Guinness Pro12 2014/2015 Season thread

awec · 03-06-2014 12:08am #1

I see paddy power have released their odds for the winners next year already:

Leinster 15/8
Ulster 11/4
Munster 7/2
Glasgow 9/2
Ospreys 8/1
Scarlets 33/1

I predict:

1. An Irish winner again

2. The same top 4 teams as this year, just in different order. The gap between the top 4 and the rest will be bigger.

The Lost Sheep · 03-06-2014 12:44am

Not so sure the gap between top 4 and rest will be bigger but do agree with you that there will be both an Irish winner again and that the top 4 will be the same teams again

errlloyd · 03-06-2014 1:16am

Dragons will be a Welsh qualifier for Europe.

vienne86 · 03-06-2014 9:21am

I think Glasgow will be in the hunt again next season, and it is hard to not see an Irish winner again and the same top 4. Mind you, Leinster had some lucky escapes in winning some matches when they played really badly this season. They might not get away with it again.

LostArt · 03-06-2014 9:33am

If Glasgow continue as they have been I'd expect them to have a home semi & probably final too. 9/2 is pretty good odds for them

Podge_irl · 03-06-2014 9:40am

Glasgow seem priced a bit long compared to the top three there. Still, no particularly good value odds there.

There is a very clear gap after the top 4 in terms of odds. I hope that isn't reflected in the league itself - we can only hope that the euro qualification makes a difference.

CatFromHue · 03-06-2014 10:31am

I'm pretty optimistic about the league next season.

Out of the Welsh teams only Ospreys will be weaker after losing Hibbard, Jones, and Evans though in Sam Parry and Dan Evans they seemed to have signed two players with good pedigree and potential. Cardiff and Dragons looked to have recruited well in signing Brew, Byrne, Stankovich, Gough, Craig Mitchell, Knoyle, Turnbull, Hoeata, and Voswai between them. Then there's a couple of unknowns that look handy enough players in Rynard Landman and Tuifua.

Lanelli I'm not sure who they've signed or will be losing but bringing in Regan King to replace Johnaton Davies sounds like good business.

Also having a few Welsh teams in the new Amlin could work out well for them as if they could get a QF or SF (even a finalist or winner) would do great wonders for the regions.

Edinburgh having a full pre season with their coaching panel all in place will be good for them too.

Out of the Irish teams it's Ulster you'd worry for in that they'll be losing some big players but have brought in some unknowns really. They should have enough to be competing for the play offs all the same but a few injuries could de rail that too.

Rocko · 03-06-2014 10:50am

When do the fixtures schedule usually get released?

Teferi · 03-06-2014 10:54am

Any news on the new sponsor actually?

Buer · 03-06-2014 10:55am

Scarlets are losing Davies, Turnbull, Manu and Timani that I'm aware of. They'll be a bit weaker, I think, but nothing huge. They'll be finishing much around the same place they did this year but won't threaten any sides, I reckon.

Dragons have recruited shrewdly and could well push for that last RCC spot.

To be honest, I can't see the status quo changing much next season.

The Lost Sheep · 03-06-2014 1:20pm

Rocko wrote: »

When do the fixtures schedule usually get released?

Middle of July normally

Teferi wrote: »

Any news on the new sponsor actually?

Nothing yet. Are Turkish Airways still in the running??

Cookiemunster · 06-06-2014 3:32pm

At the Munster AGM last night Garrett Fitzgerald said that Sky have confirmed they will show 22 games a 3pm on Saturdays and 8 at either 5pm or 5.15pm also on Saturdays. Last paragraph here

Have we heard anything about the rest of the coverage other than RTE won't be showing it?

thomond2006 · 06-06-2014 3:39pm

Some afternoon kickoffs will be great IMO.

Heroditas · 06-06-2014 3:58pm

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Nothing yet. Are Turkish Airways still in the running??

Don't think so.
Think it's between Heineken and Guinness from talking to a morkeshing buddy who may or may not work for one of those two companies at the final last week.

sioda · 06-06-2014 4:20pm

Crap just wasted my money on my season ticket just about get Heineken cup Saturdays off.

Heroditas · 06-06-2014 4:23pm

sioda wrote: »

Crap just wasted my money on my season ticket just about get Heineken cup Saturdays off.

Sky will broadcast a Saturday afternoon match each week. There will be 6 games each weekend so there's no guarantee your team will be televised by Sky for each of its home games. You shouldn't miss to many, in other words.

Cookiemunster · 06-06-2014 4:27pm

sioda wrote: »

Crap just wasted my money on my season ticket just about get Heineken cup Saturdays off.

