Italians to make play for Magners.

toomevara

The FIR has decided to try and muscle in on Magners action, with a proposal involving the participation of 2 or 4 teams. Should be good for both the Magners and the Italians. Who knows they may actually start winning a few games....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7793092.stm

phog

Let's hope the teams are based near an airport that Ryanair fly into.

Will more teams make the ML too big for home and away games as it is it is stretched out over the full season with breaks for the ALs, 6Ns and EC?

RuggieBear

phog wrote: »

Let's hope the teams are based near an airport that Ryanair fly into.

Will more teams make the ML too big for home and away games as it is it is stretched out over the full season with breaks for the ALs, 6Ns and EC?

That's a very good point and something that would have to be examined closely imo. Then again anything that can be done to improve the standard of italian rugby is worth exploring too.

anonymous_joe

phog wrote: »

Let's hope the teams are based near an airport that Ryanair fly into.

Will more teams make the ML too big for home and away games as it is it is stretched out over the full season with breaks for the ALs, 6Ns and EC?

It's a factor, although the ML's the smallest pro league isn't it? (Other than the Italian)

RuggieBear wrote: »

That's a very good point and something that would have to be examined closely imo. Then again anything that can be done to improve the standard of italian rugby is worth exploring too.

I'd say it'd be worth it to improve the standard of their rugby, and introduce a little bit more competition to the Magners. And it'd be fun. ^^

Stev_o

phog wrote: »

Let's hope the teams are based near an airport that Ryanair fly into.

Will more teams make the ML too big for home and away games as it is it is stretched out over the full season with breaks for the ALs, 6Ns and EC?

Hopefully the ML will grow a pair and decide to continue like the GP and TOP14 over internationals, yes the costs will be large but the experience for the players will be invaluable, with internationals away it would be a great chance to give game time to up and coming players in a seasoned competition

Podge_irl

Well the ML used to be played over international weekends until quite recently, but a lot of people complained about weakened sides being put out. They'll have to go back to that if there introduce two more teams though.

[Jackass]

ML must never clash with international. It's the reason the league got such a bad name in the first place.

Since they changed that the ML has the highest average amount of internationals on the pitch than any other league in the Europe. (an average of about 10 full international capped players in every starting 15 per game).

I really hope this goes through and 2 Italian provincial teams are introduced (North v South). Can only be good for all involved.

zAbbo

2 elite teams make sense, not sure what the support of creating them would be (imagine trying to get our 4 into a league, and being told we'd have to join up to create 2!)

Italys best players might still play in outside Italy, but this is a great move in my opinion.

If the money and will was there, some of their forwards would make a formidable front 8 like Parisse & Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Dellape (Toulon), Bortalami & Nieto(Gloucester), Aguero & Ongaro (Saracens), Perugini (Toulouse), Del Fava (Ulster) and Festuccia & Lo Cicero (Racing Metro)

The problem is the their backs, where most play in Italy, and only a handful like Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Canale (Clermont) and Masi (Biarritz) - all of which are centres.

If you could nurture a few flyers or some genuine playmaking back for an Italian team - it would be a force to be reckoned with.

So, on those two elite teams, if they could persuade some of the stars to return, and lure some backs (How hard can it be to persuade a back to come to Italy!?) they'd be better than the likes of Connacht & Dragons, and more on par with Ulster and Dragons.

Great news for the league if it happens.

The Magners league is just starting to get a bit of recognition and started to be taken seriously by teams,imo this should never happen.

It will make the league too big with to many teams and the Italians will dilute the league with rubbish teams.Its a harsh attitude to have but I dont see why they should join the magners,the french division 2 makes much more sense.

I would also like to know where these clowns are gona get 4 teams full of Italians and supporters to boot?

They should ask for 1 or 2 teams,their taking the piss with 4.

