Ireland to play extra game against NZ outside international window next autumn

P.Walnuts

**MOD Edit**moving this to it's own thread as I think it deserves it

This just tweeted from Derek Foley

Derek Foley ‏@OnlyOneFinFoley 15m
Ireland to play 'revenge' test v All Blacks outside IRB window very, very soon? EXCLUSIVE in today's Irish Star


WTF!!

decisions

P.Walnuts wrote: »

This just tweeted from Derek Foley

Derek Foley ‏@OnlyOneFinFoley 15m
Ireland to play 'revenge' test v All Blacks outside IRB window very, very soon? EXCLUSIVE in today's Irish Star


WTF!!

That makes F all sense

P.Walnuts

decisions wrote: »

That makes F all sense

He must be on the beer

CatFromHue

Prob against the Nude Blacks or something. I really doubt it's a Senior Ireland team.

bilston

P.Walnuts wrote: »

This just tweeted from Derek Foley

Derek Foley ‏@OnlyOneFinFoley 15m
Ireland to play 'revenge' test v All Blacks outside IRB window very, very soon? EXCLUSIVE in today's Irish Star


WTF!!

I wonder if this is connected to New Zealand's plan to play a test match in the States?

its_phil

bilston wrote: »

I wonder if this is connected to New Zealand's plan to play a test match in the States?

Probably is alright. Could be after the tests against Argentina. But four test matches is a lot, unless it is only a two game series with Argentina and then up to NY for New Zealand

jm08

bilston wrote: »

I wonder if this is connected to New Zealand's plan to play a test match in the States?

Probably is. The ABs are looking for an opponent to play on the East Coast next November. Ireland would be most likely country as most of our players are contracted by IRFU so have no problem getting released outside IRB window.

The Eagles v Ireland was also the best attended rugby match in the States as well.

That would be a nice little earner for the IRFU!

ssaye2

P.Walnuts wrote: »

This just tweeted from Derek Foley

Derek Foley ‏@OnlyOneFinFoley 15m
Ireland to play 'revenge' test v All Blacks outside IRB window very, very soon? EXCLUSIVE in today's Irish Star


WTF!!

Pointless if very very soon, really really pointless, just smacks of commercialisation and really would be like the playing them 3 times in a row in a summer all over again which was a joke, once was enough also no offence to the star but its not traditionally a rugby paper and no other source has said this yet. I was told they are not a rugby paper by their head guy so everyone calm down.

danthefan

Leinster have a game every weekend up until the 6N now, 4 of those are HEC. I don't know where you'd fit the game in.

justsomebloke

The figures bandied around this morning is that the IRFU will get an extra million into the coffers for this game. This suggests the IRFU must really be feeling the financial pinch of the lack of take up of the 10 year seats.

has anyone bought today's Irish star?

justsomebloke

Deleted User wrote: »

has anyone bought today's Irish star?

It was mentioned on a couple of radio bulletins this morning that the IRFU were considering it so that's why I have moved to a new thread as there actualyl maybe some truth in it.

bilston

danthefan wrote: »

Leinster have a game every weekend up until the 6N now, 4 of those are HEC. I don't know where you'd fit the game in.

Oh well maybe Joe will give the rest of the lads a chance then;)

Edit - I know the tweet says "very very soon" but I think this will probably refer to next November, just a hunch mind.

bilston

Deleted User wrote: »

has anyone bought today's Irish star?

Come on this is a rugby MB!

awec

I'm confused.

What's going on?

ThisRegard

awec wrote: »

I'm confused.

What's going on?

The rugby equivalent of the FAI asking for an extra spot in some competition because of a hand ball ?

.ak

awec wrote: »

I'm confused.

What's going on?

That's what Harp does to you.

jm08

awec wrote: »

I'm confused.

What's going on?

AB background: They regard it as an income generator and they have an American sponsor in AIG. Don't want to play Australia a 4th time. Two many Saffers now playing in Europe to play outside IRB window.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/9382944/All-Blacks-to-chase-dollars-with-match-in-USA

Neil3030

Nah, not like this. We'd be sending over a second string squad to get humiliated by a bunch of lads fresh off the beer.

