AIL 2021-2022

luke9311

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118133490#Comment_118133490

I was at the same game saturday after work as a neutral after watching our own game on friday night v tarf in the bull ring and would have thought it the in that game..... trinity seemed to play the better rugby especially that small winger of theres....

Lsdrugbyfan

shame trinity had no leinster players, dunno where Jack Dunne was.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118137867#Comment_118137867

Is he not injured?

Lsdrugbyfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118141142#Comment_118141142

no he has been back playing for trinity in recent weeks..

Crankypantz

Some interesting games this weekend.

Anyone any thoughts?

Stainalert

1A

FRIDAY

LANSDOWNE v DUBLIN UNIVERSITY

SATURDAY

BALLYNAHINCH V UCC

CORK CONSTITUTION V UCD

TERENURE COLLEGE V GARRYOWEN

YOUNG MUNSTER V CLONTARF

1B

SATURDAY

HIGHFIELD V OLD WESLEY

MALONE V BANBRIDGE

NAAS V CITY OF ARMAGH

NAVAN RFC V SHANNON

ST MARY'S COLLEGE V OLD BELVEDERE

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118179688#Comment_118179688

Which games interest you most?

2A

Cashel v Ballymena

Dolphin v Buccaneers

Barnhall v Old Crescent

Nenagh v Queens

UL Bohs v Rainey

2B

Ballina v Wanderers

Belfast Harlequins v Greystones

Blackrock v Sligo

Corinthians v Dungannon

Malahide v Galwegians

2C

City of Derry v Clonmel

Enniscorthy v Sundays Well

Midleton v Skerries

Omagh v Bruff

Tullamore v Bangor

Purple Fox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118180642#Comment_118180642

1A Lansdowne, UCC, Con, Terenure and Tarf

1B Highfield, Malone, Naas, Shannon, Belvo

Crankypantz

Big head to heads in the top half of 1a and 1b.

Am interested in all games really but the ym v tarf game especially.

Lost Ormond

Shannon Navan off due to covid.

Purple Fox

Who had covid? Shannon or navan?

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118188845#Comment_118188845

Dont know. Neither side has said or should tbh..

RuPi

And still silence from the IRFU and that is now 2 of the leagues impacted by Covid.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118189201#Comment_118189201

What exactly do you want IRFU to say?

RuPi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118190351#Comment_118190351

I think every AIL side wants them to clarify is the league format staying as present or are they reverting to the one up and one down as they put in the regulations.

Big win for Trinity this evening v Lansdowne

ljsulster

James mccormick and mcnabney both absent from ballymenas team today due to their selection in the Irish u20 camp

Lsdrugbyfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118196136#Comment_118196136

lots of u20's absent this weekend.

Lost Ormond

Dolphin Buccs 2A off. covid.

Crankypantz

Last weekend threw up some interesting and some predictable results. Across all divisions it reinforces the marathon and sprint syndrome.

Great entertainment though. Thank god live games are back.

cgq300

Nure, Clontarf and Trinity after mixing things up. Wasn't expecting the Clontarf, munsters scoreline. Great weekend of rugby.

CapableOfSayingAnything

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118210123#Comment_118210123

Was at the game, Tarf did very well, raced into a 21 point lead and Cookies were chasing it from then. The result was a fair reflection on how the game went.

Trinity really coming on leaps and bounds.. if they beat the Cookies this weekend it really puts them in the mix and I fancy them to win that one at home, their backline isnt the force it was in previous seasons with Courtney, Hogan & Sylvester gone but their pack is really strong and they can mix it with the best.

Garryowen falling back was expected once they lost their provincial contingent, still they are at home this week v Lansdowne and a derby game v Cookies where anything could happen after that so they could stay in touch.

Highfield had a big win the weekend it seems like they could pull away again this season, they are long overdue promotion so hope it happens for them this year.

In terms of some of the other comments about games being called off re covid, I think we need to understand how games in Rugby are being called off and very little soccer & GAA games in the recent times have had to be called off. It was a point made on the clubscene a few weeks back.

stellenbosch

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118210629#Comment_118210629

Was at YM/Tarf and watched the Lansdowne/Trinity on stream.

Trinity full value for their victory and dominant up front throughout even though it was a last minute PK at scrum time that won it for them. Agree re the Trin backline but Quinn on the wing is very very quick and Kiely from Newbridge is a good catch at 13.

In YM Tarf - Tarf very dominant up front with Tony Ryan Cormac Daly and Dylan Donnelan very prominent and Lloyd very good at 9 with Courtney very prominent at 13 in defence. YM are very good and will come again no doubt about that.

Crankypantz

Very difficult to keep the momentum going over an 18 game league. All are cup games in their own right which makes for good games in the main.

Chico Flores

Heard that is going to be confirmed in the next day or so that the league is 1 up and 1 down

1st plays 4th, 2nd plays 3rd at top of the table with a playoff then

And 9th plays 10th at the bottom.

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118215447#Comment_118215447

What a load of shite that is.

Chico Flores

Long way to go yet of course but certainly looks like Highfield, Queens, Greystones and Skerries will be close to topping their leagues. Certainly Highfield and Queens.

You would be sickened to come top and still potentially not go up with two one off games.

But they had to clarify it, as certainly going to have more cancelations

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118215677#Comment_118215677

Why? It will be tough on sides who may finish clear(in divisions 1B/2A/2B/2C) and lose out but you could say same for years with overall winners of the league...

And same with the bottom if one side loses most games and finishes bottom but on the day manages to turn over the 9th side.

What would you suggest as an alternative. At least the proposal is out there now and clubs know exactly what they have to do to get promoted/avoid relegation?

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118215912#Comment_118215912

The team that wins out the league should be promoted in my opinion. Look at Greystones in 2B who are beating everyone put in front of them. Likewise Skerries in 2C. What's the point in doing that if you're not going up automatically?

League winners should be promoted and the team that finishes bottom should be relegated. It reduces the importance of the league games now. Ballynahinch are rooted to the bottom of 1A but they could have a chance to stay in the league under this system, which means it doesn't matter if they actually lose their matches.

And what happens in 2C? Does the team that finish bottom play against the winner of the round-robin? That's ridiculous that a junior team that wins their provincial league and then beats the winners of all the other provincial leagues still aren't awarded with a place in the AIL. It's grossly unfair.

What do I suggest? What's wrong with 1 up, 1 down and then 9th, 2nd, 3rd and 4th play off, the system that has been in place? It rewards the teams that finished top of their respective leagues and gives 2nd, 3rd and 4th another shot.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118217228#Comment_118217228

Thats in some circumstances. Not all. What about leagues that go down to the very end. Hard to find something that suits all... at least every one knows now in November 33% thru the league

I think having a league final for all divisions is a good thing. Can help with promo and marketing the league as well.

The bottom team of 2C will be the same its always been. bottom relegated replaced by winner of round robin and 2nd in round robin playoffs against 2nd bottom.

Maybe IRFU saw something better was needed than the previous set up. Anyone have the stats from these playoffs of 9th in higher division and 2nd/3rd/4th from lower division and how often each position won out to get the final spot in a division...

Crankypantz

I am of the older brigade who believe leagues should be run as leagues with promotion and relegation. If you are bottom of your division after a season of league games there is generally a reason for it. No amount of play offs can disguise that. Equally if you finish first after a campaign you go up automatically or crowned champions.

There is too much tinkering. In any sport you must reward ambition. If a team finishes 1st in their division. They win it. Anything else is a travesty in my humble opinion.