AFTER 18 GAMES, 18 losses and just one point accumulated, London Welsh were finally relegated from the Aviva Premiership after losing at home to Bath yesterday.
The size of the defeat – just 29-14 – must feel like a win for Welsh as they have conceded more than 50 points in eight of their league games and allowed more than 40 in all but six of their fixtures.
After upsetting promotion favourites Bristol in the Championship playoff final last year, London Welsh were always going to be ill-equipped to deal with the increase in standard.
But nobody was expecting them to be so uncompetitive this season. After all, they won five games en route to relegation in 2013. A modest total of victories but far greater than anything they’ve achieved in this campaign.
It isn’t just wins and losses where London Welsh have done badly. Out of the Pro12, the Premiership and Top14, London Welsh have scored the fewest points (176) and tries (23).
They have also conceded a staggering 114 tries – no other team in those three leagues have allowed more than 70.
And the 829 points they have conceded is 248 more than the total allowed by Grenoble, who have let in the second most.
The only point London Welsh gained all year was for scoring four tries in a 53-26 loss to Bath back in September. The Aviva Premiership has enjoyed one of its most entertaining seasons in years but the lopsided nature of the games involving London Welsh have taken away from the overall product.
Bristol and Worcester are both vying to replace them next season and already have squads in place that should ensure there is no 70-point hidings next year.
