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RaboDirectPro12 2012/13 General Discussion (with transfers/season preview)

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    #272
    .ak
    Registered Users Posts: 30,308 Mod ✭✭✭✭.ak


    Zebre
    The tournament has really been spiced up by the surprise wins last weekend. Looks like it's set to be a cracker of a season....


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    #273
    thomond2006
    Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Zebre
    .ak wrote: »
    The tournament has really been spiced up by the surprise wins last weekend. Looks like it's set to be a cracker of a season....

    Treviso won 22-27 at Edinburgh tonight! Big result!


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    #274
    jacothelad
    Registered Users Posts: 5,926 ✭✭✭jacothelad


    Zebre
    Wow! Bradley for Ireland.


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    #275
    ray jay
    Registered Users Posts: 881 ✭✭✭ray jay


    thomond2006 wrote: »
    Treviso won 22-27 at Edinburgh tonight! Big result!
    The English were right all along, Edinburgh are sacrificing the league for the HEC again! I'm putting my money on them getting to the semis again before the bookies cop it.


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    #276
    jacothelad
    Registered Users Posts: 5,926 ✭✭✭jacothelad


    Zebre
    ray jay wrote: »
    The English were right all along, Edinburgh are sacrificing the league for the HEC again! I'm putting my money on them getting to the semis again before the bookies cop it.

    They are just crap. They had the weakest ever ERC pool and fluked a win over a dreadful Toulouse who imploded. The story that they ignored the league is a way of camouflaging their complete mediocrity and it gives Bradley a free ride. Munster and Saracens will butt hoke them in the Heineken. Racing will probably be as bad as them.


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    #277
    Tox56
    Registered Users Posts: 11,636 ✭✭✭✭Tox56


    jacothelad wrote: »
    They are just crap. They had the weakest ever ERC pool and fluked a win over a dreadful Toulouse who imploded. The story that they ignored the league is a way of camouflaging their complete mediocrity and it gives Bradley a free ride. Munster and Saracens will butt hoke them in the Heineken. Racing will probably be as bad as them.

    And even in that mediocre group the margin of victory in their six games was:

    1 point, 1 point, 18 point loss, 7 points, 3 points and their 4 try win over a London Irish team that was already out of the competition.

    They weren't awful in the H Cup last year, but their success has been blown out of proportion, a lot of things went their way.


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    #278
    thomond2006
    Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Zebre
    jacothelad wrote: »
    They are just crap. They had the weakest ever ERC pool and fluked a win over a dreadful Toulouse who imploded. The story that they ignored the league is a way of camouflaging their complete mediocrity and it gives Bradley a free ride. Munster and Saracens will butt hoke them in the Heineken. Racing will probably be as bad as them.

    As long as they finish above Cardiff (who are crap as well), I don't care! :D


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    #279
    Hagz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,257 ✭✭✭Hagz


    Scarlets
    Visser already has 8 tries this season, after 6 games. There was doubt surrounding whether he could be top scorer again this season due to his international involvement, but I think he'll do it again.


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    #280
    CatFromHue
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 18,150 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatFromHue


    Hagz wrote: »
    Visser already has 8 tries this season, after 6 games. There was doubt surrounding whether he could be top scorer again this season due to his international involvement, but I think he'll do it again.

    Wow the 8 tries would have him as joint third last season, joint fifth the season before, and joint second the season before that!


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    #281
    ray jay
    Registered Users Posts: 881 ✭✭✭ray jay


    Tox56 wrote: »
    They weren't awful in the H Cup last year, but their success has been blown out of proportion, a lot of things went their way.
    Yeah, realistically if Toulouse had lifted a finger they'd have knocked Edinburgh out in the quarter final. No one would be making a big deal about a team that got out of a weak group but were beaten by the first strong opposition they faced.


