General Rugby Discussion

bilston

icdg wrote: »

PRL renew their deal with BT Sport through to 2021:



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/premiership/11470940/Premiership-rugby-staying-on-BT-Sport-until-2021-with-cash-injection-a-huge-windfall-for-English-clubs.html

Fair play to the Premiership but from our point of view this will be disastrous if the English clubs have even more money at their disposal. The fight is only ever going to get harder. I don't care what anyone says but we really need to join these guys in a British and Irish League, not that it's even on the table obviously.

wp_rathead

Very enjoyable LV Cup semi today - Exeter had great win in Leicester 33-22.
Sets up a Sarries v Chiefs final

total former

I'm sure many of us read his book, here's an update on Matt Hampson

http://m.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/31871066

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I wonder what "far in excess" means

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/31902745

Premiership Rugby Ltd and BT Sport have announced a new six-year contract for exclusive live rights, understood to be worth around 80% more than the current agreement.

80% more?! Are you kidding me? I guess we're going to see a huge increase in their salary caps from the beginning of this deal.

irishbucsfan

bilston wrote: »

Fair play to the Premiership but from our point of view this will be disastrous if the English clubs have even more money at their disposal. The fight is only ever going to get harder. I don't care what anyone says but we really need to join these guys in a British and Irish League, not that it's even on the table obviously.

It seems McCafferty is opposed to the idea to some extent at least:

"As I understand it, the Pro 12 is starting to invest further in the development of the resources to promote that competition, and that's welcome because it's very important that Europe has three strong leagues.

"We've done more than our bit in terms of making sure the commercial values of the new European competitions reach new highs. That all helps the Pro 12 teams."

Also interesting to see that relegation may not be entirely a thing of the past. I wonder what "more creative" actually means.

McCafferty has also confirmed plans are well underway to expand the Premiership, in the process temporarily scrapping promotion and relegation.

"Teams need a certain amount of time to prepare for life in the Premiership," he said.

"We'll discuss that with the RFU, and if that means the Premiership expands by a club or two over the next few years, then so be it if that's in the interests of rugby."

However, McCafferty says Championship clubs can still aspire for Premiership status, in the same way Exeter have successfully bridged the gap between the two leagues.

"It must be possible for us to look at more creative ways to allow the possibility for the Exeters to come through, but not to throw clubs in at the deep end who aren't possibly ready for life in the Premiership."

OldRio

I would hazard a guess. For 'more creative' read 'if you have a bucket load of cash yer in'

razorblunt

Edinburgh scrum half Grayson Hart is moving to Glasgow Warriors next season.

Rumours around that Visser is off to Harlequins too, not been great for a while but Edinburgh could still do with him.

irishbucsfan

OldRio wrote: »

I would hazard a guess. For 'more creative' read 'if you have a bucket load of cash yer in'

Well that's how it is currently pretty much, with the licensing system, I'm more interested in how the mechanics of it will work.

thomond2006

razorblunt wrote: »

Edinburgh scrum half Grayson Hart is moving to Glasgow Warriors next season.

Rumours around that Visser is off to Harlequins too, not been great for a while but Edinburgh could still do with him.

Visser's try count has fallen off alright: http://www.pro12rugby.com/teams/edinburgh/squad.php?player=19466&includeref=dynamic

thomond2006

Some good news for Treviso for a change: Alessandro Zanni has signed a 3 year deal to stay on.

bilston

I see Mike Fitzgerald has signed for Leicester from the Chiefs. There was some chat that he is IQ, I wonder if any of the provinces were interested.

Teferi

Steve Walsh retired with immediate effect.

molloyjh

Teferi wrote: »

Steve Walsh retired with immediate effect.

Jesus you were all over that one Teferi, that article was just 1 minute old when you posted.

thomond2006

molloyjh wrote: »

Jesus you were all over that one Teferi, that article was just 1 minute old when you posted.

It looks like ssaye2 has a competitor in posting fast links...

Teferi

I am really good at the internet.

durkadurka

Women in tears everywhere

19543261

We will miss him. (right?)

Teferi

19543261 wrote: »

We will miss him. (right?)

Yeah. There aren't a huge amount of top level refs at the moment so we always see the same faces and in his early 40's he probably the bones of a decade left at the top level. Right before the World Cup too.

mfceiling

durkadurka wrote: »

Women in tears everywhere

And men...

That hair.

.ak

All joking aside I'm amazed he's in his 40s :eek:

Wang King

There's more to this story, pulled out of reffing a game, and a week later he retires?
Seems strange to say the least

bilston

Wang King wrote: »

There's more to this story, pulled out of reffing a game, and a week later he retires?
Seems strange to say the least

Don't think there is anything sinister, just that he appears to have other interests to pursue now. Being an international ref means a lot of travelling, especially in the SH in the Super 15 so presumably he can't commit to reffing and whatever his new business interest is.

Pity as he was arguably in the top 3 refs with Owens and Joubert.

aimee1

bilston wrote: »

Don't think there is anything sinister, just that he appears to have other interests to pursue now. Being an international ref means a lot of travelling, especially in the SH in the Super 15 so presumably he can't commit to reffing and whatever his new business interest is.

Pity as he was arguably in the top 3 refs with Owens and Joubert.

and he was a lot more sympathic to the game then some fussy refs like barnes. And unlike barnes, he was thankfully able to notice when france passed the ball forward in the build up to a try

dregin

Fair play to him. Fought through a lot of personal issues to become one of the best refs in the world.

Best of luck, ya sexy bastard!

Swiwi.

Teferi wrote: »

Yeah. There aren't a huge amount of top level refs at the moment so we always see the same faces and in his early 40's he probably the bones of a decade left at the top level. Right before the World Cup too.

Weird. Just before the RWC. Because of business interests? He steadily improved over the years did Steve. Mostly since he became Aussie, which is even weirder. Ah well good luck to him in setting up his chain of men's hair salons.

kooga

He who controls himself, controls the game

.ak

Nail on the head. http://balls.ie/rugby/253641-joe-schmidt-george-hook/

I really will be delighted when Hook finishes up. That sort of 'analysis' should be kept for sensationalism in rag papers. No other country would hire a entertainment only 'pundit' for their national broadcast coverage. Rte have a track record of it though, they seem to think coverage requires a pantomime act. Amateurs.

DGRulz

Even if we have to put up with Daire O' Brien after it I can't wait for both McGurk and Hook to be gone.

b.gud

DGRulz wrote: »

Even if we have to put up with Daire O' Brien after it I can't wait for both McGurk and Hook to be gone.

Am i the only one that doesn't mind McGurk, he usually does brilliant videos that really get me pumped up for the 6 nations. Not saying that I like him or anything but I don't really hate him and I think I would much prefer him to O'Brien.

I will not miss that fool Hook though.

errlloyd

b.gud wrote: »

Am i the only one that doesn't mind McGurk, he usually does brilliant videos that really get me pumped up for the 6 nations. Not saying that I like him or anything but I don't really hate him and I think I would much prefer him to O'Brien.

I will not miss that fool Hook though.

I prefer McGurk to O Brien as well. I also don't think that chairperson job is all that important.