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

errlloyd

Zebre

Hagz wrote: »

Rory Lamont has retired.

Ah that's such a **** one, he had so much promise. I think at times he was better than Sean

Between him and Evans Scotland have actually been very unlucky with permanent injuries.

P_1

jacothelad wrote: »

I think it's daft playing Connacht at Musgrave. Stupid bit of business.

Yeah in a business sense that was a blunder, I wonder if politics influenced that decision though to be honest. Perhaps the good folk of Cork were getting slightly fed up of having the 'lesser' matches being given to them.

freyners

Zebre

P_1 wrote: »

Yeah in a business sense that was a blunder, I wonder if politics influenced that decision though to be honest. Perhaps the good folk of Cork were getting slightly fed up of having the 'lesser' matches being given to them.

was a douche move to away supporters at the very least

Mal-Adjusted

jacothelad wrote: »

I think it's daft playing Connacht at Musgrave. Stupid bit of business.

How many games are brought to Musgrave each season? for an interpro, it seems nuts with Galway only 2 hours (by bus!) from Limerick.

My girlfriend is a huge Connacht supporter and I was planning to bring her to this match until I saw that it was in Cork...just too far.

thomond2006

Zebre

So that is how the league finished!

A couple of stats:

Wins/Losses/Draws

• Most Wins: 17 (Leinster & Ulster)
• Most Draws: 2 (Benetton Treviso)
• Most Losses: 22 (Zebre)
• Most Try Bonus Points: 9 (Leinster & Glasgow Warriors)
• Fewest Try Bonus Points: 1 (All five bottom clubs)
• Most Losing Bonus Points: 9 (Zebre)
• Fewest Losing Bonus Points: 1 (Leinster)

Tries

• Most Tries Scored: 66 (Glasgow Warriors)
• Fewest Tries Scored: 28 (Cardiff Blues)
• Most Tries Conceded: 72 (Newport Gwent Dragons)
• Fewest Tries Conceded: 25 (Ospreys)
• Best Try Difference: +36 (Glasgow Warriors)
• Worst Try Difference: -41 (Newport Gwent Dragons)

Points

• Most Points Scored: 585 (Leinster)
• Fewest Points Scored: 291 (Zebre)
• Most Points Conceded: 589 (Newport Gwent Dragons)
• Fewest Points Conceded: 324 (Glasgow Warriors)
• Best Points Difference: +229 (Ulster)
• Worst Points Difference: -282 (Zebre)

---

Below was my prediction at the start of the season (see the OP) of league placings:

1. Leinster
2. Ospreys
3. Munster
4. Ulster
5. Edinburgh
6. Scarlets
7. Glasgow
8. Connacht
9. Cardiff
10. Treviso
11. Dragons
12. Zebre

How right/wrong (!) I was! + denotes that a club finished above what I predicted and - below.

1. Ulster (+3)
2. Leinster (-1)
3. Glasgow (+4)
4. Scarlets (--)
5. Ospreys (-3)
6. Munster (-3)
7. Treviso (+3)
8. Connacht (--)
9. Cardiff (--)
10. Edinburgh (-5)
11. Dragons (--)
12. Zebre (--)

.ak

Zebre

Great season for Treviso it has to be said. 7th is nothing to be sniffed at... although I do understand the drop between the top.

Teferi

Scarlets

I really do think they should start awarding a trophy to the regular season winner and then another for the overall champion.

P_1

Just shows how costly that loss at home to Ulster was for Leinster, a nice 'easy' semi final against the Scarlets would have been very nice

thomond2006

Zebre

To finish 12 points away from the playoffs is very disappointing. Costly results at home to Ospreys, Scarlets and Cardiff really did for us.

its_phil

Teferi wrote: »

I really do think they should start awarding a trophy to the regular season winner and then another for the overall champion.

That would demean the playoffs completely and lead to stupid debates over what trophy is better.

bilston

Zebre

.ak wrote: »

Great season for Treviso it has to be said. 7th is nothing to be sniffed at... although I do understand the drop between the top.

It's just a matter of time before Treviso are threatening the play offs, actually it wouldn't take a huge leap for them to be up there even as soon as next season.

tolosenc

Zebre

Teferi wrote: »

I really do think they should start awarding a trophy to the regular season winner and then another for the overall champion.

They do that in the NHL, and nobody cares about it. It's not quite as ridiculous as when they hand out a trophy to the winners of the promotion playoffs in English football.

irishbucsfan

tolosenc wrote: »

They do that in the NHL, and nobody cares about it. It's not quite as ridiculous as when they hand out a trophy to the winners of the promotion playoffs in English football.