Well they're limited to only showing each fixture once (eg if they show Munster V Leinster they can't show the return at the Aviva) and they've said they'll be showing all teams equally, so no team should have more than 3 home games a season on Sky.

sioda · 06-06-2014 4:37pm

Still annoying though

Larbre34 · 06-06-2014 4:54pm

Heroditas wrote: »

Sky will broadcast a Saturday afternoon match each week. There will be 6 games each weekend so there's no guarantee your team will be televised by Sky for each of its home games. You shouldn't miss to many, in other words.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss so.

molloyjh · 06-06-2014 5:21pm

sioda wrote: »

Still annoying though

What's annoying is that RTE have pulled out altogether. That means 3 games each on Sky with TG4 covering 1 game per weekend too. So coverage for the provinces will take a big hit (except Ulster who will be on BBC NI) unless another broadcaster steps in.

awec · 06-06-2014 5:36pm

molloyjh wrote: »

What's annoying is that RTE have pulled out altogether. That means 3 games each on Sky with TG4 covering 1 game per weekend too. So coverage for the provinces will take a big hit (except Ulster who will be on BBC NI) unless another broadcaster steps in.

Have RTE taken the huff?

molloyjh · 06-06-2014 6:30pm

awec wrote: »

Have RTE taken the huff?

Yeah it seems they have. Connacht will likely suffer big time from this. It means that there'll be at least a dozen less provincial games on terrestrial TV, probably 15 less at a minimum. All the provinces will suffer as a result, but you'd have to imagine Connacht will suffer the most.

awec · 06-06-2014 6:32pm

molloyjh wrote: »

Yeah it seems they have. Connacht will likely suffer big time from this. It means that there'll be around a dozen plus less provincial games on terrestrial TV. All the provinces will suffer as a result, but you'd have to imagine Connacht will suffer the most.

As far as I know Ulster will be on the same as this year, only exception is a few games on Sky instead on BBC.

Us ulster fans have it handy tbh. Great BBC coverage every week.

molloyjh · 06-06-2014 6:37pm

awec wrote: »

As far as I know Ulster will be on the same as this year, only exception is a few games on Sky instead on BBC.

Us ulster fans have it handy tbh. Great BBC coverage every week.

Yeah Leinster have been well covered as well. It's just a shame that something so good for the league, Sky's involvement, is going to massively limit coverage in general here. You'd also have to wonder about some of the games in Ireland that won't have TV cameras there at all as TG4 have to limit themselves to the one game. So if Leinster play Ospreys in the RDS the same weekend that Munster play Scarlets in Thomond you could easily see one of those games not televised at all unless Sky cover it.

CatFromHue · 06-06-2014 6:42pm

Are RTE definitely gone for next season? I thought they'd signed on but maybe with a smaller package.

icdg · 06-06-2014 7:36pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

Are RTE definitely gone for next season? I thought they'd signed on but maybe with a smaller package.

I didn't see it myself (was at game) but according to one newspaper report George Hook made quite a deal of it during the build up to the Pro 12 final.

molloyjh · 06-06-2014 7:37pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

Are RTE definitely gone for next season? I thought they'd signed on but maybe with a smaller package.

Nothing official but I'd heard they were out altogether. I hope not, even if it's a smaller package it would still mean very good coverage.

Swiwi. · 06-06-2014 7:49pm

molloyjh wrote: »

Nothing official but I'd heard they were out altogether. I hope not, even if it's a smaller package it would still mean very good coverage.

I can see this next season "This is molloyjh, reporting from the RDS, for boards.ie..."

Hagz · 06-06-2014 8:12pm

icdg wrote: »

I didn't see it myself (was at game) but according to one newspaper report George Hook made quite a deal of it during the build up to the Pro 12 final.

I think they got confused. Hook is retiring and that was most likely what he was referring to when he said it would be the last time he'd be on the panel for a Leinster game.

icdg · 06-06-2014 8:20pm

Not for another year and a bit though...

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/broadcaster-george-hook-announces-his-retirement-29892658.html

Heroditas · 06-06-2014 8:29pm

Hagz wrote: »

I think they got confused. Hook is retiring and that was most likely what he was referring to when he said it would be the last time he'd be on the panel for a Leinster game.

Well, last time on the panel for a "domestic" game anyway. It's great really. 5 more 6N games and he's gone from the TV.
Maybe we should start a Hook Countdown Clock.

irishbucsfan · 06-06-2014 8:34pm

Swiwi. wrote: »

I can see this next season "This is molloyjh, reporting from the RDS, for boards.ie..."

"Live from Mark McCafferty's lap, this is irishbucsfan with your Premiership update!"

Swiwi. · 06-06-2014 8:37pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

"Live from Mark McCafferty's lap, this is irishbucsfan with your Premiership update!"