Let the pain fester until the next World Cup....

ScissorPaperRock

ThisRegard wrote: »

The rugby equivalent of the FAI asking for an extra spot in some competition because of a hand ball ?

How is this similar at all?

decisions

BOD to retire after victory over All blacks in IRFU money maker.

:pac:

Can't see this actually going ahead any time soon.

ThisRegard

ScissorPaperRock wrote: »

How is this similar at all?

Christ, I knew someone would take it too literally. We got beat in injury time, so that doesn't count, so next game is the winner.

Kayless

I don't understand why we only play 3 AIs anyway, would we not be better playing 4 ie. more money for IRFU and more players getting a go.

ArmaniJeanss

Not enough time in the calendar to ever have a game against Romania or Georgia obviously.

"But we in the IRFU are dedicated to the expansion of rugby and fully support the emerging nations etc etc, here, have a set of bibs"

bilston

Neil3030 wrote: »

Nah, not like this. We'd be sending over a second string squad to get humiliated by a bunch of lads fresh off the beer.

Let the pain fester until the next World Cup....

Don't think we would be sending over a second string team. Sure we probably wouldn't have Sexton available but at the moment he'd be the only one not able to play.

I think this is a good idea as it would be a money spinner for the IRFU and with the doubts surrounding Europe and the tougher challenges in competing with the French clubs for players they have to find new income streams.

ScissorPaperRock

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Not enough time in the calendar to ever have a game against Romania or Georgia obviously.

"But we in the IRFU are dedicated to the expansion of rugby and fully support the emerging nations etc etc, here, have a set of bibs"

We had the Tblisi cup in Georgia last Summer.

decisions

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Not enough time in the calendar to ever have a game against Romania or Georgia obviously.

"But we in the IRFU are dedicated to the expansion of rugby and fully support the emerging nations etc etc, here, have a set of bibs"

That's not really fair, emerging Ireland in Georgia last yr.

justsomebloke

ThisRegard wrote: »

Christ, I knew someone would take it too literally. We got beat in injury time, so that doesn't count, so next game is the winner.

This has nothing to do with the result though. This is purely about the All Blacks being the biggest cash cow game for the IRFU and an opportunity to shore up the coffers especially in a year were we have the lesser 6N teams at home.

With Wales already playing 4 games during the AI's the IRFU are now seeing the benefit that it financially brings to them and want a bit of the action as well.

jacothelad

justsomebloke wrote: »

It was mentioned on a couple of radio bulletins this morning that the IRFU were considering it so that's why I have moved to a new thread as there actualyl maybe some truth in it.

Where's Justin when you need him?

ThisRegard

Yes, I know it's not about the result but all about the money, it was a comment made in jest.

ArmaniJeanss

ScissorPaperRock wrote: »

We had the Tblisi cup in Georgia last Summer.

decisions wrote: »

That's not really fair, emerging Ireland in Georgia last yr.

Meh, B teams against B teams.
Give me examples of full international games.

jacothelad

awec wrote: »

I'm confused.

What's going on?

Have you accidentally sobered up?......:D:D:D

decisions

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Meh, B teams against B teams.
Give me examples of full international games.

Yeh, but you can't say we do nothing for them. A series of games when we already have the lions, the a side and plenty of injured players is still making an effort.

TOMP

Ah sure if we play them often enough we will have to beat them someday....

ArmaniJeanss

decisions wrote: »

Yeh, but you can't say we do nothing for them. A series of games when we already have the lions, the a side and plenty of injured players is still making an effort.

5 full internationals games against NZ in 2 years (if this new one goes ahead).
0 full international games against Georgia or Romania in the same time (not to mention the previous 10 years where the total is still zero excluding the WC game).

If you think that's anything other than disgraceful......

caew

Ireland tried the 4 AIs a few years ago and dropped it. I don't think it got the ticket sales they thought it would. However, that may be a reflection of the time and could be a bigger money spinner now.

