English club rugby needs a new cup after Prem Rugby Cup criticism

English club rugby needs a new cup competition, with the current Prem Rugby Cup judged insufficiently attractive for fans. The Championship Cup, which served the second tier, has also failed to provide the answer, according to the case made by Martin Brooks.

The suggested model would take its inspiration from rugby league’s Challenge Cup. That competition is being used as the comparison for a new tournament capable of giving English club rugby a stronger cup identity. The argument is not for a minor adjustment to an existing format, but for a competition with a clearer appeal to supporters.

The Prem Rugby Cup is at the centre of the criticism. Its existence has not settled the question of whether English club rugby has a cup that can attract sufficient interest. The concern is that the competition does not offer the appeal needed to stand as a major part of the domestic calendar.

The Championship Cup has not filled that gap either. It was designed for clubs in the second tier, but its presence has not removed the demand for a more compelling national cup. The two current competitions are therefore presented as evidence that the existing structure is not meeting the needs of the game.

The argument also looks back to the decision to end the old Tetley’s Bitter Cup. That move is described as a serious mistake, making the former tournament part of the discussion about what English club rugby has lost. Its removal is being linked to the absence of a cup competition with broad appeal.

The proposed solution is a new tournament modelled in spirit on the Challenge Cup rather than another version of the competitions already in place. For English club rugby, the issue is whether the domestic game can create a cup that means more to fans than the Prem Rugby Cup or the former Championship Cup.