Support is growing for a proposal to the Cumbria RFU competitions committee calling for a re-think on both the County Cup and County Plate quarter-finals.

Several representatives from clubs across the county have expressed dismay/concern/surprise at the fact that only three teams will contest the semi-finals in both competitions – and one of them will be given a bye straight to the final.

The proposal which is being put together is for a fourth club to contest the semi-finals, probably the best losing quarter-finalist – ie the one with the smallest points differential defeat.

In actual fact the three Cumbria Cup quarter finals all look as though they will be keenly-contested affairs and there shouldn’t be a lot between the teams.

Provided Gosforth Greengarth can get their best team out (not always possible) then the same could be said of the Cumbria Plate quarter finals.

Martin Plummer (pictured), chairman of the competitions committee, appeared to like the idea and says any proposals would be given careful consideration.

“The thing is we have consulted with clubs to try and come up with the best way forward after the long break we’ve had because of the weather.

“We could have had byes at this stage of the competition, rather than the semi-finals, but the general consensus is that we want to encourage teams back into action and having the three quarter finals all played seemed to make more sense.

“Although there is a date of April 17 on the competition we are leaving it to clubs to make their own arrangements. If they can agree to play under lights in mid-week then that would be fine.

“We have looked at the whole picture, of an expanding League programme and County Cup competitions. Do clubs still want the County Cup? It’s something we will continue to look at.

“There’s even a suggestion that the County Cup could take the shape of a one-day Festival at some stage of the season. This is just one of the things we will be discussing,” he told Getnoticedonline.co.uk.

The County Cup games are: Penrith v Wigton; Workington v Aspatria; Carlisle v Kirkby Lonsdale.

The County Plate games are: Whitehaven v Netherhall; Cockermouth v Moresby; Gosforth Greengarth v Millom.

Meanwhile it has been confirmed that the Cumbrian clubs have voted to retain the status quo in the League pyramid system.

The current Level Seven North Lancs Cumbria; Level Eight Cumbria and Level Nine Cumbria Shield Leagues will stay in 2010/11.

Option two would have been the formation of a Cumbria North Lancs One (Level 7); Cumbria North Lancs Two (Level 8) and Cumbria (Level Nine).

The third option was probably the most radical with Cumbria One at Level 7; Cumbria 2 at Level 8 and Cumbria 3 at Level 9.

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