Serenity Now!

toomevara wrote: »

The FIR has decided to try and muscle in on Magners action, with a proposal involving the participation of 2 or 4 teams. Should be good for both the Magners and the Italians. Who knows they may actually start winning a few games....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7793092.stm

Have you seen the teamlists for the top Italian teams? Basically chocka with Pac Islanders, Aussies, Jaapies and Kiwis. Bet it would do bugger all for Italian players and that even with 3 regional amalgamated teams, they'd be rife with non-Italians.
At least Italy has a national team in an international competition ie. Six Nations

A move like this would be yet another kick in the balls for the Argentinian national team. If there are weeks seen fit for extra games in the season, then room should be made for the Pumas, a team consisting of players who mainly play in Europe, to compete in a 7 Nations. Basing themselves in Europe (Spain as has been suggested before, for example) this move makes more sense.
Another bonus would be that it would discourage Argentinian players like Sergio Parisse from dumping on the Pumas and declaring for the likes of Italy just to play intl rugby.

Sandwich

Its a fine idea for all involved I think, rugby especially. If it could be done.

Would it be sustainable financially? Even with only two Italian teams, let alone 4, would the fixture list be getting too crowded? If the Italians did well, could it spell trouble for the Scots (and be consequence, Rugby in general), if there was pressure to drop a few teams from the bottom of the table?

phog wrote: »

Let's hope the teams are based near an airport that Ryanair fly into.

The likely candidates all are quite convenient really. Treviso for Treviso, Padova, and Rovigo; Bergamo for Calvisano; and Bologna for Parma and Viadana. All direct from Collinstown thanks to Saint Michael.:D

marco_polo

Serenity Now! wrote: »

Have you seen the teamlists for the top Italian teams? Basically chocka with Pac Islanders, Aussies, Jaapies and Kiwis. Bet it would do bugger all for Italian players and that even with 3 regional amalgamated teams, they'd be rife with non-Italians.
At least Italy has a national team in an international competition ie. Six Nations

A move like this would be yet another kick in the balls for the Argentinian national team. If there are weeks seen fit for extra games in the season, then room should be made for the Pumas, a team consisting of players who mainly play in Europe, to compete in a 7 Nations. Basing themselves in Europe (Spain as has been suggested before, for example) this move makes more sense.
Another bonus would be that it would discourage Argentinian players like Sergio Parisse from dumping on the Pumas and declaring for the likes of Italy just to play intl rugby.

Exactly what responsibility does the board of the Magners League have for the Argentinian Rugby Team?

There are plenty of weekend slots available to accomodate extra teams if the ML continues to play through the international windows like the GP does.

[Jackass]

it would be 2 extra rounds of games in the league. You can still do it without playing through international. A game could have been on this weekend and there is a slot in Feb / March with no rugby either. Or they could just have the league finsih 2 weeks later than normal. No problem.

Serenity Now!

marco_polo wrote: »

Exactly what responsibility does the board of the Magners League have for the Argentinian Rugby Team?

Ask yourself then exactly what responsibility the Celtic League committees have for Italian rugby.
To save you some time, the answer is simple: the very same.

[Jackass]

Serenity Now! wrote: »

Ask yourself then exactly what responsibility the Celtic League committees have for Italian rugby.
To save you some time, the answer is simple: the very same.

True, but if Italians are let in it wont be because Celtic rugby feels they owe them any favours, it will be because it's will be a mutualy beneficial deal. At the end of the day, they can pick and choose who they want in the league and do so only if it benefits them and all the teams involved. I think the Italians would and I don't really care about the Argies. They should be involved in S14 and Tri-Nations if you ask me. Our calender and club scene is a lot more congested, more room for them in SH.

Serenity Now!

[Jackass] wrote: »

I think the Italians would and I don't really care about the Argies. They should be involved in S14 and Tri-Nations if you ask me. Our calender and club scene is a lot more congested, more room for them in SH.

Just because they're south of the equator, you think they're only suitable for the S14 and Tri? LMAO! Their players are based in the European comps.
BA to Jo'burg to Perth to Auckland...yep all very 'involving'...if your name is Magellan.
Then again, you don't care about Argentina
I think you're forgetting the auld pecking order in rugby again
It has nothing to do with "owing any favours"...:rolleyes:

Stev_o

Titan Refined Weirdo wrote: »

The Magners league is just starting to get a bit of recognition and started to be taken seriously by teams,imo this should never happen.