However, I prefer not to see it. The AIs while make money for IRFU they get in the way of the provincial games. Between injuries and players not available, playing an extra game and potentially playing it closer to a HEC weekend is not in my opinion a good thing.

molloyjh

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Meh, B teams against B teams.
Give me examples of full international games.

Was the Georgian team not the full senior side?

Surely a tournament involving an Irish side that they can be competitive against (they only lost to us by 5 points after leading at half-time) is better than a one off test where they can't?

danthefan

caew wrote: »

Ireland tried the 4 AIs a few years ago and dropped it. I don't think it got the ticket sales they thought it would. However, that may be a reflection of the time and could be a bigger money spinner now.

That was because they tried to sell tickets to all four games as a package for something close to €350. This was your ONLY option if you wanted to go to the games, no single game tickets. The bad will it generated among fans and clubs (who were terrified about paying for all these packages and not being able to sell them on) really drove people away.

Eventually they relented and sold some tickets separately I think after realising the monumental **** up they'd made.

ted1

The NFL play games outsides the states to promote the sport and they get good attendance figures.

If it goes ahead it'll be a good thing. Not sure about the AB but the Itish team would certainly pulls good crowd on the east coast.

Larbre34

TOMP wrote: »

Ah sure if we play them often enough we will have to beat them someday....

Conversely, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.


Could be a BOD testimonial, theyll send over an All blacks (with a small b) side made up of people he's played against throughout his career, Thorn, Howlett, Rokocoko, Muliaina and of course the crowd puller Tana Umaga, theyll let us win and BOD will ride off into the sunset on a record breaking moment (having just won the Pro 12 final against Munster and the last ever old format Heineken Cup against Toulouse in the cathedral of rugby, Cardiff, beating Saracens in the QFs and Clermont away in the SF)

I think someone is writing a script

ArmaniJeanss

molloyjh wrote: »

Was the Georgian team not the full senior side?

I don't know if they gave caps, but it was a fair bit away from being their first team.

molloyjh wrote: »

Surely a tournament involving an Irish side that they can be competitive against (they only lost to us by 5 points after leading at half-time) is better than a one off test where they can't?

This is fairly lol in the context of Ireland playing NZ yet again with our 0/28 record.
Also the evidence from our last encounter with Georgia would suggest that a full international in Tblisi would not be a game where they 'cant be competitive'.

ScissorPaperRock

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

5 full internationals games against NZ in 2 years (if this new one goes ahead).
0 full international games against Georgia or Romania in the same time (not to mention the previous 10 years where the total is still zero excluding the WC game).

If you think that's anything other than disgraceful......

Is it, really? You sound like you want to ring Joe Duffy about it.

Why stop at Georgia? What about Portugal? Spain? Namibia? The international windows are narrow, and there are lots of teams that we don't play often.

Also, who's going to pay to watch Ireland v Georgia? Sending over a B team against a weaker side is perfectly reasonable in the context of helping advance the game.

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

This is fairly lol in the context of Ireland playing NZ yet again with our 0/28 record.

The Ireland team will become better by regularly playing top class teams. I'm all for this to be honest. Hopefully both sides would be able to field a close to full strength team.

Also, it's disingenuous to suggest that we're not competitive against NZ these days. In two of the last three games they've needed a lucky ref decision in the last few minutes to steal the game. So we're not far off. A one hundred year record is not really relevant to the current state of Irish rugby.

molloyjh

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I don't know if they gave caps, but it was a fair bit away from being their first team.



This is fairly lol in the context of Ireland playing NZ yet again with our 0/28 record.
Also the evidence from our last encounter with Georgia would suggest that a full international in Tblisi would not be a game where they 'cant be competitive'.

Ah come on, that's being incredibly selective with the truth. We're a tier 1 side like NZ and in 2 of the last 4 games have come incredibly close to beating them. We have been competitive. Our last game against Georgia was a time where we were imploding as a team and they are not Tier 1.

You can't honestly believe that Georgia would be competitive against us normally? I think you just want to have a rant against the IRFU. At the end of the day playing in a tournament being hosted in Georgia and playing a team that would give whatever Georgian side took the pitch a chance to compete in front of a home crowd is a positive thing.