As long as it's not a blow by blow account...

oneofakind32 · 06-06-2014 8:38pm

I am looking forward to unbiased coverage from Sky. Regional broadcasters only care about local teams and local darbys, it will be nice to see games like Glasgow Vs Scarlets(for example) with both teams getting equal billing and promoted based on there current form and league position as opposed to local loyalties.

Also, it will be good to see local derbies like judgement day in the millennium stadium, Munster Lienster in the aviva getting broadcast to a wider audience. I think a lot of English fans disregard the Pro12 simply because they don't get a chance to see it that often and when they do they get biased coverage often in a language they don't understand.

Sky is what the Pro12 needs. I hope that they can expand the deal in the future, so that they can get more money for the clubs and keep pace with the French and the English leagues.

RTE can go and jump! They spent the whole half hour build up to Connacht V Scarlets talking about the pervious day's Ireland game and then trotted out the old familiar line, something along the lines of "Poor auld Connacht have it tough, now over to parc i scarlets".

OldRio · 06-06-2014 8:44pm

Apart from the cash, putting the Pro 12 behind a pay wall makes no sense at all.

oneofakind32 · 06-06-2014 8:52pm

OldRio wrote: »

Apart from the cash, putting the Pro 12 behind a pay wall makes no sense at all.

You have to admit, it makes more sense than putting the GAA behind a paywall at least. Rugby is a professional sport and GAA is not.

Not only does the Pro12 need the cash, they need Sky's help in promoting and branding the League as its own entity, not just a series of games to keep the irish teams amused between European games.

OldRio · 06-06-2014 9:07pm

Sky have a gap to fill. They lost the EPL to BT sport.

At 3 O' Clock on a Saturday your average English Rugby fan will be watching the EPL and not a rebranded Rabo Pro12 game.
Your average Irish Rugby fan could watch 4/5 games a weekend from the Pro12 last season for free. That now changes.

Money is the bottom line and I can see that, but on a purely selfish level I'm p!ss@d off.

bazkennedy · 06-06-2014 9:09pm

icdg wrote: »

Not for another year and a bit though...

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/broadcaster-george-hook-announces-his-retirement-29892658.html

Will he push it forward considering RTE dont have the rights to the world cup i wonder?

wp_rathead · 06-06-2014 9:17pm

molloyjh wrote: »

Yeah it seems they have. Connacht will likely suffer big time from this. It means that there'll be at least a dozen less provincial games on terrestrial TV, probably 15 less at a minimum. All the provinces will suffer as a result, but you'd have to imagine Connacht will suffer the most.

We will suffer abit but not as much as you would think, RTÉ never showed us anyhow and I'd imagine Sky would be more inclined to show Munster or Leinster games. It is cheap for TG4 to set up in Galway aswell..

Cookiemunster · 06-06-2014 9:54pm

OldRio wrote: »

Sky have a gap to fill. They lost the EPL to BT sport.

At 3 O' Clock on a Saturday your average English Rugby fan will be watching the EPL and not a rebranded Rabo Pro12 game.
Your average Irish Rugby fan could watch 4/5 games a weekend from the Pro12 last season for free. That now changes.

Money is the bottom line and I can see that, but on a purely selfish level I'm p!ss@d off.

You confused me there for a minute, EPL is whats generally used to refer to the soccer.
You could only watch 4-5 games a weekend if you had a Sky box to access BBC ALBA, BBC Wales and S4C. Sky/UPC is also needed to watch BBC NI. Neither of these services is free. The only 'free' matches were on RTE and TG4.
Sky is taking 1 match a weekend (2 on only 8 weekends out of 22). The rest will still be available FTA.

molloyjh · 06-06-2014 10:04pm

Swiwi. wrote: »

I can see this next season "This is molloyjh, reporting from the RDS, for boards.ie..."

The matches would need to be late kick-offs. Language like mine is frowned upon earlier in the day.....

irishbucsfan wrote: »

"Live from Mark McCafferty's lap, this is irishbucsfan with your Premiership update!"

I genuinely laughed out loud when I read this.

wprathead wrote: »

We will suffer abit but not as much as you would think, RTÉ never showed us anyhow and I'd imagine Sky would be more inclined to show Munster or Leinster games. It is cheap for TG4 to set up in Galway aswell..

Munster and Leinster games will only count for 5 or 6 of the games shown on Sky. If TG4 are the only other ones showing provincial home games they'd be more inclined to go to Limerick or Dublin you would think.

Morf · 07-06-2014 12:58am

Might as well get Sky in for TRC now then.

OldRio · 07-06-2014 7:18am

Cookiemunster wrote: »

You confused me there for a minute, EPL is whats generally used to refer to the soccer.
You could only watch 4-5 games a weekend if you had a Sky box to access BBC ALBA, BBC Wales and S4C. Sky/UPC is also needed to watch BBC NI. Neither of these services is free. The only 'free' matches were on RTE and TG4.
Sky is taking 1 match a weekend (2 on only 8 weekends out of 22). The rest will still be available FTA.

