URC 2023/24

sydthebeat

The Welsh teams are **** because the WRU has been a **** not-for-purpose organisation for years. The "golden generation" of a successful test side papered over the cracks but they are all pretty much finished at this stage and they problems are glaring.

Reducing to three only fixes short term issues, and reduces the capacity to return to a position of strength in the longer term.

They have made significant changes in the WRU recently so I think they should be at least afforded a chance to see if they can improve.

If that means a few seasons of the Welsh being bottom feeders so be it.

The URC is not in any major difficulty right now. The introduction of the south African sides has really been a blessing when we now see where the Welsh sides are. Imagine how **** the league would be if the bokke weren't there?

The premiership and super rugby must be looking on at the URC with very green eyes. The only league that seems better right now is the top 14, and they're coming from a position with 130 years of history. The MLR is in trouble, and Japanese rugby only exists because of corporation money.

There is no real problem here

Podge_irl

This is pointless fantasy stuff. Apart from being just a ridiculous idea (Spanish and Portuguese sides won't be any better), it is rather glossing over the fact that the Italian and Welsh RUs own the URC along with the other unions.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121470138#Comment_121470138

That's such a pessimistic viewpoint, if everyone thought like that nothing would ever improve.

Portugal were fairly impressive in the world cup, and Spain should be similar.

They deserve a chance, they can't be any less competitive than Dragons and Zebre have been for years.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121470268#Comment_121470268

You're still glossing over the impossibility of kicking out teams who share ownership of the league. You are also ignoring that all of Portugal's best players already play in France.

The last thing the league needs is more chopping and changing anyway.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121470268#Comment_121470268

The Portuguese, Spanish. Georgians etc all do need a chance to improve but the urc can't be made into a miss match of every country in Europe's Pro teams except for those in France and England

AdamD

What the URC could really do with is not changing a single thing for about 5 years, can't keep chopping and changing.

Digifriendly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121471114#Comment_121471114

Tend to agree. Stability is important but if Welsh regions continue to struggle financially things may continue to be fluid.

I still think a BI league will come about in not too distant future.

Dubinusa

One problem with the Welsh is a lot of their players leave and go to the premiership or France. The mismanagement by the union is ridiculous. It's also a very small nation with limited funds, fans etc.

Zebre have been much improved. They look to be improving.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121471227#Comment_121471227

Welsh do leave but it's not simply mismanagement by the union. Its more deeply engraved than that alone.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121471114#Comment_121471114

This I completely agree with, look at the big competitions, 6N, AIL, T14, other sports, Premier League, NFL, NBA even the Japanese rugby championship has consistency in it.

When you chop and change, not just the teams, but also the rules, people lose interest because one of the features they thought was "good" no longer exists

Utah_Saint

Steenkamp tackle could've easily been a red in the stormers v bulls

Dillonb3

Libbok nailing all his kicks so far

Neil3030

40k in for the game in Cape Town.

Derbies really do seem to matter down there, which is great.

Digifriendly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121530954#Comment_121530954

Weather helps especially at this time of year in SH.

tmc1963

Over 37,000 tickets sold for Murrayfield today - obliterating the previous record of 27K.

If only the whining Welsh could get their act together.

Burkie1203

Horrible injury for stormers player there

PMC83

Benetton sitting in second place, somethings clicking in Treviso this year!

phog

Real shame that Munster had to lose him

https://twitter.com/HuwGriffinRugby/status/1741441200010191103?t=zSIo0_bgaZkh7JTIIgOslQ&s=19

Neil3030

Sad that he's gone alright.

Small silver lining is the exposure that Crowley is now getting, which will boost his development. But we really are down to the bare bones at 10. Any injury to Crowley would be catastrophic. Hope Butler goes well tomorrow.

AdamD

Those stats are a bit meaningless when he's played way more minutes than any other 10

Interested Observer

Healy has already played more minutes this season (720) than he did in the entirety of last season for Munster (602). So it would be far more accurate to say something like "it's a real shame Munster generally refused to pick him, even with Carbery playing like a complete drain for the most part". Glad the move has worked out for him anyway, must be a huge relief for him to be out of Munster.

