URC 2022 Thread

PMC83

The media lads need a kick up the arse, they'd the order of tries mixed up on the Leinster /Sharks highlights as well

Interested Observer

So Tom Jordan gets only 5 weeks for the tackle on Murray, and will miss such key games as the Super 6 Sprint series and Barbarians v Swansea RFC.

He gets full mitigation for being a good boy, apparently the tackle wasn't reckless and Murray is mysteriously not injured, despite being ruled out this weekend at least. He's effectively free to play (edit - false, Challenge Cup final, but still). An absolute farce.

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120581854#Comment_120581854

Well he will miss the Challenge Cup Final, but are they seriously claiming that he wasn't going to be picked for the final anyway and was instead going to be available to play for Glasgow A instead? How did the URC buy that?

Interested Observer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120581884#Comment_120581884

Sorry yeah that's right, strangely they left that off their list of games he'll miss. I don't really understand that tbh.

Even so, the whole thing is a sham. It was an absolutely shocking tackle, puts Murray out of a key game for Munster, and only misses one meaningful game himself.

sydthebeat

It's an absolute joke.

Both the "no injury" aspect and the fact the ban includes games against amateur sides and am invitational friendly

Former Former Former

Ah in fairness to URC, the ban itself is pretty stiff by recent standards. I'm not sure when I last heard of someone getting a headline ban of 10 games for a high shot. And also in fairness, Jordan is entitled to his 50% remission.

Then it falls off a cliff. I presume Glasgow had some evidence that he was registered for and intending to play in the Super Sprint series but it's taking the p*ss completely.

phog

So according to this hearing you can fail a HIA but not be injured 🤕

Blut2

Is there any justifiable reason the URC's end of season calendar is so squashed? Having the QF on May 7th, SF on May 14th and final on May 27th (with the ERC final on May 20th and semi on April 29th making it 5 weeks in a row of knockout rugby..) seems incredibly tight in light of Leinster's B team playing yesterday. It puts any team in the knockout stages of Europe at a huge disadvantage,

It also undoubtedly costs the league revenue in terms of less fans going to games because of the tight schedule. Leinster v Munster, in a semi-final, with good weather, would easily have sold out the Aviva if it had more than a 6 day turnaround.

The Top14 in France runs on until the final on Saturday June 17th, a full 3 extra weeks of games. Surely the URC calendar could be expanded to match this? Or at least until June 10th to give two extra weeks of fixtures to work with.

Neil3030

RWC.

Top 14 also wraps up a bit earlier this year.

Edit: Gallahgher Premiership too.

Blut2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120596549#Comment_120596549

The Top14 final this year is on Saturday June 17th... Three full weeks after the URC final.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120596504#Comment_120596504

Aside from the final ehat money does the URC make from games?

Did they get a percentage from yesterday''s games?

You'd have to assume the Unions at least have signed off on the scheduling. Last year for example the semi finals were two weekends after the ERC final yet no ERC finalists made the URC final.

Eod100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120596992#Comment_120596992

Top 14 has 8 extra league games though so their season is already fairly concentrated.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120596992#Comment_120596992

Yeah, but the T14 always finishes way later than other leagues. The players from the final have often missed the French summer tour.

Dubinusa

Damn Sarries murdered the Saints!

Neil3030

Quantifiably the best league.

https://twitter.com/HuwGriffinRugby/status/1661293324026691584

Neil3030

Two very important things happened in the URC's first two seasons, imo. The first was the all-SA final, and victory for Stormers last year, which gave SA fans something to celebrate and get invested into, after years of losing in Super Rugby.

Then, secondly, an SA team then secured a final this year to an Irish side. 5000 made the trip, with some reports even claiming a figure close to double that. Have that many NZ fans flown to SA for a Tri Nations game, never mind a Super Rugby game? In coldest terms, that's a decent economic injection into Cape Town's economy (each fan spens a grand while there, that's 500k-1m brought into a country where pints cost €2). In less colder terms, fans getting to interact and know each other is very much part of the European ethos that SA rugby brought into, which for economic reasons will need to be lopsided toward our fans going there. In terms of the broader sporting narrative, Munster then won, and showed these SA teams that this is still a tournament that's damn hard to win. That's how rivalries flourish.