So much wrong information in that post. No wonder Sky make money.

You do not need a Sky box to access BBC Alba, BBC Wales and S4C. You only need a freesat box. Which is subscription free.

Sky/UPC is not needed to watch BBCNI. It is accessible via a freeview or saorview box in many parts of this island. It is also accessible via freesat. (Even an old grey sky box can be tuned into BBCNI and BBC Wales without a subscription, using the 'others' option.
Some of the Ulster games were accessible via the Red button. Available on a freeview or saorview box.

'Neither of these services is free' Please show me were I said they were free?

'The only free matches were on RTE and TG4.' Incorrect, please see above.

Like I said and I stand by it. I watched 4/5 games nearly every weekend for no extra charge.

07-06-2014 9:14am

oneofakind32 wrote: »

I am looking forward to unbiased coverage from Sky. Regional broadcasters only care about local teams and local darbys, it will be nice to see games like Glasgow Vs Scarlets(for example) with both teams getting equal billing and promoted based on there current form and league position as opposed to local loyalties.

Also, it will be good to see local derbies like judgement day in the millennium stadium, Munster Lienster in the aviva getting broadcast to a wider audience. I think a lot of English fans disregard the Pro12 simply because they don't get a chance to see it that often and when they do they get biased coverage often in a language they don't understand.

Sky is what the Pro12 needs. I hope that they can expand the deal in the future, so that they can get more money for the clubs and keep pace with the French and the English leagues.

RTE can go and jump! They spent the whole half hour build up to Connacht V Scarlets talking about the pervious day's Ireland game and then trotted out the old familiar line, something along the lines of "Poor auld Connacht have it tough, now over to parc i scarlets".

I take your points. I'd need to pay UPC €39.00 per month €470 per year to get sky just to watch Rugby (only other sport I'm interested in is athletics). Currently I can watch the entire PRO12 season for whatever I'm paying UPC and my TV licence (which I abhor paying because of who it goes towards paying Tubridy I'm looking at you).

The cost isn't the issue for me however, it's the possibility of having to listen to f**king Barnes outside of HC games.

damianmcr · 07-06-2014 1:00pm

I got Sky Sports in last week. Enjoying it today for the rugby.

Looking forward to what Sky bring to the league.

Morf · 07-06-2014 3:13pm

If only Sky could get NRL back . . .

Cookiemunster · 07-06-2014 6:18pm

OldRio wrote: »

So much wrong information in that post. No wonder Sky make money.

You do not need a Sky box to access BBC Alba, BBC Wales and S4C. You only need a freesat box. Which is subscription free.

Sky/UPC is not needed to watch BBCNI. It is accessible via a freeview or saorview box in many parts of this island. It is also accessible via freesat. (Even an old grey sky box can be tuned into BBCNI and BBC Wales without a subscription, using the 'others' option.
Some of the Ulster games were accessible via the Red button. Available on a freeview or saorview box.

'Neither of these services is free' Please show me were I said they were free?

'The only free matches were on RTE and TG4.' Incorrect, please see above.

Like I said and I stand by it. I watched 4/5 games nearly every weekend for no extra charge.

.

Sky don't get money cause people are dumb. Sky have plenty of rugby, football and other sports that are not available freeview and plenty want to access this. Obviously you don't, but 5 of the 6 games will still be available to the other broadcasters most weeks.
Also you have to purchase a freeview box or enabled tv before you can access other channels. Thats an extra charge.

OldRio · 07-06-2014 6:32pm

Cookiemunster wrote: »

.

Sky don't get money cause people are dumb. Sky have plenty of rugby, football and other sports that are not available freeview and plenty want to access this. Obviously you don't, but 5 of the 6 games will still be available to the other broadcasters most weeks.
Also you have to purchase a freeview box or enabled tv before you can access other channels. Thats an extra charge.

Sky get money because they show sport that people are willing to pay for but your first post about this was full of inaccuracies. You had no idea that all that Rugby could be received without extra payment. Do you agree. I can quote you again if you wish.

You are taking the pi$$ on your last point. Yeah I need a digital TV to watch digital television. Or a digital receiver if I have an old TV to watch any TV.
A freeview box will not get extra channels. Wrong again,

Winters · 09-06-2014 1:18pm

Hogg staying with Glasgow, for another year at least.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/27756108

awec · 09-06-2014 1:22pm

Was it tasty Stuart?

thomond2006 · 09-06-2014 11:39pm

awec wrote: »

Was it tasty Stuart?

Bonus Point for Gregor Townsend! :pac:

Guinness Pro12 2014/2015 Season thread

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