Various persecuted Munster supporters seem to blame Andy Farrell for his moving on, but I'm yet to hear an explanation of why Munster barely ever played him. 602 mins in the entire season, the equivalent of 7.5 full 80 minute games of rugby.

Digifriendly

Sam Warburton suggesting a British Irish League to replace URC with 2 conferences including promotion and relegation,

Re S. African and Italian teams, he suggests Italian duo join Top 14 and S. Africans play among themselves.

I don't think the latter 2 will suggestions will work especially when S. Africans will be left on their own and Zebre would stuggle in Top 14 IMHO.

Interested Observer

Pretty disappointing from someone who has played in the league. It's clearly the best it's ever been and he wants to blow it up. Why is he shilling for the premiership?

phog

The travel to/from SA is an issue for both the URC & CC but there's no doubt including the SA teams in the URC has been a success.

I'd be slow to throw all our eggs into a basket which includes the English teams but some of the fixtures would be a bigger draw than some of the current URC fixtures and some away games might be easier to get to than some of the Welsh, SA or Italian teams.

I don't see it as a runner though.

PMC83

Would the welsh fans come out more for a B+I league? Hardly enough to sort out Regional financial woes. I honestly think the regions would just bring their problems to another league. The URC is going well with the inclusion of the Sa teams, just need Wales and Zebre to sort it out

OldRio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121556360#Comment_121556360

'Why is he shilling the Premiership'?

It seems to come down to this. All the woes of the WRU and the Welsh teams are the URCs fault. All the solutions are to be found in the friendly bosom of the English.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121556531#Comment_121556531

Cardiff played Bath recently in the CC, the stadium didn't look full.

I suppose it's something you could build on if Cardiff and the rest of the Welsh teams got Gloucester, Bristol & Bath in their pool but then that hardly balances the pools.

Buer

Warburton's article was fairly grim. It highlighted the prevailing opinion within Welsh rugby from the top down.

He is a Welsh legend. A hugely influential figure within the game there with a prominent media presence. He's also on the board of Cardiff so has skin in the game in a very real sense and not just a pundit.

His take shows everything wrong with the Welsh mindset. He says that Welsh supporters have never bought into the URC whilst he recommends dismantling the league and freely admits he didn't care about it as a player. He's part of the problem, not the solution.

"I’m a former Cardiff player, now a fan and board member, and I’m afraid that Cardiff’s URC results do not mean enough to me."

Stephen Jones wrote a piece on a B&I league recently. Warburton said many in Cardiff were excited with the suggestion.

He very easily glosses over the fact that itnwould absolutely throw Italian and SA teams to the wolves. French rugby would have no interest in absorbing the Italian teams even in ProD2. The South African teams would take an insurmountable commercial hit by being removed from the URC.

He thinks two divisions of 10 is viable. I'd love to hear the reaction of some GP teams when they're told they are potentially going to be moving to a second tier competition. It would be a massive blow to a club like Gloucester, Northampton or Leicester. Massive historic clubs who have struggled in recent seasons.

It's disappointing to see someone as respected and influential as Warburton throw this out with little consideration for the wider impact or any real sensible proposal.

icdg

It’s one chap’s opinion, yes someone who has had a glittering career with Wales, but one person’s opinion nonetheless. It doesn’t carry any more weight with the suits than anyone else’s.

It is not a runner, mostly because the English clubs, despite their current woes, are no more in favour of it than anyone else. Last thing their private owners or the RFU want is the WRU taking a considerable ownership stake in PRL.

And Welsh fans want to go into the league to play Gloucester or Exeter or Bristol. What they always seem to forget is that promotion and relegation could mean them playing Cornish Pirates or Nottingham or Coventry if they had a particularly bad season. And the RFU Championship is not the EFL championship, if they are looking to Swansea or Cardiff City as their model.

Interested Observer

I'd be far more in favour of keeping the SA teams than the Welsh teams. Let Wales go and play with themselves if they don't like the current set-up. From what I can gather the SA teams and supporters have bought into the league and without a doubt they've raised the standard.