Official EPCR Champions Cup Preview Thread - A New Hope

.ak

Swiwi. wrote: »

Something else. Can't speak for the Leinster match but for the Clermont one EVERY TIME there was a break in play on came the physios, water boys etc. too much like gridiron for my liking. Should be seriously reduced it was basically delaying tactics from sarries.

The ref has final say about that. A lot of refs won't allow water on the pitch unless there's a serious reason for stoppage.

BBDBB

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

I never understood why in both the old and new competitions, there was not a clause whereby if two teams from the same country were in the final, then the final would be moved to that country.

not only the above answer but the logistics of organising a final would mean you couldn't wait that long from the venues perspective

bilston

Ulster

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I think I must be mad and I'm clearly in a minority but I don't think 80 quid is expensive for a category 1 ticket to (in theory) the biggest club game of the season?

I'm sure prices will fall, but I don't think they're that high really.

I think that's fair enough, it is the biggest European club game of the season (and not in theory either) so you shouldn't expect to get tickets for peanuts.

bilston

Ulster

thomond2006 wrote: »

I hope Italy gets it as they were shafted out of it this year (2015 Heineken Cup was supposed to be at San Siro). I doubt it's going to happen though and empty seats at Twickenham certainly won't help their chances.

I bet it's Cardiff.

bilston

Leinster

bilston wrote: »

I think that's fair enough, it is the biggest European club game of the season (and not in theory either) so you shouldn't expect to get tickets for peanuts.

I absolutely do now though!

techdiver

I was looking at flights yesterday before the game for the final (eternal optimist) and the cheapest was €140 return. Checked again today and they are down to €40 return. The airlines don't miss a trick!

As with everything, whether it be ticket prices, transport and accommodation (although London prices usually seem steady regardless or what is on, not like the disaster that is Cardiff), there will always be profiteering based on supply and demand. The problem for EPC Rugby is that this has backfired this year and the structure they have put in place whereby the richest clubs will only get richer will ensure this continues.

If they want full stadia for finals from now on, they might as well play them in France.

bilston

Ulster

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I absolutely do now though!

Sure what's £80 to someone on a London wage :-)

irishbucsfan

Leinster

bilston wrote: »

Sure what's £80 to someone on a London wage :-)

I could get a pint for that!

sydneybound

From the Guardian..... "Toulon have already returned 40% of their ticket allocation & Clermont have been allocated only 5,000"

Clermont have great support but they don't travel. Twickenham is going to be half empty, interesting to see the Aviva Prem twitter page really push tickets for the final, don't think they would have done that under the ERC days.

Podge_irl

For all that I understand it is two French teams and people are wary, I'd suggest anyone who can go does. It has the elements of being an absolutely cracking game and the French fans who do go will make a bloody good show of it.

CatFromHue

I do wonder how it's going to go but the last 2 finals, Toulon Clermont and Toulon Sarries, have had all right attendances.

Not full houses but good enough. The Aviva game had 50K and the Millennium Stadium game had 67K, officially.

Toulon and Clermont both had home QFs and "home" SFs too so who knows.

total former

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/apr/20/european-champions-cup-empty-twickenham-final

Oh dear...

Also of note, ze French have put in a bid for Marseille to host the 2016 final rather than Paris.

thomond2006

Leinster

total former wrote: »

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/apr/20/european-champions-cup-empty-twickenham-final

Oh dear...

Also of note, ze French have put in a bid for Marseille to host the 2016 final rather than Paris.

There's a thread on another forum speculating if the semi-final draws are/were rigged. All I can think is, if they were rigged you certainly wouldn't want to make it easy for the French to get through!

In one way I'd like to say good riddance to a half-empty ground. In another sense it's very sad. If they do cut prices though I'd consider flying over, with it being the bank holiday weekend and all.

What this will teach EPCR is they have to move back to a three week gap between knockout matches or this is going to be repeat itself.

molloyjh

Leinster

total former wrote: »

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/apr/20/european-champions-cup-empty-twickenham-final

Oh dear...

Also of note, ze French have put in a bid for Marseille to host the 2016 final rather than Paris.

This was always going to happen with these two French teams in the final. They couldn't sell out the Aviva with a load of Irish fans going, there is simply no way they'll get big numbers this time either. Twickenham was great for the 2012 final because the vast majority of spectators were supporters of the sides involved. This time the supporters will be massively outnumbered by the neutrals. Even if they can up the attendance numbers by a decent amount the atmosphere will still be pretty poor.

total former

Northampton

total former wrote: »

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/apr/20/european-champions-cup-empty-twickenham-final

Oh dear...