They give out a trophy for the regular season in the AFL as well I think.

its_phil

bilston wrote: »

It's just a matter of time before Treviso are threatening the play offs, actually it wouldn't take a huge leap for them to be up there even as soon as next season.

If the turn the home ground into a fortress the it is very realistic. I'd love them to get an easy group in the HC next year, they'd offer a lot more than Cardiff

its_phil

tolosenc wrote: »

They do that in the NHL, and nobody cares about it. It's not quite as ridiculous as when they hand out a trophy to the winners of the promotion playoffs in English football.

Ah the playoffs in the Chanpionship deserves a trophy when you consider the financial pressures! £20m match its worth now!

But no one really cares about the trophy there. I'm sure if they scrapped the trophy, fans wouldn't even notice

thomond2006

Zebre

The issue for Treviso is holding onto their best players. Both Zanni and Benvenuti have been linked to Perpignan, Treviso can't afford to lose that quality. Mirco Bergamasco is being released by Racing Métro, Treviso should definitely look to signing him up.

The club is owned by the Benetton family, if they put in more money then Treviso could become a rich club very quickly!

errlloyd

Zebre

thomond2006 wrote: »

The club is owned by the Benetton family, if they put in more money then Treviso could become a rich club very quickly!

A little while ago there was talk of the family removing their backing. Like they did their basketball team. Did anything come of that.

lologram

errlloyd wrote: »

A little while ago there was talk of the family removing their backing. Like they did their basketball team. Did anything come of that.

Haven't heard anything about it since. Unless they have financial issues I don't know why they would leave now that Treviso are starting to make the grade properly

irishbucsfan

errlloyd wrote: »

A little while ago there was talk of the family removing their backing. Like they did their basketball team. Did anything come of that.

That was about politics in the election of the President of the FIR. The Italians dared to not elect a Treviso man.

The Benetton family are good for their money, not so good for what they expect in return for it.

Teferi

Scarlets

tolosenc wrote: »

They do that in the NHL, and nobody cares about it.

Yeah thats where I took the idea from. It would be nice to mark the achievement of coming first in the regular season.

bilston

Zebre

its_phil wrote: »

Ah the playoffs in the Chanpionship deserves a trophy when you consider the financial pressures! £20m match its worth now!

More like £100m nowadays!

its_phil

bilston wrote: »

More like £100m nowadays!

£120m I found out. Such a gap between rugby and football.. The Rabo probably cost Sky pocket change!

bilston

Zebre

its_phil wrote: »

£120m I found out. Such a gap between rugby and football.. The Rabo probably cost Sky pocket change!

Definitely the new Premier League TV deal starting next season is worth £3bn and then the foreign TV rights are worth 70% of that so thete you go £5bn over 3 years. Thats serious serious money.

I wonder how much Sky are paying for the Rabo? 0.5% of that?

awec

Player of the Year - Nick Williams

Young Player of the year - Luke Marshall

Try of the year - Andrew Trimble

its_phil

awec wrote: »

Player of the Year - Nick Williams

Young Player of the year - Luke Marshall

Try of the year - Andrew Trimble

Much deserved for Williams and Marshall. If there was a comeback player of the year Williams would have taken that too.

Not sure about Trimble. Bevington v Ulster or Vainikolo v Treviso would have been my choices. But he's played that well any award is deserved, hopefully he gave the credit to Pienaar!

awec

To be totally honest, I don't think his try against Connacht was that good if I am thinking of the right one. But sure, the lad deserves an award for his contribution this year.

Big Nick has been awesome this season, pre-injury more so. I think it took until about January for teams to realise you need to tackle him round the ankles otherwise you can expect to be put on your arse.

its_phil

Might add Michael "King of the Choke Tackle" Swift won the Chairmans award for his contribution to the league and dedication to Connacht Rugby. Hopefully he gets the IRUPA Unsung Hero Award too. The man deserves it.

bilston

Zebre

awec wrote: »

To be totally honest, I don't think his try against Connacht was that good if I am thinking of the right one. But sure, the lad deserves an award for his contribution this year.

Big Nick has been awesome this season, pre-injury more so. I think it took until about January for teams to realise you need to tackle him round the ankles otherwise you can expect to be put on your arse.

Assume it was the from the other week which started with him bursting down the wing passin inside to Pienaar and then Pienaar gave Trimble a reverse flick back to Trimble and then he beat he beat one more player to score in the corner...that's how I remembered it anyway, I thought it was good! Is that the one you're thinking of?

errlloyd

Zebre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuJnOi7_bWU

This one?

bilston

Zebre

errlloyd wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuJnOi7_bWU

This one?

That's it. Was going to post it this morning but you saved me the trouble. Cheers.

I think that was a top top try and not just for Pienaars flick but that certainly added to it.