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    #282
    irishbucsfan
    Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    ray jay wrote: »
    Yeah, realistically if Toulouse had lifted a finger they'd have knocked Edinburgh out in the quarter final. No one would be making a big deal about a team that got out of a weak group but were beaten by the first strong opposition they faced.

    Yeah because Toulouse certainly didn't lift a finger. :rolleyes:


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    #283
    Tox56
    Registered Users Posts: 11,636 ✭✭✭✭Tox56


    Results like the Toulouse-Edinburgh match do happen, and fair play to Edinburgh for getting a famous win, but Toulouse clearly weren't at their best last season. They'd already lost twice in the pool stages and were extremely lucky to even reach the knockouts.


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    #284
    molloyjh
    Registered Users Posts: 24,745 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    Zebre
    irishbucsfan wrote: »
    ray jay wrote: »
    Yeah, realistically if Toulouse had lifted a finger they'd have knocked Edinburgh out in the quarter final. No one would be making a big deal about a team that got out of a weak group but were beaten by the first strong opposition they faced.

    Yeah because Toulouse certainly didn't lift a finger. :rolleyes:

    In fairness Toulouse were very poor that day. Sure weren't Edinbrgh down to 13 men at one point? Edinburgh also got a bit of luck with a blatant knock-on immediately before their first try that the ref missed.


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    #285
    profitius
    Registered Users Posts: 3,976 ✭✭✭profitius


    Zebre
    I think they're better than people give them credit. Edinburgh would have beaten Ulster if they'd a scrum.


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    #286
    jacothelad
    Registered Users Posts: 5,926 ✭✭✭jacothelad


    Zebre
    profitius wrote: »
    I think they're better than people give them credit. Edinburgh would have beaten Ulster if they'd a scrum.
    No they wouldn't.


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    #287
    razorblunt
    Registered Users Posts: 17,300 ✭✭✭✭razorblunt


    ray jay wrote: »
    The English were right all along, Edinburgh are sacrificing the league for the HEC again! I'm putting my money on them getting to the semis again before the bookies cop it.

    Not a hope the Racing Metro games from last year were last roll of the dice type affairs, that won't be repeated.


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    #288
    profitius
    Registered Users Posts: 3,976 ✭✭✭profitius


    Zebre
    jacothelad wrote: »
    No they wouldn't.

    The scrum won the match for Ulster and Pienaar didn't miss a kick. Ulster looked very flat that day and it was a home game for them.


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    #289
    jacothelad
    Registered Users Posts: 5,926 ✭✭✭jacothelad


    Zebre
    profitius wrote: »
    The scrum won the match for Ulster and Pienaar didn't miss a kick. Ulster looked very flat that day and it was a home game for them.

    O.K. I'll see your 'If Edinburgh had a scrum' and raise you an 'If Wannenburg hadn't dropped the ball over the line' and an 'If Gilroy and Pienaar hadn't fecked up a try' and another 'If Trimble hadn't knocked on cave's pass with the line open to him'. 'If Gilroy had scored in the 66th minute as he should'. Do you see how this goes? Ulster played poorly yet still conspired to butcher 3 or 4 gilt edged chances, none of which were scrum related. If Edinburgh had a team capable of beating Ulster they would have. They didn't so they didn't. If my aunt had testicles she'd be in a circus.


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    #290
    thomond2006
    Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Zebre
    TABLE:
    Ulster 21 (game in hand: Zebre away)
    Scarlets 20
    Glasgow 18
    Leinster 17
    Munster 14
    Ospreys 14
    Cardiff 14
    Treviso 13
    Edinburgh 12
    Connacht 10
    NG Dragons 9
    Zebre 1 (game in hand: Ulster at home)

    Ulster looking very good at the moment and they have a game in hand they should win.