Also of note, ze French have put in a bid for Marseille to host the 2016 final rather than Paris.

Honestly I can't blame fans for being cynical.

Two teams bought and paid for, political machinations behind closed doors deciding the fate of the tournament in the best interests of everyone bar the players and fans and only 1 English team within even a whiff of a final despite the tournament changing mostly to accommodate the English clubs' sense of entitlement.

Cookiemunster

Leinster

molloyjh wrote: »

This was always going to happen with these two French teams in the final. They couldn't sell out the Aviva with a load of Irish fans going, there is simply no way they'll get big numbers this time either. Twickenham was great for the 2012 final because the vast majority of spectators were supporters of the sides involved. This time the supporters will be massively outnumbered by the neutrals. Even if they can up the attendance numbers by a decent amount the atmosphere will still be pretty poor.

Lads the other thing is that outside of traveling, French fans won't pay big money for tickets. I was at the 2010 final in Paris and paid €18 for my ticket. The cheapest tickets for the 2011 final in Cardiff were £35. And this time they're £38 with the worst exchange rate in years.

sydthebeat

Clermont

at the end of the day, the teams are from 2 cities with a combined population of less than 300,000

they are not going to fill a 82,000 stadium in a different country

jacothelad

sydthebeat wrote: »

at the end of the day, the teams are from 2 cities with a combined population of less than 300,000

they are not going to fill a 82,000 stadium in a different country

Just shows the crassness of being unable to have a contingency in place to change the final venue in sucha case.

Podge_irl

jacothelad wrote: »

Just shows the crassness of being unable to have a contingency in place to change the final venue in sucha case.

There is absolutely no feasible way of changing the venue. People have tickets, hotels and transport arrange months in advance.

total former

sydthebeat wrote: »

at the end of the day, the teams are from 2 cities with a combined population of less than 300,000

they are not going to fill a 82,000 stadium in a different country

That doesn't sound right at all? I've been to Toulon and Clermont, they both strike me as being pretty decent sized cities.

Swiwi.

Just my 2c, but Clermont & Toulon couldn't be more different areas of France: Clermont - central, rural. Toulon - southern, more urban, (more brash).

It shoudn't necessarily be a surprise if the 2 sets of fans are not that alike.

Clermont is not a big population TF. Toulon neither. And outside of Clermont, the other towns in Auvergne are small, Vichy probably next biggest, maybe 30,000 off the top of my head.

bilston

Leinster

bilston wrote: »

Sure what's £80 to someone on a London wage :-)

No idea, I'm not on a London wage!

molloyjh

Leinster

total former wrote: »

That doesn't sound right at all? I've been to Toulon and Clermont, they both strike me as being pretty decent sized cities.

About 140k in Clermont and about 160k in Toulon according to the bible that is Wikipedia.

P_1

total former wrote: »

That doesn't sound right at all? I've been to Toulon and Clermont, they both strike me as being pretty decent sized cities.

Probably 2 Cork sized towns I'd wager, both quite a trek away from reasonable connections to London (Lyon for Clermont and Marseille/Nice for Toulon). Unless the EPC swing a decent deal with the charters you won't get the masses travelling.

UnitedWeStand

http://planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_44611,00.html

Well phuck.

Toulon finally have Cooper.

total former

molloyjh wrote: »

About 140k in Clermont and about 160k in Toulon according to the bible that is Wikipedia.

I think that's in the same way that Dublin has a population of 400,000 though, it's based on the 'city limits'. Both cities would be much larger than that in reality.

Anyway, it's irrelevant. Realistically, Toulon and Clermont fans are going to looking at this thinking, right, I've just been to the European semi-final, the Top 14 playoffs are coming up, I'm not bothered going to London.

Greyian

UnitedWeStand wrote: »

http://planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_44611,00.html

Planet Rugby wrote:

And Toulon might not be done there, with reports emerging this morning that Paul O'Connell could also be on their radar.

Can anyone really see that happening?

awec

Munster

No.

UnitedWeStand

Greyian wrote: »

Can anyone really see that happening?

Irish players are generally very grounded at home, its one of the biggest things the provinces have going for them. Sexton was the only one who left and that was mainly only due to the fact he felt a bit d***ed on.

I think with POC having a kid that'll be a deciding factor in staying.

sydthebeat

Clermont

the guy has 2 european medals, 3 celtic league medals, 3 six nations, 4 triple crowns, 1 grand slam, 3 lions tours

he has nothing to prove by going to france