RaboPro12 13/14 season thread

durkadurka

phog wrote: »

Glasgow are 10 points behind us, if they manage to get BP wins in their two rescheduled games that would tie us on top of the league.

They'll have to shoehorn those fixtures in though so I'd not be expecting bp wins from them.
I remember Leinster playing Connacht on a thursday , two days before a match in Scotland.

Mahatma Geansai

phog wrote: »

Glasgow are 10 points behind us, if they manage to get BP wins in their two rescheduled games that would tie us on top of the league.

I noticed that alright. They haven't been scoring many, but the two games in hand are definitely ones where they could get the BP.

phog

durkadurka wrote: »

They'll have to shoehorn those fixtures in though so I'd not be expecting bp wins from them.
I remember Leinster playing Connacht on a thursday , two days before a match in Scotland.

I suppose it depends on when they're rescheduled for but the other top of pool teams can't take anything for granted.

durkadurka

phog wrote: »

I suppose it depends on when they're rescheduled for but the other top of pool teams can't take anything for granted.

They also have to come to the RDS though. It's still basically a five horse race as it has been all season

Winters

Well done Zebre, delighted on the result - first home win! Over 5,000 at the game too. You could see how much it meant to the players and fans.

Mal-Adjusted

Winters wrote: »

Over 5,000 at the game too.

I'd imagine a lot of those are Beneton Treviso fans happy to be able to go to an away game.

awec

Heineken Cup will play a part too - depends on how far the provinces get. Get knocked out and obviously the Rabo becomes first and foremost.

Winters

Lee Byrne and Aled Brew heading to the Dragons.

thomond2006

Winters wrote: »

Lee Byrne and Aled Brew heading to the Dragons.

They are two good moves. Byrne turns 34 in June but if he can stay fit then he'll be a great experienced hand to have in a young backline. Brew was really good for Dragons before he left for Biarritz.

thomond2006

I just saw that Edinburgh have signed Richardt's brother Andries who played centre for the Kings in S15.

Is Solomons going to make the same mistake Bradley did before he left: signing too many foreign players that offer very little. It's a bit mad that the union are sanctioning all these signings, what about developing Scottish players?

Fireball07

Winters wrote: »

Lee Byrne and Aled Brew heading to the Dragons.

Thank fcuk. One of the regions actually signing good players.

thomond2006

Patchell out for four months.

.ak

thomond2006 wrote: »

Patchell out for four months.

That's a shame, really good OH with bags of talent.

CatFromHue

Edinburgh are moving to Boroughmuir RFC's ground Meggetland (roughly translated as land of the Megget) for their next few home games.

It's only got a capacity of 3 or 3.5K though but interestingly enough they looked at moving to their before. Though this season their average home Rabo attendance is about 3.25K.

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/edinburgh-ponder-ground-switch-to-meggetland-1-1350995

molloyjh

CatFromHue wrote: »

Edinburgh are moving to Boroughmuir RFC's ground Meggetland (roughly translated as land of the Megget) for their next few home games.

It's only got a capacity of 3 or 3.5K though but interestingly enough they looked at moving to their before. Though this season their average home Rabo attendance is about 3.25K.

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/edinburgh-ponder-ground-switch-to-meggetland-1-1350995

So they might manage to fill a stadium yet. Well holy God.

CatFromHue

There's to be a pitch inspection at Rodney Parade tomorrow morning ahead of the game against Edinburgh on Sunday.

That doesn't sound too promising!

bilston

Munster 12 43
Leinster 12 40
Ospreys 12 39
Ulster 12 37
Glasgow 10 33

Ulster v Ospreys tonight is a huge game in the grand scheme of things, especially for Ulster when consider the last three games are against Glasgow, Leinster and Munster. Absolute 100% must win game for Ulster.

phog

That BP win for Leinster today keeps them snapping at our heels. We should be ok next week against Zebre but we cant afford a slip up away to either of Scarlets or Ospreys and both could be looking at us for points.

errlloyd

It is very rare (and good to see) that the positive points difference of the top team, is a smaller number than the negative points difference of the bottom one.

thomond2006

With Glasgow's two games in hand are at home to Treviso and Edinburgh, it's pretty safe to say they will win both.

