Magners League Set For Grand Finale

conf101

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2010/0427/magners.html

The battle for Magners League play-off spots could be decided by a 'Super Sunday' finale to the regular season.

With six teams still in the hunt for a top-four finish and only one more round of matches to play, the critical games are set to kick off at the same time to avoid any side gaining an unfair advantage.

It is understood the decisive fixtures have been pencilled in for the evening of Sunday, 9 May.

It would mean four games starting simultaneously, with only the Ulster-Connacht basement battle having no bearing on the play-offs.

The matches lined up for the Sunday are Blues v Munster, Ospreys v Dragons, Scarlets v Glasgow and Leinster v Edinburgh.

Leinster, Glasgow and the Ospreys are already guaranteed play-off spots, but will be looking for wins in order to secure home semi-finals by finishing in the top two.

The remaining top-four place is being contested by Munster, Blues and Edinburgh, with the Dragons now out of the equation.

If the Blues beat Munster at the Cardiff City Stadium and deny the visitors a losing bonus-point, then they will secure a play-off spot - provided Edinburgh don't claim an unlikely bonus-point win away to league leaders Leinster.

The play-offs are scheduled for the weekend of May 14-16, with the top team hosting the fourth side and the runners-up at home to the third-placed outfit.

thomond2006

The same day as the Premier League's Final Day?

That seems a crazy decision.

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

The same day as the Premier League's Final Day?
That seems a crazy decision.

Wont bother me but I can see why they will want to play the matches a the same time and I suppose the teams have asked for the extra day after the H/C S/Finals.

shawpower

I'd be more bothered by the Sunday evening kickoff time??! Why not the Saturday evening. Much better craic that way. :rolleyes:

sock puppet

thomond2006 wrote: »

The same day as the Premier League's Final Day?

That seems a crazy decision.

Well since they'll all be played at the same time there's little television revenue to be lost, and if anything it will bring bigger crowds.

Going to have to get a few more TVs for the weekend I think!

Digifriendly

http://www.magnersleague.com/news/5140.php

All but Ospreys vs Dragons confirmed. Scarlets vs Glasgow (prob. BBC2W) on Friday as well as Ulster vs Connacht (Setanta Ireland); Blues vs Munster (S4C/Setanta 1) and Leinster vs Edinburgh (Setanta Ireland) on Sunday evening at same time (6.15pm).

CatFromHue

sunday evening at 6.15 is an awful time for a game.

the game ends you go home and get ready for work. how exciting!

Crash

got bored, did I breakdown, tis as follows:
Leinster 50 points currently.
If Leinster win - home semi. Home Final rights
If Leinster lose - home semi. home final rights depends on ospreys.
If Leinster lose with bonus point - home semi - home final.

Ospreys 47 points currently.
If Ospreys win with BP - home semi, home final, dependent on Leinster losing without a BP.
If Ospreys win - home semi, home final, dependant on the Leinsters Losing without a BP.
If Ospreys lose - depends on Glasgow, Munster. Means 3rd/4th place.
If Ospreys lose with bonus point - depends on Glasgow, Munster (BP), means 3rd/4th place.

Glasgow 46 points currently.
If Glasgow win with BP - home semi, home final if Leinster lose without BP, Ospreys lose.
If Glasgow win - home semi dependant on Ospreys losing. Otherwise Away semi.
If glasgow lose - away semi.

Munster 44 points currently.
If Munster win with BP - as below.
If Munster win - home semi dependant on Ospreys losing(No BP)
If Munster lose with a BP - Dependant on Cardiff getting no BP.
If Munster lose - Out of the playoffs.

Cardiff 40 points currently.
If Cardiff win - away semi, if they win with a BP, or prevent Munster getting a BP.
If Cardiff lose - out of the playoffs.

Edinburgh 40 points currently.
Edinburgh cannot qualify.

Think that covers everything? anyone notice anything I missed?

edit: ignored draws, got too difficult.

double edit: updated slightly.

Podge_irl

Crash wrote: »

Ospreys
If Ospreys win with BP - home semi, home final.

Dependent on the Leinster result of course.

edit: ignored draws, got too difficult.

Pft, proper procrastination requires more committment.

Crash

Its alright, if I was still a student i'd have written a little application to graph this in...what,5 dimensions? easy peasy, only a few hours of avoiding assignments back then

Risteard

If Munster lose with a bonus point and Cardiff get none, Munster go through and will probably play Leinster.

thomond2006

Risteard wrote: »

If Munster lose with a bonus point and Cardiff get none, Munster go through and will probably play Leinster.

I can't see us winning that one, IMO Leinster have our number at the moment.

I'd take Ospreys any day.

Risteard

Well it's not really up to us who we want to play.

durkadurka

Crash wrote: »

got bored, did I breakdown, tis as follows:
Leinster 50 points currently.
If Leinster win - home semi. Home Final rights
If Leinster lose - home semi. home final rights depends on ospreys.
If Leinster lose with bonus point - home semi - home final.

