Pro14 Season 2019-2020

Burkie1203

Buer wrote: »

I'm not sure if there'll be a home and away 6N this year but I can see there being a prolonged test period in October and November to try and recoup some of the lost revenue. They'll need to run the Pro14 in tandem with it, I'd imagine. No way they can hold off on the season until later.

I can see there being an incredible back log of fixtures that's going to result in one hell of a draining season.

It's a shame the global calendar isn't going to be approved as it would tie in nicely with everything and allow the season to be completed, a test window and a month off before we kick start everything again.

If SH sides cannot travel north, a 6n series in october/November followed by the reverse fixtures in feb/march is on the cards

Legion2008

connachta wrote: »

****

Ok, so how's this supposed to work, in conference A Leinster are 20 points ahead of Ulster having played one more game, but even if we scratch off one of Leinster's games they are 15/16 points ahead of Ulster and therefore guaranteed to be Conference winners.

But overall in the interest of fairness has there been enough balance in the cross conference and in conference games? you could see Edinburgh and Glasgow each getting 7 match points over their 2 games to give themselves the best chance of getting through, while Munster v Connacht is a no quarter given type of game as both teams have a huge amount to play for.

Please, in the shake up of Pro14 can we get rid of the conferences and go to a standard league format.

Cookiemunster

Burkie1203 wrote: »

If we go through July and August with single digit new cases per day then limited crowds may be possible this side of xmas. I would guess the 4 provinces are making plans to play with limited crowds in RDS, Sportsground, Thomond and Ravenhill.

NZ has reported some new covid19 cases thanks to some British tourists. If they can spread it to the far side of the planet it.......

Outdoor gathering of up to 5000 possible by September.

It could be a big financial boost for Munster and Leinster as they would be able to fit 4 or 5000 socially distanced fans into Thomond and the RDS. Connacht would have more of an issue though.

connachta

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Outdoor gathering of up to 5000 possible by September.

It could be a big financial boost for Munster and Leinster as they would be able to fit 4 or 5000 socially distanced fans into Thomond and the RDS. Connacht would have more of an issue though.

could we play in Pearse Staduim for a few weeks?...

FACECUTTR

connachta wrote: »

could we play in Pearse Staduim for a few weeks?...

No it would have to be ratified at the GAA AGM as far as I remember and I've no idea when that is.

salmocab

FACECUTTR wrote: »

No it would have to be ratified at the GAA AGM as far as I remember and I've no idea when that is.

I’d think in a Covid world that Connacht and irfu would want to use somewhere they can control completely, which might make that a bit awkward.

Burkie1203

salmocab wrote: »

I’d think in a Covid world that Connacht and irfu would want to use somewhere they can control completely, which might make that a bit awkward.

Thomond?

Former Former

FACECUTTR wrote: »

No it would have to be ratified at the GAA AGM as far as I remember and I've no idea when that is.

No that rule is gone, Central Council can approve it now but there's a lot of small print iirc

salmocab

Mc Kinley being released by Benetton, article on rugby pass. It reads like he’s finished now but it’s not quite clear.

Rigor Mortis

He has had a more incredible career than most Heineken CUp winners

Squidgy Black

salmocab wrote: »

Mc Kinley being released by Benetton, article on rugby pass. It reads like he’s finished now but it’s not quite clear.

He's one of 8 players being released at the end of the season.

He's only 30 still, which is mental to think considering it feels like decades ago that the incident happened.

salmocab

Squidgy Black wrote: »

He's one of 8 players being released at the end of the season.

He's only 30 still, which is mental to think considering it feels like decades ago that the incident happened.

Do they mean end of this season as in the unfinished one or next season?

Squidgy Black

salmocab wrote: »

Do they mean end of this season as in the unfinished one or next season?

End of the 'current' season so the unfinished one

Buer

Biggest loss to Irish rugby in the professional era, to my mind. Greater than Holland, O'Malley, Scally, Pollock or the rarely mentioned Paul Ryan.

If the accident never occurred, I imagine there would be a significant knock on impact in Irish rugby. Guys like Carbery, Ross Byrne and Ian Madigan probably would not be having the careers they have and it probably would have impacted Sexton to some degree. If Sexton went to Racing and Ian McKinley was 25 years old and fully fit, I'm not certain Sexton would have been coming back to Leinster.

He was someone with the talent to start at 10 for Leinster when he was 19 years old and play outside centre for the Irish U20 team at the same time to accommodate Ian Madigan.

Unfortunately, given his medical history and the current financial constraints, I don't see him remaining in professional rugby in any capacity for the coming year.

Paul Smeenus

Buer wrote: »

Biggest loss to Irish rugby in the professional era, to my mind. Greater than Holland, O'Malley, Scally, Pollock or the rarely mentioned Paul Ryan.

If the accident never occurred, I imagine there would be a significant knock on impact in Irish rugby. Guys like Carbery, Ross Byrne and Ian Madigan probably would not be having the careers they have and it probably would have impacted Sexton to some degree. If Sexton went to Racing and Ian McKinley was 25 years old and fully fit, I'm not certain Sexton would have been coming back to Leinster.

He was someone with the talent to start at 10 for Leinster when he was 19 years old and play outside centre for the Irish U20 team at the same time to accommodate Ian Madigan.

