Pro14 Season 2019-2020

aloooof

Cookiemunster wrote: »

There is no medical reason to postpone these games as everyone involved from the two clubs has been tested since and is clear. This is a political stunt to deflect from her handling of the school grades scandal. Rugby doesn't have the same profile, so won't get the same treatment.

Tangent, but scandal seems far too severe, imo. They had to come up with a completely new system, at short notice, in unprecedented circumstances. They got it wrong, but it was hardly large-scale bribery or corruption.

Former Former

Cookiemunster wrote: »

There's one game postponed between Linfield and Drita from Kosovo because a player tested positive yesterday. The game had already been moved to Switzerland due to the case numbers in Kosovo. Atletico Madrid had two positive cases, but tested the rest of the squad, got the all clear and traveled to Portugal to play their CL match.

Positive tests are not the reason that the SPL games are off. The First Minister has stated that she wanted them off as punishment for the players actions. That's not a conspiracy theory, it's what she actually said.
From the article I linked above.

Do you not think they should be punished? That they should just be let off with this pretty outrageous behaviour?

bob mcbob

Cookiemunster wrote: »

There is no medical reason to postpone these games as everyone involved from the two clubs has been tested since and is clear. This is a political stunt to deflect from her handling of the school grades scandal. Rugby doesn't have the same profile, so won't get the same treatment.

Well Neil Lennon does not seem to see it that way -

It will be "very difficult" for Boli Bolingoli to be accepted back into the Celtic dressing room, says "livid" manager Neil Lennon.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53737214

Cookiemunster

Former Former wrote: »

Do you not think they should be punished? That they should just be let off with this pretty outrageous behaviour?

bob mcbob wrote: »

Well Neil Lennon does not seem to see it that way -

It will be "very difficult" for Boli Bolingoli to be accepted back into the Celtic dressing room, says "livid" manager Neil Lennon.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53737214

Quite obviously the players should be punished (I never said they shouldn't be?), but what's the point in trying to punish the clubs by forcing them to postpone fixtures? It doesn't really punish them as they'll be played eventually anyway, and there's no danger of transmission as all players and staff have been tested at least twice since the incidents.

As I said it's a political decision to postpone the games. The players will be disciplined by their clubs if they haven't already been.

Cookiemunster

Could the Pro 14 soon be looking for a new broadcaster? Eir look to be having trouble paying their bills.

https://www.the42.ie/virgin-media-eir-sport-5175418-Aug2020/

Virgin Media
“We have suspended our supply of Virgin Media Sport and Virgin Media Sport Extra to eir Sport because, eir has failed to pay the contracted distribution licence fee.

Eir
“In common with other live entertainment businesses operating through this pandemic, eir Sports can only pay for the sports events that actually take place.

“We have consistently offered fair terms to each of our live sports content providers to reflect the reduced timetable, however Virgin Media has not agreed to updated terms and has taken the unreasonable step of unilaterally withholding their feed from Virgin Media Sports viewers on the eir network.

“eir Sports remains committed to offering the best in available live sports entertainment and we are working towards a swift resolution to this issue.”

Larbre34

Lets hope so. The ridiculous proliferation of subscriptions required to watch our sport needs to change. Returning live Pro14 to terrestrial or at a push Sky or BT would be fantastic.

If I subscribed to Eir I'd be cancelling the DD immediately, likely to be dead money within weeks.

Former Former

Eh? Dead money?

There's no suggestion that eir can't pay, just that they don't think they should have to.

awec

Former Former wrote: »

Eh? Dead money?

There's no suggestion that eir can't pay, just that they don't think they should have to.

I think it’s a reasonable enough suggestion that Eir may be struggling.

Their coverage of the league has been an amateur mess.

molloyjh

Former Former wrote: »

Eh? Dead money?

There's no suggestion that eir can't pay, just that they don't think they should have to.

Which is the mother of all ironies given that they continued charging the same amount for their sports package after losing BT.

Former Former

awec wrote: »

I think it’s a reasonable enough suggestion that Eir may be struggling.

It's not, it's really not. Eir is very profitable.

awec wrote: »

Their coverage of the league has been an amateur mess.

No argument there, but the lads above are engaging in a bit of wishful thinking that they'll go bust.

This is Virgin Media acting the dick. Like, pulling the plug just as a Champions League game is about to start, then just telling people to ring Eir about it?

Squidgy Black

Former Former wrote: »

This is Virgin Media acting the dick. Like, pulling the plug just as a Champions League game is about to start, then just telling people to ring Eir about it?

In fairness it sounds like both sides are acting the bollóx, Eir trying to change the terms of the distribution licence they've signed for by holding out payment, and Virgin retaliating by cutting off the whole lot as a result of that contract breach.

awec

Former Former wrote: »

It's not, it's really not. Eir is very profitable.



No argument there, but the lads above are engaging in a bit of wishful thinking that they'll go bust.

This is Virgin Media acting the dick. Like, pulling the plug just as a Champions League game is about to start, then just telling people to ring Eir about it?

Eir Sport is?

I'd be surprised if it's very profitable.

Eir's notion that they can only pay for events that actually take place, have they waived all their fees during the lock down? I doubt it. Happily still charging customers for nothing.

Former Former

awec wrote: »

Eir Sport is?

I'd be surprised if it's very profitable.

Eir's notion that they can only pay for events that actually take place, have they waived all their fees during the lock down? I doubt it. Happily still charging customers for nothing.

