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2015-16 Champions Cup thread

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    #782
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,533 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    The deal runs until the end of 2017-18, so there's a bit of way left to go on that. Incidentally I recall the EPCR deal is up at the same time.


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    #783
    molloyjh
    Registered Users Posts: 24,745 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    thomond2006 wrote: »
    When are the Pro12 TV contracts up for renewal? TG4 provide a pittance (less than €1m IIRC). Irish rugby will need Eir Sport to up the ante regarding the TV money, it's a source of finance that must increase.

    It must increase here in Ireland specifically. We have the biggest market in the Pro12 and that should be reflected in the TV rights, but it really isn't at all.


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    #784
    Winters
    Registered Users Posts: 14,761 ✭✭✭✭Winters


    molloyjh wrote: »
    He's not far wrong. Look at the pools this year. Munster won't make it out of their pool. Connacht probably won't either given Wasps form at the moment and Toulouse won't be beaten at home again in all likelihood. Leinster probably have the best shot, but Montpellier and Northampton are going to be very tough. They'll need to top their pool and that's a big ask. Finally Ulster will find it hard to top theirs ahead of Clermont and will struggle to make up the points required to be one of the best runners up against Exeter and Bordeaux.

    The fact that the English and French owners appear to have no strict limit on the amount of home grown and home qualified players that they can employ means their recruitment of "foreign" players is unbalancing the game. Not only are other teams weakened by losing their players they are also having to compete financially to keep them.

    While salary caps are currently used as a quasi/semi control I would have thought a common (world/hemisphere wide) "home country qualified" rule similar to Ireland's would bring a large degree of balance to rugby in both hemispheres. I reckon the majority of global pro teams would already be at or under a 5 player rule which should make it more feasible. This would then force the likes of the English and French speculator owners to focus more on local recruitment and development which is what rugby should be about.

    I would like to think that strict player quotas would be easier to enforce and would negate the financial disparities.

    molloyjh wrote: »
    It must increase here in Ireland specifically. We have the biggest market in the Pro12 and that should be reflected in the TV rights, but it really isn't at all.

    And who pays for that increase?


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    #785
    phog
    Registered Users Posts: 23,802 ✭✭✭✭phog


    thomond2006 wrote: »
    When are the Pro12 TV contracts up for renewal? TG4 provide a pittance (less than €1m IIRC). Irish rugby will need Eir Sport to up the ante regarding the TV money, it's a source of finance that must increase.

    It might be good for the teams to pick up on the extra TV rights money but who's going to be outbidding TG4? Even if eirSport want the rights would they even have to double the current fee? It looks like RTE has no mass in it.


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    #786
    bilston
    Registered Users Posts: 17,758 ✭✭✭✭bilston


    phog wrote: »
    thomond2006 wrote: »
    When are the Pro12 TV contracts up for renewal? TG4 provide a pittance (less than 1m IIRC). Irish rugby will need Eir Sport to up the ante regarding the TV money, it's a source of finance that must increase.

    It might be good for the teams to pick up on the extra TV rights money but who's going to be outbidding TG4? Even if eirSport want the rights would they even have to double the current fee? It looks like RTE has no mass in it.

    If Pay TV were to get exclusive rights then they'd pay more money. At the moment the rights are divided between 4 or 5 channels. Sky or BT will pay a lot more if they are the sole broadcaster.

    Sky or BT/Eir Sport with exclusive live rights and BBC/TG4/TV3 or whoever with a Match of the Day style highlights programme may be the best way forward to maximise money and maintain interest amongst casual supporters.


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    #787
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    molloyjh wrote: »
    He's not far wrong. Look at the pools this year. Munster won't make it out of their pool. Connacht probably won't either given Wasps form at the moment and Toulouse won't be beaten at home again in all likelihood. Leinster probably have the best shot, but Montpellier and Northampton are going to be very tough. They'll need to top their pool and that's a big ask. Finally Ulster will find it hard to top theirs ahead of Clermont and will struggle to make up the points required to be one of the best runners up against Exeter and Bordeaux.

    The way I see it at the moment is something like this:

    Pool Winners:
    Racing
    Wasps
    Saracens
    Leinster
    Clermont

    Best Runners Up:
    Toulouse
    Toulon
    Montpellier

    And even that is somewhat hopeful. Leinster may well not get out of their pool at all either. Although I do think one of ourselves or Ulster will. Pool 3 is clearly the one where 2 sides will emerge. Sale and Scarlets aren't going to be able to put it up to Toulon and Saracens.