Eod100

RTE rugby just tweeted: ''Treviso have announced their intention to leave the PRO12 at the end of the current season due to uncertainty over the competition's future.''

What do people make of that?

phog

Eod100 wrote: »

RTE rugby just tweeted: ''Treviso have announced their intention to leave the PRO12 at the end of the current season due to uncertainty over the competition's future.''

What do people make of that?

I think it has been in the cards for a while and we may see Zebre go too. Not a huge loss but a loss all the same.

Their leaving might have a more negative impact on their national team than on the Rabo.

Eod100

phog wrote: »

I think it has been in the cards for a while and we may see Zebre go too. Not a huge loss but a loss all the same.

Their leaving might have a more negative impact on their national team than on the Rabo.

Guess it depends on what's happening with the Welsh teams..

Buer

Disaster for the league, to be honest. It's going backwards as a tournament.

awec

Where will they go?

Buer

awec wrote: »

Where will they go?

Back to their national league, one would assume. There must be more to it, however. I wonder how their finances are.

I can't see the league lasting too much longer at this rate. Welsh sides are completely disinterested and Italian sides are leaving. Throw in the departure of the sponsor and the outlook is very bleak.

Nightmare

awec

Isn't this just going to undo a lot of the work of the Italian Union?

Would the removal of the Italian teams from the Rabo see the ultimate removal of Italy from the 6 nations in 5 or 6 years time?

Swan Curry

Their loss.The French or English won't be as kind to them as we have,and if they're going to play in a level as low as the Italian domestic league,they may as well not play club games at all.

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

I think it has been in the cards for a while and we may see Zebre go too. Not a huge loss but a loss all the same.

Their leaving might have a more negative impact on their national team than on the Rabo.

I don't agree, it's a significant loss. They paid big money to enter the league and that's gone now. It's another nail in the coffin. The Welsh regions don't want in and even if they are in next year they have few star names that will attract fans (Hibbard, Evans, Lydiate, Phillips, Hook, North, Roberts and Halfpenny all abroad).

Eventually this will hurt Ireland. Ulster, Munster and Leinster are sleepwalking to the playoffs again and on paper it's going to be even easier next year. I know the Rabo will never be the Top14 but look at how competitive that league is.

I'm getting very worried.

Buer

Swan Curry wrote: »

Their loss.The French or English won't be as kind to them as we have,and if they're going to play in a level as low as the Italian domestic league,they may as well not play club games at all.

It's a loss to everyone. The league going back to 10 sides, potentially and only 18 games makes it a joke league. Glasgow have gone backwards and Welsh sides are collapsing. The league needs every competitor it can get.

Phonehead

awec wrote: »

Isn't this just going to undo a lot of the work of the Italian Union?

Would the removal of the Italian teams from the Rabo see the ultimate removal of Italy from the 6 nations in 5 or 6 years time?

We will probably see the Italian club teams standards weaken with more of their professional standard players going to France. But to be honest I don't know if their international team will get any worse because of this!!! but I can't see them getting any better from this.

I strongly suspect they are doing this to try and force some sort of decision on the future of the Pro12, it's crazy that we have so much uncertainty surrounding the league.

Eod100

Buer wrote: »

It's a loss to everyone. The league going back to 10 sides, potentially and only 18 games makes it a joke league. Glasgow have gone backwards and Welsh sides are collapsing. The league needs every competitor it can get.

And that (league going back to 10 teams) might be one of the best case scenarios at this rate with Welsh teams saying they may opt out too. This along with uncertainty about H Cup doesn't look good for Irish rugby at all.

awec

Phonehead wrote: »

We will probably see the Italian club teams standards weaken with more of their professional standard players going to France. But to be honest I don't know if their international team will get any worse because of this!!! but I can't see them getting any better from this.

I strongly suspect they are doing this to try and force some sort of decision on the future of the Pro12, it's crazy that we have so much uncertainty surrounding the league.