It will make the league too big with to many teams and the Italians will dilute the league with rubbish teams.Its a harsh attitude to have but I dont see why they should join the magners,the french division 2 makes much more sense.

I would also like to know where these clowns are gona get 4 teams full of Italians and supporters to boot?

They should ask for 1 or 2 teams,their taking the piss with 4.

Sure by that logic Connacht might as well be dead and gone by this stage :rolleyes:
When has the ML ever gotten a serious reputation i mean seriously look at the league table and then look at the teams in the HC. Cardiff Blues are second last in the league yet they are on top of their HC pool and are likely one of the top seeds.
Glasgow up until yesterday were second and they had won a grand total of 0 HC games holding last place in their pool.

Adding them into the French Div2 would be a economic disaster for them, they'd end up wasting money on buying knew players to get promoted and more or less go bankrupt gambling on trying to get promoted or stay out of regulation. With the ML its a no risk situation for them and a better gain, no penalties for coming last and with the new play off system coming in there's a better chance for them stealing a higher ranking place into the HC then they would usually.

[Jackass]

Serenity Now! wrote: »

Just because they're south of the equator, you think they're only suitable for the S14 and Tri? LMAO! Their players are based in the European comps.

Serenity Now! wrote:

Ask yourself then exactly what responsibility the Celtic League committees have for Italian rugby.
To save you some time, the answer is simple: the very same.

You're contradicting yourself there. My point is we hold no responsability to Argentina or Italy.

An expansion of the ML could be good for the competition in the long run and as a bonus good for Italian rugby, 6 Nations rugby and European Rugby which is of a benefit to multiple unions and the game in general. Argentina have little or no professional club structure so an even weaker and cash strapped domestic game than Italy anyway, so how do you suggest we impliment Argentina?

Are we to add new teams to the already packed club system in Europe or add teams to the 14 in total teams of the southern hemisphere S14? If you make the point earlier that we hold no responsabilty to either then why would you argue that Argentina makes more sense? Because it's extremely clear that it doesn't. And there is an argument that it makes good sense with the Italians.

The hempisphere is nothing to do with it either. Why should 3 countires hold a monopoly on the game down under? There's one competition at international level with only 3 teams (half the size of ours) and one international club competition with 14 teams (just over half of the 24 playing in HEC - but 44 teams if you include the challange cup - so no where near even half of the clubs we have already involved in club international rugby.)

And there is an international league (ML) spanning 3 (maybe soon 4) countries also.

I could go into a big speil about fixture congestion, over crowded, long winded competitions, but I don't think I really need to say any more to prove to you that Argentinas place is in Tri-Nations and S14. Regardless of where players are based also they are contracted to clubs so it doesn't make a blind bit of difference where their international stars are based as it would be Argentinian based players playing for their club sides who would have to relocate anyway.

EVEN IF they had the money to pay their players (match Stade Francais and other French wage punching power?) to improve their club game also they can introduce a rule that from (for example) 2014, all international players who will be considered for selection must play for a domestic side, simular to other SH unions. That would give time for contracts to end and drip feed players home with the lure of Tri Nations and Super 14 rugby vs no international rugby.

zAbbo

[Jackass] wrote: »

it would be 2 extra rounds of games in the league. You can still do it without playing through international. A game could have been on this weekend and there is a slot in Feb / March with no rugby either. Or they could just have the league finsih 2 weeks later than normal. No problem.

Some games are on this weekend, with the Welsh teams having the most congested fixture list.

But I agree with everything you've posted, an extra 2 rounds of games. Players only get better by playing against better players, so for everyone involved this would be a great move, plus the additional fixtures would allow some of the better squads to break in players against the Italian clubs.

Serenity Now!

[Jackass] wrote: »

You're contradicting yourself there. My point is we hold no responsability to Argentina or Italy.