Unfortunately, given his medical history and the current financial constraints, I don't see him remaining in professional rugby in any capacity for the coming year.

Started at Leinster at 19, got six caps over the next three years. He's a loss to Leinster, but I don't think, from an Ireland perspective, he's the loss Pollock or Spence was.

Buer

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Started at Leinster at 19, got six caps over the next three years. He's a loss to Leinster, but I don't think, from an Ireland perspective, he's the loss Pollock or Spence was.

The eye injury happened 7 months after his debut and a few weeks after his 20th birthday. Whilst he did manage to get back on the field after that, he had blurred vision which eventually resulted in his retina detatching and his ultimate retirement at 21.

I suppose we'll never really know what level he could have reached but, even after the initial injury and surgery, he still managed to return and play at 20 years old and look a cut above.

The reason I see him as a greater loss is simply because we have had backrowers and centres coming out of our ears in Irish rugby. We only tend to produce a top quality halfback about once every 6 or 7 years.

Former Former

McKinley could have been really good, but equally he could have fizzled out like many other young prospects. Ditto Spence and Pollock.

I think McKinley deserves huge credit for achieving what he did,

Paul Smeenus

Buer wrote: »

The eye injury happened 7 months after his debut and a few weeks after his 20th birthday. Whilst he did manage to get back on the field after that, he had blurred vision which eventually resulted in his retina detatching and his ultimate retirement at 21.

I suppose we'll never really know what level he could have reached but, even after the initial injury and surgery, he still managed to return and play at 20 years old and look a cut above.

The reason I see him as a greater loss is simply because we have had backrowers and centres coming out of our ears in Irish rugby. We only tend to produce a top quality halfback about once every 6 or 7 years.

In that case, Jackson is much the bigger loss.

Paul Smeenus

But let's not open that tin of worms.

Digifriendly

Former Former wrote: »

McKinley could have been really good, but equally he could have fizzled out like many other young prospects. Ditto Spence and Pollock.

I think McKinley deserves huge credit for achieving what he did,

I fail to get point re Nevin Spence and David Pollock. Nevin Spence did not fizzle out. He died tragically as the result of a farming accident. David Pollock was forced to retire prematurely on Doctor's advice due to long term problem. He didn't fizzle out either. He simply retired.

Bridge93

He’s not saying they fizzled out. They’re saying they might have as so many young talented prospects who are touted as the next big thing do. We’ll never know with any of them is the premise

Burkie1203

New 16 team european/world tournament in pipeline in few years time according to today's herald

salmocab

Burkie1203 wrote: »

New 16 team european/world tournament in pipeline in few years time according to today's herald

There’s been so many plans lately it’s like an episode of Blackadder.

b.gud

salmocab wrote: »

There’s been so many plans lately it’s like an episode of Blackadder.

jacothelad

salmocab wrote: »

There’s been so many plans lately it’s like an episode of Blackadder.

...as jointly devised by Baldrick and Father Dougal Maguire .:D

salmocab

jacothelad wrote: »

...as jointly devised by Baldrick and Father Dougal Maguire .:D

To be honest at this stage I’ve seen so many plans and suggestions that I take it that nothing has been decided. The papers will print the latest suggestion as if it’s some deal that’s been done but nothing has been decided.

connachta

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rug...-cup-1.4281782

Hell YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Take that Burkie (from my ignore list)

Fairness and basic logic matter in the end

"The decision to make the existing tables the cut-off point is because the 2019-20 Pro14 will be completed with a mixture of both scheduled and unscheduled derbies, the net effect being that Benetton and Zebre would meet four times rather than three, and ditto the two Scottish sides and two South African teams."

Can help us a lot to sign the couple we need : N°8 and utility back-3

Paul Smeenus

"In particular, while Munster will be strengthened by the arrival of World Cup winners Damian de Allende and RG Snyman, in order to avoid a semi-final against Leinster for the third season in a row, Johann van Graan’s team will now have only two games to overtake Edinburgh, who are two points ahead of them in Conference B."

Surely the new Saffers wouldn't be allowed to play in this season's Pro14?

aloooof

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

"In particular, while Munster will be strengthened by the arrival of World Cup winners Damian de Allende and RG Snyman, in order to avoid a semi-final against Leinster for the third season in a row, Johann van Graan’s team will now have only two games to overtake Edinburgh, who are two points ahead of them in Conference B."

Surely the new Saffers wouldn't be allowed to play in this season's Pro14?

I remember reading awhile back that they will be eligible to play. Found it:

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/pro14/new-signings-to-be-eligible-for-pro14-action-from-july-1st-onwards-1.4257661

A board meeting of Celtic Rugby, the organisation which runs the Guinness Pro14, is today expected to ratify that new signings from July 1st will be eligible for any finale to the 2019-20 season should there be one.

Although new arrivals were signed with next season in mind, against that players whose contracts have not been renewed or have signed elsewhere will not be available. Thus aside from therefore restricting teams to operate from smaller squads, were players signed from July 1st onwards ruled ineligible for a delayed finale to the current season, there would also be issues regarding restraint of trade.

Paul Smeenus

aloooof wrote: »

I remember reading awhile back that they will be eligible to play.

Well, there's more important issues around the league at the moment, but I wouldn't be happy if I were a Connacht fan.