Well I hope I don't die too soon
I pray the Lord my soul to save
Oh I'll be a good boy, I'm trying so hard to behave
Because there's one thing I know, I'd like to live long enough to savour
That's when they finally put you in the ground
I'll stand on your grave and tramp the dirt down
Well I hope you live long now, I pray the Lord your soul to keep
I think I'll be going before we fold our arms and start to weep
I never thought for a moment that human life could be so cheap
'Cos when they finally put you in the ground
They'll stand there laughing and tramp the dirt down
Tramp The Dirt Down - Elvis Costello
Back in the 1980's, Elvis Costello wrote a song entitled 'Tramp the Dirt Down' in which he directed his anger towards the then prime minister, Margaret Thatcher. It was a biting piece of political satire, a scathing focus on the effects Tory policies were having on the working classes at that time.
Bear with me here...it is relevant, I promise.
The song highlighted the immense suffering and disregard for life that he felt Thatcher and her government showed towards ordinary folk for whom life was a constant struggle.
Through the lyrics, he expressed his contempt for her, suggesting that few would mourn her eventual demise, preferring instead to laugh and 'tramp the dirt down' as she was laid to rest.
In later years, Costello offered an apology of sorts, accepting that it was borne out of the frustrations caused by the failings of Thatcherite Britain in the 80s, arguing too that he never meant it to be an incitement of hatred towards Thatcher, but rather a way of encouraging people to be more politically aware and refuse to accept social inequality at the levels that were so evident at that time.
Being fairly political in my 20s back then (and also a big Costello fan), it had a big impact on me and every now and then it comes back to haunt me. But unlike most ghosts from the past, this one also carries some relevance to what is currently happening today on many levels, political, societal and, for the purpose of this post, with regard to the game of rugby, too.
The announcement of Steve Boden's decision to leave his post of Director of Rugby at Doncaster last week was a shock to all involved in the Championship, not least the supporters of Doncaster Knights who appear to have held him in great esteem, as did the rugby world generally.
Well-liked and well-respected, Boden had taken Doncaster to 3rd and 2nd in the Championship in his first two seasons of his three-year tenure and whilst last season wasn't quite as successful, there were a number of reasons to explain the club's mid-table finish, most notably wholesale changes to the squad and a season hit by an unprecedented number of injuries.
I've made it up to Doncaster every season since Cov's promotion back in 2018 (twice in one season I think) and it's up there with the favourite grounds I've visited in recent years (alongside Bedford and Cambridge). It always seems a well-run club, the ground itself is very much along the lines of our own BPA, the supporters are welcoming and there's always the famous cow pie to fall back on after the game if things haven't gone to plan on the pitch.
Add to the mix the fact that the club chairman seems to be very proactive when pushing the Championship's case and there's never any hint of financial difficulties, and you have a club worthy of everyone's respect.
As a coach initially and then DoR, Steve Boden looked to be making a name for himself. Having arrived at Castle Park after a successful spell as forwards' coach at Jersey and having added to his blossoming reputation at Knights, it appeared his star was very much on the rise.
Which makes his departure all the more surprising.
The main reason he cites, though, is simply depressing.
Along with his desire to see more of his family, he believes that a full-time Championship is now 'unsustainable' and 'underpinned by extremely wealthy businessmen' and it could 'crumble at any time'.
Ring any bells?
In his interviews post departure, Boden makes it clear his decision to leave is nothing to do with the club and everything to do with the RFU and its current attitude to the Championship. It's created an unfair playing field where there is now no longer any opportunity to progress.
'You can't get to go up because if you do you have to meet all the regulations, you've got to play a two-legged play-off final against a team with seven or eight times more resources than you, then if you do go up you get half the funding of everyone else and it will cripple the club financially to go up and try to compete'.
Basically, what's the point of it all?
Why bother?
It's a question that I've pondered as a supporter for a while now - what is the real motivation for clubs in the Championship with promotion little more than a pipe dream these days?
Yes, strive to be the best you can be, but with all routes to the Premiership seemingly impassable, then what's their raison d'etre? At times it appears to be little more than survival.
What Boden's arguing here makes sense with things as they currently stand.
But with the RFU and the Championship clubs seemingly edging closer to agreement about the future of the Championship, with a deal (at least Sweeney's never referred to it as an 'oven ready' one) possible by the end of April, it seems an odd time for him to be quitting the game.
Leaving no time for Championship clubs to prepare for the following season, of course. But that's the RFU all over.
Boden will have been privy to much of the discussions currently taking place between Bill Sweeney and his cronies on the one hand and representatives of all the Championship clubs on the other, so you'd think that if there is a chink of light at the end of what has been a very long and murky tunnel, then it he would at least be aware of it.