I wasn't contradicting myself at all. The 'home' unions are shareholders in the ERC, CC and the ML. You said that Argentina would only be a case of having something 'owed' to them. Its nothing of a kind regarding that union.
Logistically your shoving to one side of the Argentinian situation is impossible to solve by Tri Nations inclusion.
Its obvious that the European comps outside ERC must be split more regionally.
Just another degree for international rugby being downgraded in comparison to 'club' (Wales, Ireland and Scotland do not field 'clubs'). Sad to see some are all for it. The I'm All Right Jack attitude is not necessarily good for the game.
Oh well...

sm.org

Serenity Now! wrote: »

I wasn't contradicting myself at all. The 'home' unions are shareholders in the ERC, CC and the ML. You said that Argentina would only be a case of having something 'owed' to them. Its nothing of a kind regarding that union.
Logistically your shoving to one side of the Argentinian situation is impossible to solve by Tri Nations inclusion.
Its obvious that the European comps outside ERC must be split more regionally.
Just another degree for international rugby being downgraded in comparison to 'club' (Wales, Ireland and Scotland do not field 'clubs'). Sad to see some are all for it. The I'm All Right Jack attitude is not necessarily good for the game.
Oh well...

At this stage I think you should graciously admit defeat.

Serenity Now!

sm.org wrote: »

At this stage I think you should graciously admit defeat.

'Defeat'??? lol This is an internet forum, fella. Not the Supreme Court. I think some people take this stuff a bit too seriously... :rolleyes:
Putting teams made up of Argentinians, Aussies, Kiwis, Sth Africans and Pac Islanders (there is a total of ONE Italian team made up of majority Italian players) in order to prop up the bottom of the ML does bugger all for Italian rugby apart from raise more money to afford them, in my opinion.

sm.org

Serenity Now! wrote: »

'Defeat'??? lol This is an internet forum, fella. Not the Supreme Court. I think some people take this stuff a bit too seriously... :rolleyes:
Putting teams made up of Argentinians, Aussies, Kiwis, Sth Africans and Pac Islanders (there is a total of ONE Italian team made up of majority Italian players) in order to prop up the bottom of the ML does bugger all for Italian rugby apart from raise more money to afford them, in my opinion.

Yes but its a discussion forum and after drawn out discussion its become fairly clear that your arguement doesn't hold much weight.

toomevara

sm.org wrote: »

Yes but its a discussion forum and after drawn out discussion its become fairly clear that your arguement doesn't hold much weight.

Come on now lads, its Chrimbo, get out d'oul mistletoe and kiss and make up!!! All together now...."Do they know its Christmas time at all..."*sniff*

Stev_o

[Jackass] wrote: »

ML must never clash with international. It's the reason the league got such a bad name in the first place.

Since they changed that the ML has the highest average amount of internationals on the pitch than any other league in the Europe. (an average of about 10 full international capped players in every starting 15 per game).

I really hope this goes through and 2 Italian provincial teams are introduced (North v South). Can only be good for all involved.

Article in the Indo today you may like to read regarding the state of Irish Underage program and how we are so far behind every other home nation and even other lesser nations. One of the things mentioned was that in England and France dew to the fact they play throughout the year with no stops youth players who are only 18, 19 or 20 are able to get valuable experience at the a extremely high level of rugby while here dew to the ML being too conservative the majority of those players would only have played Div 2/3 in the AIL.

For the sake of development ML needs to keep going through internationals, we need players to be exposed to this high level otherwise we will fall further and further behind. I mean for Christ sake Newcastle are playing a 18 year old at Out Half! How many 18 year olds are playing in ML? Answer=none

Here be the article

"The same fate may well be in store for Clarke's new under 20 group. Between the 32 players who were either in Ashbourne last week or not available through injury, none of them has Magners League experience. In fact, a third of them are in clubs outside the first division of the AIB League.

England meanwhile are just back from a week's warm weather training in Portugal and have half their squad playing regular Premiership rugby.

