Will We See A Genuine Fixed Match For The Aviva Cup?

It is widely accepted that the major draw card of the UK rugby international game is the four genuine fixed matches that form part of the Aviva Cup. All four games are played on a weekend and the finals, which take place over a further four weeks, form the climax to the summer months in the UK. The main competition, the Aviva Cup, was due to become an annual competition after six years, but the governing body was unable to arrange the four genuine fixtures. That meant that the four best teams from the country were given a place in the Aviva Cup, and the four have enjoyed great success in the competition as the rankings have shown.

The four genuine fixed matches that are part of this prestigious Aviva Cup have all won the trophy once, and all five were part of the four teams who won the trophy last year. The last four meetings between the four teams took place in the Aviva Cup final, and all the four tasted the bitter final straw that will see them miss out on the chance of lifting the cup this year. There is little doubt that if any of those teams win their next four games they will secure a place in the semi-finals. A semi-final defeat for any of those sides would certainly mean the end of their season, and a failure to win a second successive Aviva Cup would also see them lose their status as one of the truly domestic powers.

Despite the quality of the Aviva Cup and the large attendances it seems that the lack of four games has been the main cause of the lack of success of the Aviva Cup. Since its inception the Aviva Cup has mainly featured teams from the lower leagues of English rugby. This has often been a hindrance for teams hoping to participate in the competition, as the increased competition has meant that only two teams are permitted to take part. When four teams are involved in a competition the overall competition is greatly increased, and this has been a major reason for the dominance of the English sides in the competition. It has also been proposed that the extra four teams would help level the playing field slightly, but this hasn't been successful.

For some fans this is unsatisfactory, but it should be remembered that the Aviva Cup was formed in an attempt to make the competition more level. In previous years the four lower league clubs have frequently been given priority over the rest, and this has sometimes meant that lower league teams have been unable to register any high placing fixtures. This was a major problem that was addressed with the introduction of genuine fixed matches. All four teams will now be allocated fixtures against top sides, meaning that the potential for big matches is greatly increased. The addition of four competitive fixtures against top sides every season means that the Aviva Cup can still provide English rugby fans with an exciting chance to see their favourite teams up close.

The problem of course is not just the scheduling involved in the process of genuine fixed matches. Some fans are concerned that the introduction of four games each year means that the standard of play in these competitions will become lower than it is at present. This can potentially have a knock on effect for those clubs who do not hold the power of a high budget. In previous seasons there have always been four English teams playing in the Aviva Cup, and the quality of football produced by these sides has been high since the inception of this format. Many people argue that the same standard should remain, but it may prove difficult to achieve as the lack of fixtures makes it difficult to attract top sides to play in the competition.

Regardless of the outcome of the new season of genuine fixtures, it appears that the Aviva Cup is set to continue to grow in stature. The growing popularity of the competition has also helped the RFU to earn a further five million pounds in revenue. This money will undoubtedly help the game's governing body to continue to improve and raise the standard of play. It is hopeful that we will see a situation where the four teams playing in the finals will be more evenly matched, which should help to ensure that the overall level of the game remains at its highest. If this occurs then the Aviva Cup will once more become a place where top sides from around the world can challenge for the trophy.