Which suggests, perhaps, that the changes in the offing, including the creation of a new prem 2, aren't going to bring about the kind of incentives potentially needed to keep some of the coaches/DoR of the calibre of Steven Boden in the game.
And if that is the case, then that's a real worry and should be something that concerns everyone connected with the Championship, whatever their club. The Championship is currently facing an existential crisis, a term much over used for the most part, but with Sweeney's most recent ultimatum, it seems appropriate. You know, the one in which he threatens all Championship clubs with mass relegation unless they fall into line and sign up to the current proposals with the RFU over changes to the Championship and, in effect, the formation of Premiership 2.
If that were to happen and the clubs were to be relegated, then it would be the end to the Championship as we know it and could well see the collapse of one or more clubs too. It's nothing short of outright intimidation; inflammatory in nature it's an outright attempt to bully the Championship clubs into submission.
It's an example of sporting despotism of the worst kind with subjugation for all those involved in the game in the second tier of English rugby.
It simply cannot be allowed to happen and it is incumbent on all Championship chairmen, with support of the individual boards, to stand united against such overt repression.
But even if there is some sort of middle ground to be had, the RFU's bully-boy tactics have already claimed Steve Boden as its victim. Boden has quit because of the lack of any willingness on the part of the RFU to reach out to the Championship and offer clubs any genuine olive branch, just a series of threats and statements full of weaselly words.
And what of the players, too?
To paraphrase an old wartime adage, careless talks costs livelihoods. With all the threats emanating from RFU HQ at the moments, veiled or otherwise, many players in the Champions already on pretty poor salaries for the most part, must fear for what the future holds. Will the club they're at still be part of the Championship in 6 or18 months' time and will there be sufficient funding to enable clubs to keep squad sizes, already reduced, to current levels.
For players with mortgages and young families to feed, this must be a time of great uncertainty and whilst many of them are currently 'living the dream', that could soon turn into a nightmare should Sweeney be serious in his threat of excommunicating any or all clubs in the current Championship. And if he's not, then he had no right to say it in the first place.
No one could blame any players should they decide to follow the same path as Steve Boden.
There seems to be little concern for the well-being of those involved in the Championship, be it players or managers/coaches. That they can turn up, week in and week out, and perform at such high levels under such uncertainty demands the kind of respect that the RFU will never be able to earn under its current leadership.
Steve Boden's decision to up sticks and walk away from the game, disappointing as it is, is to be admired, sad that it is. There has to be more to life than just rugby and if his chosen profession isn't providing him with either the challenge or motivation to ensure that the time and effort needed to succeed at this level is worth the effort, then it has to be the right decision for him.
Family first. Always.
Will he be the first of many over the coming months to decide that such is the nature of the game at this level, there are bigger and better opportunities to be had outside of the sport.
Maybe what the RFU currently has on the table is a good enough deal to enable all the current Championship clubs to sign up to it, but there is always that nagging doubt that as the clock ticks down and with no other options available, clubs will be forced into a contract that is little better than the one they are currently stuck with.
Perhaps Championship clubs have a Plan B, one which sees them break free from the clutches of the RFU and have access to their own commercial/tv rights and where they can be have far greater control of their own destiny. If they do, then that puts them in a much stronger position.
I think we all want a Prem1/Prem2 structure where all the clubs are there on merit and where promotion and relegation are sacrosanct. But if that isn't the case, surely, it's time for Championship clubs to seize the initiative for a change?
I've never seen myself as an angry man particularly. But when I think of how the RFU has drained the life out of the Championship in the last few years, particularly post Covid, and tried to justify it actions by claiming that the Championship no longer meets the requirements for its original funding, then blood does start to metaphorically boil.
Which is why I chose Costello's 'Tramp the Dirt Down' to accompany this post.
Obviously, (and I really want to emphasise this) in no way do I wish Bill Sweeney any physical harm, but when he does finally leave his post at the RFU, well there certainly will be some laughing and tramping down of the metaphorical dirt...
'When they flaunt it in your face as you line up for punishment
And then expect you to say "Thank you" straighten up, look proud and pleased
Because you've only got the symptoms, you haven't got the whole disease...'
'Tramp the Dirt Down' is arguably Costello's most controversial song to date, and he's had a few. Here it is in full - worth a listen.
Tim, this is a very articulate and accurate resume of the reality of Championship rugby v the dinosaur management of the RFU.
As someone who also appreciates "our" history, the 70s 80s 90s etc I fully get the link to Elvis Costello and what he was trying to say at the time, and of which if the " bullshit glitter" is taken away, is true to this day. A fair society/playing field for all, is this too much to ask?
As a supporter, I want to see regular games at the BPA. Every other week during the season would be a nice start. Every 4 weeks or so is just nonsense.
I remember a conversation a number of years back,…