General Rugby Discussion 3

Ben Bailey

Cardiff Rugby's takeover by Helford Capital Limited has been completed after the investment group acquired an 84.55% shareholding in the club.

The takeover also secures the minor stake of the Thomas family and other significant shareholders.

Investment group Helford Capital Limited is led by British businessmen Phil Kempe and Neal Griffith.

The takeover was approved by a "99.99% majority" at Cardiff's general meeting on Tuesday night.

WRU have welcomed this takeover. The remaining shares are retained by the owners of the Arms Park.

All_in_Flynn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121667904#Comment_121667904

Oh absolutely, completely understandable but I still feel it's caught in-between and not really doing a great job of targeting either the casual or the fanatic.

If the goal was to target the non rugby fan then something like: 15 men, this many points for a try etc etc. These are the props, they're the big boys, these are the wingers, zoom etc etc. It just jumps straight into the deep end really.

sydthebeat

well this isnt good:

https://www.planetrugby.com/news/key-wallabies-duo-at-risk-as-melbourne-rebels-set-to-enter-voluntary-administration-report#:~:text=The%20Melbourne%20Rebels%20will%20reportedly,Tupou%20amongst%20others%20in%20doubt.

The Melbourne Rebels will reportedly go into voluntary administration as they seek AU$500,000 assistance to pay players and staff in addition to their existing AU$9 million debt.

This throws the futures of key Wallabies Andrew Kellaway and Taniela Tupou amongst others in doubt.

The club has appointed Sydney-based firm Wexted as an external financial advisor to assist with the debt situation, with chairman Paul Docherty set to stand down from his position as another business under his name heads for financial turmoil.

sydthebeat

slight update:

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/01/25/rebels-to-play-in-super-rugby-in-2024-but-long-term-future-on-shaky-ground-as-voluntary-administration-looms/

The Rebels will take to the field in 2024 but their long-term future is on a knife’s edge, with voluntary administration looming for the Melbourne-based Super Rugby franchise.

It can be confirmed Rebels powerbrokers met with Wexted Advisors, who provide advice to companies facing financial and strategic challenges, on Thursday.

It comes after Rugby Australia officials met with the Rebels on Wednesday and instructed the club to call in independent financial advisors to present what options they had.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668361#Comment_121668361

agree that he did, which goes completely against how (i think) hes come across in any interview ive heard with him

pickarooney

Genge apparently gets an awful lot of shade thrown at him, the kind of classist dog-whistling that we probably wouldn't recognise in Ireland. He said himself he was just trying to stop being angry at everything now.

Anyone watching this with no knowledge of rugby would be scribbling down notes like 'loose. head. prop. Chunky bloke with anger issues and a heart of gold. Can lift three times his body weight. Fly.out.half. Responsible for all the good stuff, completely blameless when everything goes to shite.'

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668532#Comment_121668532

Yeah, confusing him w Juantorena. But Nehemiah played 3 seasons w the 49ers, and while never a standout he played in plenty of games and has a super bowl ring.

lawrencesummers

Just started the Sturat Hogg episode.

hopefully they include the inevitable line on how its all about family and how much they mean to him

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121674374#Comment_121674374

It does

lawrencesummers

Another thing that struck me is how little Italian or how much English they speak in the italian camp.

I know they are reliant on imports but you would expect the incoming coaches to speak some hybrid of italian / english. The french wouldnt stand for it

pickarooney

Shaun Edwards speaks a hybrid of something but I can't quite tell what.

Not surprised Crowley got the shepherd's crook. He seemed miserable and pessimistic and your man Barnes, 'Capoozo or whatever the **** his name is'. Really shows how much they bought into the job.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121675384#Comment_121675384

Italy's performance in the WC was disgraceful, he should've gotten the boot in the changing room

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121675384#Comment_121675384

I couldn't help but think that they wont be a force until Parisse takes over. He is currently learning his coaching trade with Toulon.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121676515#Comment_121676515

What gives you idea that parisse would change things? Or be able to make them a force?