Eir Sport isn't designed to be profitable, it's a loss leader to attract people into signing up for phone and broadband.

Whatever you think about the rights and wrongs of looking for a discount on the last few months' fees, I don't see any basis for thinking that they are going bust or that the Pro14 will be broadcast elsewhere.

DGRulz

Have Eir continued to bill customers throughout the pandemic? You don't just get to break a contract like that. Virgin has every right to do what they did. Doing it when they did brings the most attention to the fact Eir are acting the maggot.

Sheep Shagger

Former Former wrote: »

Eir Sport isn't designed to be profitable, it's a loss leader to attract people into signing up for phone and broadband.

Whatever you think about the rights and wrongs of looking for a discount on the last few months' fees, I don't see any basis for thinking that they are going bust or that the Pro14 will be broadcast elsewhere.

Same as BT Sport, loses millions each year but they make the money on other services.

razorblunt

Edinburgh’s mini Murrayfield is starting to take shape nicely now. Looking forward to getting into it ... whenever!

Cookiemunster

Jamie Roberts has tested positive for Covid 19. The rest of the Dragons squad were retested on Tuesday with the results due on Wednesday. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/welsh-international-jamie-roberts-tests-18791525

CatFromHue

This could get messy so.

If Munster lose and get no bps against Leinster and Llanelli win against Cardiff then going into the final round Munster will have 45pts and Llanelli 41 or 42.

Llanelli are due to play Dragons in the final game.

I presume that in the updated fixtures list they included that if a team has to pull out with Covid that the game is declared a draw.

Cookiemunster

CatFromHue wrote: »

This could get messy so.

If Munster lose and get no bps against Leinster and Llanelli win against Cardiff then going into the final round Munster will have 45pts and Llanelli 41 or 42.

Llanelli are due to play Dragons in the final game.

I presume that in the updated fixtures list they included that if a team has to pull out with Covid that the game is declared a draw.

Or both Scarlets play and win both their games. Which is as likely as your proposed scenario. Your scenario also seems to forget that even if Munster lose to Leinster, they still have to play Connacht. At the end of the day, one win from the two games gets Munster a semi final spot.

bilston

CatFromHue wrote: »

This could get messy so.

If Munster lose and get no bps against Leinster and Llanelli win against Cardiff then going into the final round Munster will have 45pts and Llanelli 41 or 42.

Llanelli are due to play Dragons in the final game.

I presume that in the updated fixtures list they included that if a team has to pull out with Covid that the game is declared a draw.

I think Ulster's game against one of the Italian teams at the end of Feb was declared a 0-0 draw, so.would imagine the same rules would apply.

aloooof

Jamie Roberts with an update:

https://twitter.com/Jamiehuwroberts/status/1296395061228380160

Squidgy Black

That's a really good point about the medical information being published, if it isn't by the player himself that's a huge breach of data protection/GDPR.

Sheep Shagger

Squidgy Black wrote: »

That's a really good point about the medical information being published, if it isn't by the player himself that's a huge breach of data protection/GDPR.

Whatever about GDPR that is relatively new, patient/doctor confidentially has been around for years.

Paul Smeenus

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/aug/20/quarantine-questions-put-european-rugby-schedules-on-razors-edge-the-breakdown

"Unlike Ireland, and France... the British government has granted an exemption from the quarantine requirement to elite sport, which applies to the devolved governments, as long as every step has been taken to ensure the travelling players, coaches and staff are Covid-free."

"... if Ireland and France do not make the same concession, the two European tournaments will very likely have to be called off because there is no time for matches to be rearranged or the schedule for the new Pro14 campaign to be redrafted."

Could get VERY messy.

Cookiemunster

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/aug/20/quarantine-questions-put-european-rugby-schedules-on-razors-edge-the-breakdown

"Unlike Ireland, and France... the British government has granted an exemption from the quarantine requirement to elite sport, which applies to the devolved governments, as long as every step has been taken to ensure the travelling players, coaches and staff are Covid-free."

"... if Ireland and France do not make the same concession, the two European tournaments will very likely have to be called off because there is no time for matches to be rearranged or the schedule for the new Pro14 campaign to be redrafted."

Could get VERY messy.

Munster, Leinster and Connacht to be based in Belfast for the season!

In all seriousness though, there must be some dispensation already in place. I highly doubt that the Dundalk squad will be going into quarantine for 14 days after the return from their CL game in Hungary. Or than PSG and Lyon will be doing similar when they return to France from Portugal.

KevinK

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Munster, Leinster and Connacht to be based in Belfast for the season!

In all seriousness though, there must be some dispensation already in place. I highly doubt that the Dundalk squad will be going into quarantine for 14 days after the return from their CL game in Hungary. Or than PSG and Lyon will be doing similar when they return to France from Portugal.

Well in the Dundalk case Hungary is on the green list, which is why the game was in Budapest. Based on that information there isn’t special provision for sport...

sydthebeat

I'm looking forward to Treviso v zebre tonight.

I think I've actually cracked.

Interested to see how refs interpretations go.

Treviso jersey looks like they should be extras in a Willie wonka movie

Boscoirl

I’ve missed rugby

But not Ryle Nugent

sydthebeat

Canna standing so far behind the gain line is killing treviso.

StevenToast

I thought Ryle Nugent was put down...

"STORT"....ehhhhhaaannd