Quote:Geronimo Jim
It's only a development competition because some fans designate it so and most clubs use it as such. Nowhere is it officially stated that it's a development competition. For a development competition the nearest we have is the A league.
Then why is the competition's strapline "Tomorrow's Heroes Today"? That suggests that the organisers, at least, see it as a development competition
The AW of course evolved out of the old National Cup which was the apogee of a club's achievements in the pre-League era (and about the last time that Bath actually won anything of significance).
When the European Cups became the target of the first XVs the AW became, if you like, the Cup competition for the A League. If we ever get to the full 22 game A League that was being mentioned for 2020 I wonder whether they will take the opportunity to turn the AW into a proper cup contest for that league mirroring the European format and played on the same weekends?