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121676133#Comment_121676133

That World Cup was such, more than ever I've no idea what to expect of Italy this year. The level of effort in those Big 2 Games was so absent I'd not have blinked had some corruption/ gambling case been opened by authorities. At times they felt like the kind of way a team throwing a result would behave.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121676853#Comment_121676853

He might not, he might not ever go near the job but if he does its an Italian asking an Italian in Italian to buy into a jersey, as opposed to a Kiwi or an Argie asking an Italian in English.

I think he is the kind of person that will get the most out of his players, and i cant think of any other Italians involved in high level coaching.

There is no doubting his commitment and experience for the Italian team, its his technical, tactical and man management knowledge that is the unknown and being on a coaching path with Toulon who have improved massively in the last few seasons bodes well.

Im just taken back by the fact that kieran Crowley a coach who moved to Italy in 2016 wasnt able to give a team meeting in the native language 7 years later. How can you expect players to be committed to a national side when the coach hasnt committed to even learning a small bit of the language.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121676978#Comment_121676978

Who says he hasn't learned a small bit of the language? Maybe it is just easier for everyone for him to give clear instructions in English.

Anyway, the Italians have never lacked for passion and commitment. What they need is a coach to bring their skill levels across the park up to the requisite level. Frankly, I thought towards the end of his career that Parisse was holding Italy back by being a fairly selfish player, so I would have big doubts about him improving their situation.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121677053#Comment_121677053

Not a word of Italian out of his mouth at any stage of the documentary. Maybe its the way it has been edited, maybe its him playing to the camera but he was in team meeting, dressing room halftimes, and coaches meetings and didnt say one word of italian.

Podge_irl

It could simply be a decision of the squad, several of whom do not speak Italian themselves.

Don't get me wrong, he looked absolutely mentally checked out of it by the end. I just don't think his language skills are a useful barometer for judging that.

RichieRich_89

Quesada is an excellent coach on the evidence of what he did in Super Rugby with the Jaguares.

Buer

Not that it really alters the core point....but Parisse is Argentinian.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121677138#Comment_121677138

was just about to say that, although his family is italian so its a bit of a moot point overall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121677053#Comment_121677053

have to agree, the whole thing of him staying in the squad just to get 'one last game' was a bit of a joke

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121677138#Comment_121677138

He's as italian as VDF is Irish

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121677132#Comment_121677132

Thats worse if it was decided as a squad. A lot of those players are of Italian heritage so the language should not be a massive barrier to them, they should have plenty of exposure to it and most also live and play there.

salmocab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121677366#Comment_121677366

While I certainly wouldn’t argue he wasn’t Italian why would you compare him to someone born and raised in Ireland to parents born and raised in Ireland?

Captain_Crash

Parisse was born in Argentina only because his dad worked for Alitalia and was based in Buenos Aries at the time, he’s from an Italian family with an Italian upbringing and spent his summers in Italy when growing up!

Dunno what the VDF comparison is all about tho, he’s born and raised here!

pickarooney

He's as Italian as Hansen is Irish.

Strand1970

Easterby would be a fair comparison, not born here but 100% committed to Ireland. It's the Ireland team not the Irish borned team.

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121678485#Comment_121678485

No, Hansen didn't know any of his family in Ireland because he rarely visited so had little idea about the place. His dad is an Aussie. Parisse was raised in a strictly Italian house and visited every year.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121677955#Comment_121677955

He's Italian, sure. But he spent the first 20 years of his life and all his schooling in Argentina. Doesn't mean he is not Italian but he didn't grow upon there.

This stuff is complex. I have a couple of sisters in England with kids. One is married to an Irishman and brought her kids over all the time. They grew up very connected to Ireland and their Irish family, always supported Irish teams, etc. My other sister married an English guy, spent less time at home, holidayed around the UK, very English. Her kids have little connection to Ireland and regard themselves as English. So there's the citizenship question which is clear enough, an Irish grandparent, then there is the cultural question which is more nuanced and is less about citizenship and more about identity. Parisse is defo Italian in that regard, while Hansen for example, is still probably an Aussie.

hold my beer

I always have this discussion with my OH, usually about Oasis and their Irishness