In Newcastle, for example, in the absence of Jonny Wilkinson, the number 10 duties have been shared by youngsters Rory Clegg and Rob Miller. The two scrumhalves on the squad, Dave Lewis and Ben Youngs, feature regularly for Gloucester and Leicester respectively, and similarly two of England's second rows, Graham Kitchener and Courtney Lawes, are starters in Worcester and Northampton."

toomevara

Stev_o wrote: »

In Newcastle, for example, in the absence of Jonny Wilkinson, the number 10 duties have been shared by youngsters Rory Clegg and Rob Miller. The two scrumhalves on the squad, Dave Lewis and Ben Youngs, feature regularly for Gloucester and Leicester respectively, and similarly two of England's second rows, Graham Kitchener and Courtney Lawes, are starters in Worcester and Northampton."

I wouldn't over-egg it though. There's still a massive problem in the English game, with far too many imports occupying key decision making positions in the big teams. Alot of home grown talent struggles to make regular first team appearances, and only plays when a marquee name is injured or absent.

The indo article definitely paints an overly optimistic picture of the reality in English rugby.

sm.org

toomevara wrote: »

I wouldn't over-egg it though. There's still a massive problem in the English game, with far too many imports occupying key decision making positions in the big teams. Alot of home grown talent struggles to make regular first team appearances, and only plays when a marquee name is injured or absent.

The indo article definitely paints an overly optimistic picture of the reality in English rugby.

I dont really agree with you, I cant think of any postion that England would struggle to find 2/3 players to fill it. They may not be worls class players but they are all international players none the less.

Can you give a few examples?

If we were talking about the french league then I would completely agree.

toomevara

sm.org wrote: »

Can you give a few examples?

Sure sm. Now, lets bear in mind that England has, by far, the largest playing base of any rugby playing nation,and one of the most vibrant, competitive domestic leagues.

Lets Look at Fly-half...well, they're scuppered aren't they? Cipriani, who's callow and inexperienced, gets injured and who are they calling in? Flood? A journeyman at club level...never mind international. Hodgson's too erratic and goes to pieces when it really matters. Witness how he handed yesterdays game to Bath at the death after failing to make a simple touch finder. Ryan Lamb's going backwards at a rate of knots and maybe, just maybe, Geraghty might be ready in a season or two.

Scrum half...Care goes down, who's next up? Ellis? Not even in the same league. In the centres, wheres the talented line breakers you'd expect to be marching through the swollen ranks? Noon and Flutey...no sophistication/cutting edge at all. Bash merchants at best.

Nice backrow production line alright, but they've still got to find someone to partner the seriously talented Kennedy. Vickery's done, whos' putting his hand up to replace him? Where's the Richard Cockerill's, the Brian Moore's,the Mick skinner's? The kind of guys who england seemed to churn out as nauseum not a decade ago?

Too many foreign players being parachuted into key positions in domestic teams as a short-term solution. Academy guy's are not getting a look in. Paradoxically teams like Quins and LI who've taken a long term view and brought kids through their excellent academy systems are now beginning to reap the benefits.

Guys like Armitage and Monye (two of the few plus points from England's Autumn international series) are carefully crafted products of those club's respective academies. When you look at the numbers, you've got to say that there's something radically wrong with the way talent is nurtured and brought through in the english game. I see major problems for england in the halves, centres, front row and at full back. Now, that to me is completely inexplicable when you look at the popularity and sheer size of the sport here.

Donal94

i'd be delighted if this happens. The poor Italians deserve any help we can give them to improve theur standards

Mr. Presentable

Whatever will promote rugby in the continent can only be good. Rugby to be the new football - only without all the bullsh1t. A proper Euro league, of any sport, would be cool

buck65

4 teams would be ridiculous. 1 or 2 would be fine.

EdgarAllenPoo

This just means that Connacht have two more teams that they have to lose to.

RONOC08

[Argentina have little or no professional club structure so an even weaker and cash strapped domestic game than Italy anyway, so how do you suggest we impliment Argentina?

S14 rugby has been suffering alot latley and the plan to stop the flow of players north is to expand the league to i think something like the super26 with australia getting a new team new york vancouver LA buenoes aires dubai hong kong some other argntinain team i cant remember another south african team toronto shangai and a few others all in the running to get into the new league with new tv rights and a big deal with an american chanel
they were planning to base it on the ipl cricket auctioning off players and mixing the teams full of aussies south africans and kiwis untill eventually new local talent wud come through this plan was unviled in like october last year but i havent herad anything about it since hopefully for southern hemisphere club rugby it will happen

anonymous_joe

That'd kill S14. It's really stressful for players already.

conf101

RONOC08 wrote: »

[Argentina have little or no professional club structure so an even weaker and cash strapped domestic game than Italy anyway, so how do you suggest we impliment Argentina?

