Italian teams for the Magners League?

NotWormBoy

"BBC.co.uk wrote:

Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Roger Lewis says Magners League bosses are looking "favourably" at the idea of Italian teams entering the competition.

Italy's bosses meet on 19 December to discuss their recent defeats to Pacific Islands, Australia and Argentina.

Lewis said: "At a Magners League board meeting last week... the possibility of developing a relationship with Italian teams was discussed."

He said this provoked a favourable response at the meeting.

Italy's domestic championship, the Super 10, includes the likes of Viadana, Treviso and Calvisano, but Italian clubs have struggled to make much of an impact on the Heinken Cup.

"The Magners League agreed to positively explore the financial and rugby implications of such a development," added Lewis, who attended the meeting with the Welsh regions representative, Cardiff Blues chief executive Robert Norster.

"The WRU is committed to developing the Magners League to ensure its commercial viability as well as making the rugby even more compelling and engaging for the fans.

"Play-offs will be introduced next season and the WRU continues to explore with Ireland and Scotland the possibility of the Magners League being even more closely linked to the Heineken Cup qualifying process."

Magners League chief executive David Jordan said: "As far as we're concerned there's a willingness to look at the possibility. However, we would need to see some firm proposals from Italy.

"There are a lot of issues we need to look at - the impact on the fixture list, the commercial impact also and the commercial and financial factors that need to be fully understood.

"Until we hear something formal from them in terms of a formal proposition then the Celtic rugby board isn't really in a position to look at it.

"There's a limit to how many teams we could introduce into our fixture list and accommodate that practically."

Joe Rokocoko says Italy's players would improve in the Magners League
Jordan added: "We have to assess the merits of that proposal in terms of competitiveness, commercial factors, the impact on fixture lists etc.

"Strategically it's important all the Six Nations' standards of rugby increase because that's really how we want the game to go forward.

"From a strategic point of view, if having teams and playing at a higher level in Italy will enhance the international game then that's something we need to consider."

On an All Blacks post-Grand Slam tour to Milan, New Zealand wing Joe Rokocoko backed the idea of Italy forming a super club to play in the Magners League and Heineken Cup.

Rokocoko told Reuters: "That's awesome, I'm sure supporters in Italy would get behind the team and players in Italy would work hard to get in that team and it will make them better in the end."

Italy have won two of 10 Tests since the 2007 World Cup, beating Scotland 23-20 in the Six Nations and Argentina 13-12 on their June tour with their defeats including games against England, France, Ireland and South Africa.

Italian officials meet on 19 December in Bologna to discuss a way forward for their club game.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/default.stm

So what do ye all think of this proposal? Will it just add to an already busy season, or can it just strengthen the Magners League? Or will the "lesser" Italian teams (as some may see them) just devalue the competition?

ThomasH

I think with the global economy slowing down rugby will also become more affected because of sponsorship deals, etc. and therefore better that all rugby countries get involved in playing each other on a more frequent basis. Working together and creating more regurlar competitions will add value in the long run in my opinion.

Stev_o

NotWormBoy wrote: »

So what do ye all think of this proposal? Will it just add to an already busy season, or can it just strengthen the Magners League? Or will the "lesser" Italian teams (as some may see them) just devalue the competition?

For a start the Magners League is fairly lazy league compared to GP and TOP14 they really need to keep playing during international fixtures and the only reason they wont do it because apparently it ll effect ticket sales.

Adding the Italians would for one boost the international game and secondly add a bit of life into the system.

Its sort of old news itself as Parma and Rome i remember hearing threatened to leave the S10 last year and join the ML instead.