All SA sides will now see the value of getting top spot in the log and hoping they get an Irish team (cough, Munster) in the final. They'll also see a league which is not just a real challenge, but at its highest level, is a lot closer to test rugby, and a tactical style that I think they'll appreciate.

It's hard to know for sure, but I can only imagine that SA fans (and SARU) are under no doubt that joining the URC was the right move. I can't say we'd be in the same position if the first two years had been routine wins for an Irish side (probably Leinster) in the Aviva...

Strand1970

Fully agree with your comments. These 2 URC seasons have been class. The SA teams brought a new element to the competition. Before the SA teams joined there was no competion really. Glasgow was decent but that about it. Now with the SA teams the Welsh have to get their house in order. They were in their comfort zone whingeing how everything was unfair and the fault of the Irish. Plus how everything would be solved if they just joined the premiership. Additionally there is suggestion in the English media how a BRITISH league including the Irish is the way forward, that ship sailed about 10 years ago. We have stumbled onto a great URC league and I reckon its going to surpass the premiership in terms of TV rights next time around. I was actually surprised to read today the premiership final was held yesterday. It's not really relevant outside England anymore

leakyboots

It was notable that (unless I missed it) there was zero coverage of the URC final on the Guardian's rugby page

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120651543#Comment_120651543

Selling tickets at a price the locals can afford paid off, the final was sold out within hours of tickets going on sale.

The South African public have really bought into the rugby.

Credit too to the URC in having the kids present the winning medals.

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120651854#Comment_120651854

How much were they, out of interest?

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120651920#Comment_120651920

A lot less than Leinster charged us for the privilege of attending the Aviva 🤣

From Google

The URC Final between the Stormers and Munster taking place at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday 27th May has officially sold out in less than three hours. The tickets for the finals went on sale this morning at 9am (Irish time) on ticketpro with prices ranging from 80 Rand (€3.82) to 375 Rand (€17.91).

Timing belt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120651980#Comment_120651980

So the price of 2 pints for a cheap seat or the price of 10 pints for an average expensive ticket. Equivalent to 13/14 euro for cheap seat or 66 euro for an expensive seat if translated to Irish equivalent.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120652392#Comment_120652392

Well I mean if you exclude the €85 tickets that were being charged for some seats in the Aviva then you might have a point and 3 pints with the change.

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120651980#Comment_120651980

So splitting the difference there, that's around €600k total revenue on the full house.

And using the pintflation guide (€2 vs €5), that equates to spending power in the Irish economy of around €1.5m.

That's why I had absolutely zero issue with the videos showing the Stormers celebrate Munster's win. At a time when English rugby looks set to lose its third club in a year to financial pressures, it was a massively important moment for an organisation that itself just barely escaped extinction.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120652392#Comment_120652392

Adult tickets for the semi final started at 10 euro, so in the ballpark.

AdamD

In a shocking development, South Africa is cheaper than Dublin.

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120651980#Comment_120651980

Leinster did not charge you for attending Lansdowne, that was the EPCR. 🙄 Who were also responsible for not giving ROG the rooms he was looking for. Though in fairness he presumably knew that when he was complaining.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120653135#Comment_120653135

hes talking about the URC semi final.

he fails to offer that tickets were available to all for €10 - €25

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120651543#Comment_120651543

If a pint was only costing €2 and a decent meal €10, I'd say you'd be hard pressed to spend more than €300 over a long weekend in Cape Town. At least, without needing a liver transplant! 🤣 (Ok, hotel on top of that, but most hotels are owned by international PLC chains)

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120653141#Comment_120653141

That is incorrect and you know it.