S14 rugby has been suffering alot latley and the plan to stop the flow of players north is to expand the league to i think something like the super26 with australia getting a new team new york vancouver LA buenoes aires dubai hong kong some other argntinain team i cant remember another south african team toronto shangai and a few others all in the running to get into the new league with new tv rights and a big deal with an american chanel
they were planning to base it on the ipl cricket auctioning off players and mixing the teams full of aussies south africans and kiwis untill eventually new local talent wud come through this plan was unviled in like october last year but i havent herad anything about it since hopefully for southern hemisphere club rugby it will happen

That sounds like a terrible idea!!

RONOC08

anonymous_joe wrote: »

That'd kill S14. It's really stressful for players already.

well sorry i forgot to mention it would be a confrence league each team plays in its league 3 or 4 or watever then the winners enter ito the playoffs
i think itd be really good

[Jackass]

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3825_5441275,00.html

The Italian Rugby Federation has selected Aironi, based in Viadana, and Praetorians Roma as the two franchises to take part in the Magners League.

The two were selected from four franchise bids submitted to the FIR, with Benetton Treviso and Duchi Nord-Ovest missing out.

The additions will increase the Magners League size from 10 to 12 teams.

The two franchises now have until September 30 to display a working business model with which they can guarantee funding to support the teams in the league.

The FIR has put in place a financial incentive scheme to help encourage the two franchises to sign Italian players, in an attempt to get as many native players competing at the highest level of club competition.

Praetorians will be based in Rome and will play at the city's Stadio Flaminio, while Aironi will be based in Viadana but will play some matches in the city of Reggio Emilia, a hotbed of rugby in the north-east of the country.

Amazingly, Italians biggest club, and champions, Treviso have had their bid rejected to front up a franchsie to the Magners League, which will all but wipe out the side as a major Italian force, which is a terrible shame.

The 2 regions are based in Northern Italy, around the river Po and middle / Southern Italy, around Rome.

Also, from a post on planet rugby forums, it appears tiers have been put in place to attract Italian players abroad to come and play for the professional franchises such as the Bergamasco brothers, Parrasi, Castrogiovanni and even Ulsters Del Fava, and if it works, they could have some very competetive teams, this could be absolutely massive for Italian Rugby if they manage to get all the big names (or at least a good few) home and into the 2 elite teams playing in top level competition together week in week out, heopfully challenging in the league, and would therefore make them decent Heineken Cup standard teams, in the groups anyway.

FIR has announced today that "AIRONI DEL PO" (Viadana, Parma, Colorno, Mantua) and "PRAETORIANS ROME" (Capitolina, Roma and Lazio) will represent Italy in the 2010-2011 Celtic League.
Treviso's bid has therefore been rejected and therefore the Veneto Region is shockingly not included; the Veneto Region includes Super10 Clubs Treviso (reigning champions), Padua (U19, U17, U15 and U13 champions), Rovigo (semifinalist in Super10) and Venice.

FIR has published a list of players of "national interest"; should they play for the two Franchises, the Clubs will receive a contribution from FIR. FIR has established 3 tiers of contribution and divided the players as follows:

50.000€ per player
Matias AGUERO (Saracens), Mauro BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais), Mirco BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais), Marco BORTOLAMI (Gloucester RFC), Gonzalo CANALE (Clermont Auvergne), Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (Leicester Tigers), Carlo Antonio DEL FAVA (Ulster), Santiago DELLAPE', Carlo FESTUCCIA (Racing Metro Paris), Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Cammi Calvisano), Craig GOWER (Bayonne) Andrea LO CICERO (Racing Metro Paris), Andrea MARCATO (Benetton Treviso), Andrea MASI (Racing Metro Paris), Luke MCLEAN (Cammi Calvisano), Carlos NIETO (Gloucester RFC), Fabio ONGARO (Saracens), Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais), Salvatore PERUGINI (Stade Toulousain), Alessandro ZANNI (Cammi Calvisano)

