In context, I should retract the statement, 'was too easy'
In context, what I mean is that there's scant equivalence between 2600m/12min and the new L4 test. My average/max HR this morning was 156/163 whereas for last year's Cooper, it was 162/170... so that's a significant difference (arguably a different zone), although I suppose the new test has an element of endurance to it. I'm estimating that your L3 test has some approximation to the Cooper. The 2s difference in shuttles is more than it sounds
So alternatively, the new test is too easy for L4's OR the Cooper was too difficult. I could be persuaded by either statement. Daft thing is, we have a few candidates in Herts who can't pass the Cooper, but I suspect they'd be OK with the FA test. I'm a big fan of the Cooper BTW and I don't buy all this 'not representative of Refereeing stuff'. It's an accurate predictor of VO2max and is underrated. It's disliked cos it's an evil experience