Sarries chief predicts major change

5:35pm Thursday 22nd November 2001

SARACENS' chief executive has predicted some "drastic changes before the end of the season," in the domestic game in terms of "coaching structures as well as players coming in to play."

One of the main protagonists on the structure of the domestic game, Francois Pienaar, claims the imminent changes are a result the pressure and level of the competition involved in top-flight rugby.

"The changes involving coaches so far this season just underlines the pressure this season in the Premiership. Last year, you had the promoted side beaten regularly so their was quite a gap and I think, in the end, it was just Harlequins who were pushing to escape relegation. This year it is a different kettle of fish.

"The promoted side (Leeds Tykes) is sitting in middle table and very strong at home and the sides who were reported in the press to be pushing for the title are sitting at the bottom and they are going to get good soon.

"Wasps will get good soon, it is just a matter of time before they start playing very good rugby because they've got quality."

With London Wasps and Bath, two giants of the game, languishing at the wrong end of the Zurich Premiership table, Pienaar suggests this questions the issue of promotion and relegation.

"If we finish the season with the table as it is now then you will have a team like Wasps relegated, it's preposterous. Nobody should be relegated. I think their should be an avenue for promotion and a strategic positioning to actually broaden the base."

Pienaar also highlights the crippling financial cost involved in relegation, and highlights Northampton as an example.

"They have have built a new stand, say they go down, how can they pay for that ? Do you really want them to go down ? No, it shouldn't happen."