30.000€ per player
Robert BARBIERI (Benetton Treviso), Valerio BERNABO’ (Cammi Calvisano), Kristopher BURTON (Consiag I Cavalieri Prato), Pablo CANAVOSIO (MPS Viadana), Andrea CECCATO (Benetton Treviso), Lorenzo CITTADINI (Cammi Calvisano), Alberto DE MARCHI (Overmach Cariparma), Paul DERBYSHIRE (Carrera Petrarca Padova), Simone FAVARO (Femi CZ Rovigo)*, Luigi FERRARO (MPS Viadana), Gonzalo GARCIA (Cammi Calvisano), Quintin GELDENHUYS (MPS Viadana), Francesco MINTO (Overmach Cariparma), Jean Francois MONTAURIOL (Casinò di Venezia), Luciano ORQUERA (Brive), Enrico PATRIZIO (Carrera Petrarca Padova), Gilberto PAVAN (Overmach Cariparma), Riccardo PAVAN (Overmach Cariparma), Antonio PAVANELLO (Benetton Treviso), Simon PICONE (Benetton Treviso), Matteo PRATICHETTI (Cammi Calvisano), Roberto QUARTAROLI (Overmach Cariparma)*, Tommaso REATO (Femi CZ Rovigo), Kaine ROBERTSON (MPS Viadana), Ignacio ROUYET (MPS Viadana), Giulio RUBINI (Overmach Cariparma), Franco SBARAGLINI (Benetton Treviso), Fabio SEMENZATO (Benetton Treviso), Michele SEPE (AlmavivA UR Capitolina), Alberto SGARBI (Benetton Treviso), Josh SOLE (MPS Viadana), Fabio STAIBANO (Castres Olympique), Tito TEBALDI (Plusvalore Gran Parma), Giulio TONIOLATTI (AlmavivA UR Capitolina), Pietro TRAVAGLI (Overmach Cariparma), Manoa VOSAWAI (Overmach Cariparma)

20.000€ per player
Andrea BACCHETTI (Femi CZ Rovigo), Tommaso BENVENUTI (Benetton Treviso)*, Riccardo BOCCHINO (AlmavivA UR Capitolina)*, Tommaso D'APICE (Cammi Calvisano)*, Andrea DE MARCHI (Femi CZ Rovigo), Joshua FURNO (Partenope Napoli)*, Edoardo GORI (Consiag I Cavalieri Prato)*, Tommaso IANNONE (Ruggers Tarvisium)*, Andrea MANICI (Plusvalore Gran Parma), Denis MAJSTOROVIC (Vibu Noceto), Luca PETILLO (Mantovani Lazio)*, Andrea PRATICHETTI (Cammi Calvisano)*, Massimiliano RAVALLE (Overmach Cariparma)*, Costantino RICCIARDI (Carrera Petrarca Padova), Sebastian RODWELL (Giunti Firenze)*, Lorenzo ROMANO (Overmach Cariparma), Giovanbattista VENDITTI (AlmavivA UR Capitolina)*

NickNolte

I'm assuming they don't represent the players' salaries? They're just individual, once-off contributions to each player by the FIR?

irishbucsfan

NickNolte wrote: »

I'm assuming they don't represent the players' salaries? They're just individual, once-off contributions to each player by the FIR?

Not one-off, per season I believe.

Parisse has gone on record to say that if an Italian team was established in the Magners League he would join them. Don't have a link to that, think I read it on here a while back.

And from the discussion a while back, saying that Parisse is an Argentinian who was robbed because he wanted to play 6 nations with Italy... It's almost the exact same as an Irish guy like Simon Easterby choosing to play for Ireland. Parisse is an Italian who lived in Argentina, not an Argentinian playing for Italy. (He's certainly far more entitled to Italian rugby than some of our Soccer players throughout the years!)

thirdmantackle

out of interest, why was Treviso not picked?

