THE league season is finally into its final furlongs and the winning post is in sight but Worcester's fate is far from clear.

Complicated promotion issues confuse the picture so the final three games could mean everything and nothing.

Instead of looking forward to crunch games between the top three clubs the bar talk surrounds the confusing off the field issues.

The first is Worcester's continued appeal against the two-point deduction which followed the Wakefield game.

That in itself is a minefield of morals versus common sense, of club against organising body.

There can be no doubt Worcester deserved to win the game at Wakefield just as the 48-24 scoreline suggests and nobody can argue that Tom Robinson's contribution in the final 90 seconds was in any way significant. But rules are rules and lowly Stourport have not complained about a similar offence this season.

The grey area remains as to whether is was the RFU or the club at fault for Robinson not being properly and as only those at the heart of the matter know for sure the matter continues to haunt the run-in.

And if that isn't enough we now have the prospect of Worcester buying their way up regardless of where they finish this season.

This column has already strongly attacked the principle of buying a first division place and that opposition remains. The whole of the league season becomes worthless if those unhappy at their final position simply bypass the system.

It is something which sport lives and dies by, if we lose the unpredictability we lose the sport itself.

So how much do Worcester's final three games really mean? Is it a case of do and die or die and do? And we've been here before as last season Leeds were still fighting against another two point penalty which could have affected the promotion until the goalposts were moved in the summer.

The professional game might still be in an embryonic stage but it is about time they got their house in order and settled into a fair and regular system.

More than anything else clubs and the RFU owe it the paying customers they are so desperate to attract to a great game which deserves better.

Monday, April 19, 1999