    You shut up we'll fecking win the thing.

    All-Irish Semi Finals. All Irish Final.

    Alright?


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    #788
    bilston
    Registered Users Posts: 17,758 ✭✭✭✭bilston


    I'm a bit more confident about the provinces this year.

    You can't underestimate the impact of the WC last year. The Pro 12 will always suffer more than the other leagues because it serves 4 national teams, the Premiership and Top 14 serve 1 national team each. The fact is the Pro 12 sides were nowhere near ready for the start of Europe in comparison to the Premiership and Top 14. The English players were back from WC duty a week earlier and even then we held our players back longer anyway as we usually do. There is no WC distraction this season and I expect a better European performance.

    Obviously the money involved now makes it harder for our teams, but I wouldn't be surprised to see both Leinster and Ulster in the Quarter Finals and depending on the draw maybe one making the semi finals, and if you get a home territory draw there then who knows.


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    #789
    molloyjh
    Registered Users Posts: 24,745 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    Deleted User wrote: »
    You shut up we'll fecking win the thing.

    All-Irish Semi Finals. All Irish Final.

    Alright?

    tenor.gif


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    #790
    Digifriendly
    Registered Users Posts: 4,020 ✭✭✭Digifriendly


    Ospreys
    molloyjh wrote: »
    thomond2006 wrote: »
    When are the Pro12 TV contracts up for renewal? TG4 provide a pittance (less than 1m IIRC). Irish rugby will need Eir Sport to up the ante regarding the TV money, it's a source of finance that must increase.

    It must increase here in Ireland specifically. We have the biggest market in the Pro12 and that should be reflected in the TV rights, but it really isn't at all.
    This would not be good news for viewers in NI if they had to subscribe to Eir Sports. A throwback to days when Setanta had live rights and very few here in NI subscribed. Surely with S4C and BBC Alba promotion of native language is important and with GFA the coverage of TG4 north and south of the border is vital so k p rugby on TG4.


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    #791
    RichieRich89
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 511 ✭✭✭RichieRich89


    Ulster
    molloyjh wrote: »
    He's not far wrong. Look at the pools this year. Munster won't make it out of their pool. Connacht probably won't either given Wasps form at the moment and Toulouse won't be beaten at home again in all likelihood. Leinster probably have the best shot, but Montpellier and Northampton are going to be very tough. They'll need to top their pool and that's a big ask. Finally Ulster will find it hard to top theirs ahead of Clermont and will struggle to make up the points required to be one of the best runners up against Exeter and Bordeaux.

    The way I see it at the moment is something like this:

    Pool Winners:
    Racing
    Wasps
    Saracens
    Leinster
    Clermont

    Best Runners Up:
    Toulouse
    Toulon
    Montpellier

    And even that is somewhat hopeful. Leinster may well not get out of their pool at all either. Although I do think one of ourselves or Ulster will. Pool 3 is clearly the one where 2 sides will emerge. Sale and Scarlets aren't going to be able to put it up to Toulon and Saracens.

    Darcy is obsessed with NIQs. He seems to think that it's impossible for the provinces to compete unless they have 5 or 6 high-quality imports. It's a bit of a joke really when you consider how many internationals Leinster have. Leinster might very well not qualify from their group, but it's laughable for someone to think that it's virtually impossible to compete with Montpellier and Northampton when a lot of the same players will be going toe-to-toe with England, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand


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    #792
    molloyjh
    Registered Users Posts: 24,745 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    RichieRich89 wrote: »
    Darcy is obsessed with NIQs. He seems to think that it's impossible for the provinces to compete unless they have 5 or 6 high-quality imports. It's a bit of a joke really when you consider how many internationals Leinster have. Leinster might very well not qualify from their group, but it's laughable for someone to think that it's virtually impossible to compete with Montpellier and Northampton when a lot of the same players will be going toe-to-toe with England, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand

    Obsessed? Where are you getting that from? He had an article where he mentioned it in June but that's it AFAIK. And he wasn't talking about competing in the pools, he was talking about winning the Champions Cup outright. He spoke about logistical issues with delayed pre-seasons etc for the internationals leaving the provinces playing catch up with the big spenders in England and France. All very logical stuff really. We can argue just how valid that is but I don't think he said anything particularly crazy in the article.

    http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/gordon-d-arcy-overseas-stars-essential-for-ireland-s-success-1.2693871


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