Snickers Man

As far as I know the full Irish team (whatever its makeup) is not scheduled to play ANY international matches outside the Six Nations between now and the 2015 World Cup.

Neither Scrum.com nor Irishrugby.ie have any extra fixtures pencilled in between now and then. I notice that England are scheduled to play a three test tour in New Zealand next summer before hosting all the SH big three (SA, NZ, Aus) in Twickenham on successive weekends in November. They will also be hosting Samoa that month.

Looks like the real big boys only want to play each other in the run up to the world cup. Maybe have a go at THEM Armani Jeans before you beat up on an Irish team that has played Tonga, Samoa (x3) Fiji, USA (x3) and Canada outside of competition over the past 10 years. How does that compare with the evangelisation missions of NZ and SA over the same period?

danthefan

Snickers Man wrote: »

As far as I know the full Irish team (whatever its makeup) is not scheduled to play ANY international matches outside the Six Nations between now and the 2015 World Cup.

Neither Scrum.com nor Irishrugby.ie have any extra fixtures pencilled in between now and then. I notice that England are scheduled to play a three test tour in New Zealand next summer before hosting all the SH big three (SA, NZ, Aus) in Twickenham on successive weekends in November. They will also be hosting Samoa that month.

Looks like the real big boys only want to play each other in the run up to the world cup. Maybe have a go at THEM Armani Jeans before you beat up on an Irish team that has played Tonga, Samoa (x3) Fiji, USA (x3) and Canada outside of competition over the past 10 years. How does that compare with the evangelisation missions of NZ and SA over the same period?

There's a 2 or 3 test tour to Argentina next summer, that is confirmed. There will certainly be warm up tests before the RWC, to be scheduled yet.

ArmaniJeanss

Snickers Man wrote: »

Looks like the real big boys only want to play each other in the run up to the world cup. Maybe have a go at THEM Armani Jeans before you beat up on an Irish team that has played Tonga, Samoa (x3) Fiji, USA (x3) and Canada outside of competition over the past 10 years. How does that compare with the evangelisation missions of NZ and SA over the same period?

You are right of course in that we are not the worst offender by any means (though the standard is set fairly low by the worst offenders like NZ/SA). It just seems to be endemic in rugby that no-one ultimately gives a fcuk about the emerging nations despite the odd platitude.

Also the failure to play any European opposition on your list is a rather startling omission in my opinion.
Its going to go around in circles though as an argument as we sent a B team to play the Georgias B team and apparently that's good enough to show our commitment to expansion and inclusivity.

phog

jacothelad wrote: »

Where's Justin when you need him?

Banned

An additional game could be a great money spinner, Wales have had one this year and last year. If it brings in additional revenue to the IRFU coffers then that can only be good for rugby.

Grimebox

jacothelad wrote: »

Have you accidentally sobered up?......:D:D:D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60laqJOuNBM

LeinsterDub

justsomebloke wrote: »

The figures bandied around this morning is that the IRFU will get an extra million into the coffers for this game. This suggests the IRFU must really be feeling the financial pinch of the lack of take up of the 10 year seats.

Great just the amount needed for a men's 7's team

c.b.

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Great just the amount needed for a men's 7's team

Maybe, but I think it's a lot more likely to be the kind of amount that might let them keep Heaslip, O'Brien, Murray et al out of the clutches of the Top 14

former legend

phog wrote: »

An additional game could be a great money spinner, Wales have had one this year and last year. If it brings in additional revenue to the IRFU coffers then that can only be good for rugby.

Additional revenue is always great and a game against the All Blacks is a banker.

There a couple of things to consider though:
1) If you stage another Autumn international, is the extra cash actually extra cash, or will some of it be cannibalised from other games? e.g. will people say "well feck it, I won't go to Ireland v <other team>, I'll go to the New Zealand game instead"?

2) While the timetable for the Heineken Cup next season isn't clear yet, an additional international could screw the provinces over. Take Wales this season, their provinces have been badly hamstrung coming into the HC by the Australia game at the weekend. So, if by staging an international you're losing out on possible gate receipts and ERC prize money, then it's not a great idea.