Ospreys 47 points currently.
If Ospreys win with BP - home semi, home final, dependent on Leinster losing without a BP.
If Ospreys win - home semi, home final, dependant on the Leinsters Losing without a BP.
If Ospreys lose - depends on Glasgow, Munster. Means 3rd/4th place.
If Ospreys lose with bonus point - depends on Glasgow, Munster (BP), means 3rd/4th place.

Glasgow 46 points currently.
If Glasgow win with BP - home semi, home final if Leinster lose without BP, Ospreys lose.
If Glasgow win - home semi dependant on Ospreys losing. Otherwise Away semi.
If glasgow lose - away semi.

Munster 44 points currently.
If Munster win with BP - as below.
If Munster win - home semi dependant on Ospreys losing(No BP)
If Munster lose with a BP - Dependant on Cardiff getting no BP.
If Munster lose - Out of the playoffs.

Cardiff 40 points currently.
If Cardiff win - away semi, if they win with a BP, or prevent Munster getting a BP.
If Cardiff lose - out of the playoffs.

Edinburgh 40 points currently.
Edinburgh cannot qualify.

Think that covers everything? anyone notice anything I missed?

edit: ignored draws, got too difficult.

double edit: updated slightly.

Sorry crash, a number of errors. Leinster need a losing bp to be sure of home semi - glasgow could get 5 points and so could ospreys putting them above Leinster. Leinster need 2 points to be sure ofhome semi and final rights.

Edinburgh can qualify if they get 5 points in RDS and munster lose in cardiff without bp.
Cardiff need to either get 5 points or prevent munster from getting one bp to get through.
If munster get a bp they also need cardiff to not get 5 points to be ok.

durkadurka

thomond2006 wrote: »

I can't see us winning that one, IMO Leinster have our number at the moment.

I'd take Ospreys any day.

all depends on hec semis. whoever wins won't be at the races the next week.
Leinsters back line is totally injured at the moment too.

Crash

durkadurka wrote: »

Sorry crash, a number of errors. Leinster need a losing bp to be sure of home semi - glasgow could get 5 points and so could ospreys putting them above Leinster. Leinster need 2 points to be sure ofhome semi and final rights.

Edinburgh can qualify if they get 5 points in RDS and munster lose in cardiff without bp.
Cardiff need to either get 5 points or prevent munster from getting one bp to get through.
If munster get a bp they also need cardiff to not get 5 points to be ok.

I had this inkling feeling there was something awfully wrong with my calculations tbh - Bonus points only occured to me about half way down the list. the top of the table ones were added as an afterthought

edit: you're wrong on the Cardiff one though - as long as Cardiff win, and deny a bonus, then they're through. They'd have one more win this season then Munster, so it'd be theirs.

double edit: thats exactly what you typed, apparently. Think I need to go to bed.

durkadurka

Crash wrote: »

I had this inkling feeling there was something awfully wrong with my calculations tbh - Bonus points only occured to me about half way down the list. the top of the table ones were added as an afterthought

edit: you're wrong on the Cardiff one though - as long as Cardiff win, and deny a bonus, then they're through. They'd have one more win this season then Munster, so it'd be theirs.

double edit: thats exactly what you typed, apparently. Think I need to go to bed.

No you're right i was wrong. i'll give you that one!

Blut2

Sunday at 6pm mightnt be ideal for drinking but it should work well enough for Leinster. Glasow playing earlier on the Friday is good, if the Ospreys game is scheduled for Friday as well or for Saturday it'll be even better. Leinster'll know exactly what they have to play for on Sunday if that happens..

durkadurka

Blut2 wrote: »

Sunday at 6pm mightnt be ideal for drinking but it should work well enough for Leinster. Glasow playing earlier on the Friday is good, if the Ospreys game is scheduled for Friday as well or for Saturday it'll be even better. Leinster'll know exactly what they have to play for on Sunday if that happens..

the outcome of the glasgow came will be crucial in terms of home semi.
Ospreys game not so important - i assume they will beat dragons now and could easily get a bp.

icdg

CatFromHue wrote: »

sunday evening at 6.15 is an awful time for a game.

the game ends you go home and get ready for work. how exciting!

It has to be that late, FA Premier League final day is that day, although all (the football) games are as I understand 4pm kickoffs so they finish by 6pm. That leaves pubs the time to switch over to the rugby.

Why CRL/Setanta don't run the games on the Saturday when there is no football I don't know. All I can say is absentee rates on the following Monday might be quite high among those who support both one each of Chelsea/Manchester United and Leinster/Munster - and I'd imagine there are a few out there...

Podge_irl

durkadurka wrote: »

Ospreys game not so important - i assume they will beat dragons now and could easily get a bp.

I wouldn't be so sure. The Dragons are a handy outfit. I've also heard mumblings that the game might be moved to Rodney Parade as their is a possibility of a soccer game clash at the Ospreys ground. If that happened it would be 50/50 at best methinks.

Crash

Btw, below is the reason that Ospreys vs NG Dragons has not been finalised on:

http://www.ospreysrugby.com/news/3808.php

durkadurka

I'll hear none of it from the ospreys regarding scheduling and cancelling matches at short notice....