobody seems to be seeing it.

Every club is now bringing youngsters through, that cant be a bad thing-It will just take time

Mcnamara has taken a young side to Aus-That cant be a bad thing

Do you see the theme here

Clubs aren't allowed to play more foreigners though. Rules are in place to try to gradually reduce the number of foreign players. I know that some exceptions were made (mainly for those already contracted because contracts couldn't just be stopped) but on the whole the number of home grown players is increasing.

People don't want to wait though, thats the problem they expect miracles over night.

I agree-The problem is the old guard failed us equally as badly- youth and youth development is the only way to go

Spot which team after years of under-achievement in a half-built stadium have recently completed the stand and won a trophy! No clues!

Since 1982 all I have heard is the same old claptrap about X/Y or Z being the answer to beating the Aussies and so far they have ALL FAILED!!!

A complete and utter restructure of the game in this country is needed and until that happens all the claptrap about improving etc is just hot air.

Until the MY CLUB MY CLUB mentality is changed to the MY GAME MY GAME mentality then RL in GB is always going to be behind the southern hemisphere.