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    #291
    profitius
    Registered Users Posts: 3,976 ✭✭✭profitius


    Zebre
    jacothelad wrote: »
    O.K. I'll see your 'If Edinburgh had a scrum' and raise you an 'If Wannenburg hadn't dropped the ball over the line' and an 'If Gilroy and Pienaar hadn't fecked up a try' and another 'If Trimble hadn't knocked on cave's pass with the line open to him'. 'If Gilroy had scored in the 66th minute as he should'. Do you see how this goes? Ulster played poorly yet still conspired to butcher 3 or 4 gilt edged chances, none of which were scrum related. If Edinburgh had a team capable of beating Ulster they would have. They didn't so they didn't. If my aunt had testicles she'd be in a circus.

    But Ulsters scrum was the difference. It clearly was the difference. Yes its a big IF but my original point still stands. Edinburgh are better than given credit. Their attitude towards the Pro 12 is another matter.


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    #292
    thomond2006
    Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Zebre
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/19862740

    I can see the WRU 'nationalising' the regions soon. While it's important to pay off debt, the club game needs money too!


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    #293
    profitius
    Registered Users Posts: 3,976 ✭✭✭profitius


    Zebre
    thomond2006 wrote: »
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/19862740

    I can see the WRU 'nationalising' the regions soon. While it's important to pay off debt, the club game needs money too!

    I'd say thats their goal. The got the millionaires to pump money into the regions and now they'll try and take over but not without a fight. They should be putting more money into the regions.


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    #294
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 26,114 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    Zebre
    It intrigues me how Wales can be so much better then Ireland on the field while being so much worse off it.


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    #295
    thomond2006
    Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Zebre
    Podge_irl wrote: »
    It intrigues me how Wales can be so much better then Ireland on the field while being so much worse off it.

    Gatland_2.jpg


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    #296
    Winters
    Registered Users Posts: 14,761 ✭✭✭✭Winters


    Even with Regionalisation, the club versus union row hasn't improved in Wales.

    The Regions, all club owned except for 50% of the Dragons which is owned by WRU, have rejected an offer by the WRU to use the money they receive for their Welsh internationals for central contracts instead.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20001262

    Its a pity, this should really have been agreed with regionalisation. The IRFU system has its faults but im bloody glad we don't have same problems Wales are experiencing at domestic level.


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    #297
    irishbucsfan
    Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    I'm looking forward to hearing the region's side of the story on this one. Just seems absolutely ridiculous to turn down such an offer.


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    #298
    justsomebloke
    Registered Users Posts: 10,407 ✭✭✭✭justsomebloke


    Scarlets
    Truthfully I'd say the regions looked at the numbers and decided that they would be better actually getting money that they can at least put against other things rather then just having a few players salaries covered


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    #299
    Winters
    Registered Users Posts: 14,761 ✭✭✭✭Winters


    justsomebloke wrote: »
    Truthfully I'd say the regions looked at the numbers and decided that they would be better actually getting money that they can at least put against other things rather then just having a few players salaries covered

    They may have gone in thinking that the central contracts would be outside the funding they currently receive from the WRU.

    The French clubs will be looking at the likes of North, Roberts, Lydiate and Faletau with more interest now. Would be bad for the Pro 12 if they depart.


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    #300
    ray jay
    Registered Users Posts: 881 ✭✭✭ray jay


    Winters wrote: »
    They may have gone in thinking that the central contracts would be outside the funding they currently receive from the WRU.

    The French clubs will be looking at the likes of North, Roberts, Lydiate and Faletau with more interest now. Would be bad for the Pro 12 if they depart.
    Quite true, and considering the plans to expand the Top14, the French demand for talent will only increase. I wouldn't be surprised to see some players leaving Irish sides either, there are only so many central contracts that can be handed out.


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    #301
    irishbucsfan
    Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19716087

    Very interesting article on the Championship soccer teams implementing a dynamic pricing system, similar to that used by teams in America. The price of tickets changes as demand for each game changes, while always remaining above the cost that STHs have paid.

    This could really help attract fans to the lesser games on the RDP12 calendar.


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