But how will they create professional standard players if the Italian clubs are playing in the national league?

Italy need strong clubs playing at a decent level to develop their own players. They won't be able to rely on French teams doing it for them.

They may be ok for now, as it will take a few years for this to have an effect, but the younger players coming through at Treviso / Zebre (who I suspect will follow suit) - they aren't all going to be good enough to move to France at that age and will spend their time playing national league rugby.

Grimebox

I think the Italian international team can only get better as a result. I remember reading that they were pouring a ton of money into those two teams whilst getting next to no return in terms of improved performance. Their lesser club teams will be getting more money with this withdrawal

CatFromHue

The Italian squad, according to Wikipedia, is made up of 24 players from Treviso and Zebre. They will be getting far better competition in the Rabo then they will in the Italian league, even if they do make it a Super 6 or 8 league.

WorldRugby99

you do wonder what sky make of it all.Having lost the english rights they are desperate to show something to fill the gaps for their huge rugby team of presenters/pundits-even resorting to showing D2 english rugby but they not going to end up with much of a product-the welsh teams are going to be even weaker next season,if they in it at all.you have a situation where only the irish teams will have squads worthy of a top league-and even they at times will not put out all their star names. Its not the most attractive league to take on and easiest to promote is it?

thomond2006

It isn't a good sign if the Italians believe that the cost of entering the Rabo outweighs the benefit.

bilston

Next season looks a farce and it's spoiling this season. The only positive is that Ireland are actually going well. Really concerned now for next season.

Podge_irl

thomond2006 wrote: »

It isn't a good sign if the Italians believe that the cost of entering the Rabo outweighs the benefit.

I think they're (rightly) concerned about being in a Rabo with just Irish and Scottish teams. I can't believe that they haven't noticed the general improvement in skill levels of Italian players since joining the Rabo but they have to be practical. It costs them a lot to play in it (which is the first thing that should go - they shouldn't be charged such ridiculous amounts when no one else is).

errlloyd

Three points.

1: does this make us more attractive to sky for TV rights because we're all British.
2: does this mean we get more hcup places if a tournament happens next year.
3: does this mean treviso are selling campagnaro, if so, how much?

OldRio

errlloyd wrote: »

Three points.

1: does this make us more attractive to sky for TV rights because we're all British.
2: does this mean we get more hcup places if a tournament happens next year.
3: does this mean treviso are selling campagnaro, if so, how much?

Number 1 What?

Sandwlch

Cazzo. Disastro.

errlloyd

OldRio wrote: »

Number 1 What?

I meant British Isles. You get what I mean. If they bid for the rights before they would have been paying for a heap of games worth hardly any money.

who_me

The Pro12 is turning into a dead league walking. More like a No12.

Crap. It's going to be nigh on impossible to get a sponsor now, if the Italians leave and the Welsh want out. Looking on the bright side.... the interpros next year are going to be EPIC.

Grimebox

I'd like to see us join the premiership

bardcom

errlloyd wrote: »

I meant British Isles. You get what I mean. If they bid for the rights before they would have been paying for a heap of games worth hardly any money.

British Isles what??? Do the channel islands have a team? Or the isle if man? If you are talking about UK and Ireland, then say UK and Ireland. Or GB and Ireland. Or British and Irish.

But yeah, I get what you mean. I'd imagine that a B+I league would be pretty attractive to sponsors.

Buer

errlloyd wrote: »

I meant British Isles. You get what I mean. If they bid for the rights before they would have been paying for a heap of games worth hardly any money.

Sky Italia is a big chunk of their corporation.

bilston

who_me wrote: »

the interpros next year are going to be EPIC.

Yeah, all 72 of them!

jacothelad

bardcom wrote: »

British Isles what??? Do the channel islands have a team? Or the isle if man? If you are talking about UK and Ireland, then say UK and Ireland. Or GB and Ireland. Or British and Irish.

But yeah, I get what you mean. I'd imagine that a B+I league would be pretty attractive to sponsors.

Jersey.....
Geography not one of your strengths perhaps?