Are they not in the HEC already?

surely one Spanish team also needs to be included in the Magners League?

zAbbo

I'd imagine Treviso's bid came up short on funding.

Excited by this, think it's a great leap for Italian rugby to field teams in the ML - which also allows our provinces to test themselves against a different level and skillset (a lower one for now)

It will be exciting to see if the front line players return home, as the Irish players did at the turn of professionalism here.

justsomebloke

ye looking forward to the inclusion of the Italian teams and hopefully it helps give them a platform to improve.

Diabhal Beag

This will be good for both Connacht and the Magners League

Stev_o

zAbbo wrote: »

I'd imagine Treviso's bid came up short on funding.

Excited by this, think it's a great leap for Italian rugby to field teams in the ML - which also allows our provinces to test themselves against a different level and skillset (a lower one for now)

It will be exciting to see if the front line players return home, as the Irish players did at the turn of professionalism here.

Treviso have more money then any of the others pretty much combined. The reason they lost out (by one bid) was that they wanted to go it alone ie not involve the closer regions where the other two teams are.

escobar

thirdmantackle wrote: »

out of interest, why was Treviso not picked?

Are they not in the HEC already?

surely one Spanish team also needs to be included in the Magners League?

The Celtic league isn't a charity . There is good potential for commercial revenue and growth in Italy...... Spain arn't even in the six nations......We're not here solely to promote european rugby....

But perhaps the english and French leagues could follow our lead and take a weaker nation under their wing.

justsomebloke

escobar wrote: »

But perhaps the english and French leagues could follow our lead and take a weaker nation under their wing.

Truthfully it won't be too long before they aren't there to make up the numbers cause given the current state of Scottish rugby this could see Italy easily over take them now that they have 2 clubs playing good quality rugby week in week out

Amabokke

I think this is great for both Irish and Italian rugby. It gives the Italians the opportunity to grow their game and players. On the other hand they've always been very physical players so to inject that into this mini tournament will raise the bar. It'll be good for the Irish to player against tougher opponents and to blood some new players too.

justsomebloke

Amabokke wrote: »

It'll be good for the Irish to player against tougher opponents and to blood some new players too.

Italians tougher? and if anything with a possible 6 extra games per season now between the italian clubs and knock out games if anything it is going to be a bit decremental to Irish players who risk more burn out and injuries. That and I'd say we will be back to playing on 6 nations weekends again

Amabokke

Joe the Santa wrote: »

Italians tougher? and if anything with a possible 6 extra games per season now between the italian clubs and knock out games if anything it is going to be a bit decremental to Irish players who risk more burn out and injuries. That and I'd say we will be back to playing on 6 nations weekends again

I believe the Italians are very physical, whether they're tougher than the Irish I don't know. I simply believe the ML have come to a stage where you need to make some changes as teams are so used to each other that the Italians physical presence will bring that extra something to the game.

It's not any different for other nations or leagues. It simply means now that more young Irish players will get the experience of playing in this league before moving up to HC, 6N, etc.

Stealdo

Joe the Santa wrote: »

Truthfully it won't be too long before they aren't there to make up the numbers cause given the current state of Scottish rugby this could see Italy easily over take them now that they have 2 clubs playing good quality rugby week in week out

Edinburgh and Glasgow finished 2nd and 7th last season, better averaged out performance than either the Irish or Welsh teams.

The Italian teams will compete well quite quickly if they manage to bring home the players, if they don't it could possibly spiral the other way and end up with them withdrawing from the league after 3/4 seasons. Hopefully they will get them as it would add hugely to the competition.

thomond2006

Joe the Santa wrote: »

Truthfully it won't be too long before they aren't there to make up the numbers cause given the current state of Scottish rugby this could see Italy easily over take them now that they have 2 clubs playing good quality rugby week in week out

The current state of Scottish rugby?

Edinburgh second in ML, Glasgow 7th in ML, Glasgow beat Toulouse away in Heineken Cup and were unlucky not to get through to knockout stages.

Edinburgh coach Andy Robinson promoted to Scottish Head Coaching position for his excellent work at Edinburgh.

Scotland A win IRB Nations Cup.