Celtic nations in new Rainbow Cup

KevIRL

Celtic nations in new Rainbow Cup

The Celtic nations are to link up with four Italian sides and South Africa's top nine provincial teams in a new and exciting competition.
The Rainbow Cup will feature 24 teams playing in a seven-week window in September and October.

It is hoped that the new tournament will commence no later than the 2006/7 season providing that certain criteria is met.

All four Irish and Welsh sides plus the three Scottish teams will take part.

The competition is likely to run along the lines of the Heineken Cup with six groups of four or, eight groups of three, with teams playing their away matches in one bloc similar to the Super 12.

Brian van Rooyen, President of the SA Rugby, stated that he was pleased with the discussions held between the parties.

"The competition has many benefits for SA Rugby," said van Rooyen who will be reporting progress back to the SA President's Council.



SARFU turned their attention to the Celts when their proposals for a joint competition with the English clubs floundered.

It is believed that there are assurances for television and radio broadcasting and sponsorship.

The Italians, meanwhile, have been pushing for inclusion to more European exposure and this is the ideal scenario for them.

Organisers would ideally like the green light to start next season, but changes must be made to the format of the Celtic League with Italian clubs set to join the competition outside of the Rainbow Cup.

Celtic League chairman John Hussey said: "We're very excited about the Rainbow Cup. Everyone is committed to realising the full potential of the competition. This is a good day for world rugby."

uberwolf

nice.

rotated hosting or what?

KevIRL

uberwolf wrote:

nice.

rotated hosting or what?

alternated hosting of games just like the super 12. So for instance Munster might play 2 away games in SA in the space of 2 weeks.

demac

Sound very interesting indeed.

Maybe some good will come from the Celtic League/Cup after all.

pred racer

feckin deadly idea!!!

mike65

er too much rugby anyone???

Mike.

Bri

I'm a little confused as to how it's all going to fit...and speaking of fit - what about the players?!

Nukem

I see a few probs here - the lack of adequate stadiums in Ireland for a start.Player burn out.The AIL will be dead and buried by the 2nd year and Irish rugby may be a drift.

Anyone?

hardCopy

Is this to run aswell as Celtic League? surely it would make more sense to replace the celtic league with this new tournie. The season is congested enough as it is.

mike65

Its going to be cramed into a 7 week window in the Autumn, then the test games arrive while the Celtic League and European Cup pool stages are running. Madness.

Mike.

kenmc

can't have enough rugby to watch on TV, beats having soccer rammed down our throats, but I don't envy the boys having to play that many games. Course it'll probably mean bigger squads though, more rotation, and more money for the teams if big name players are going to be coming from SA to europe more often. On the whole I'd say good for European rugby, but probably not great for domestic Irish rugby.

daveirl

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Bri

Hearsay: It is presumed that the Celtic League will continue but as a shorter
competition, (1 meeting of 2 each teams ala Super 12).

Oh and David Nucifora (Brumbies) is apparantly today's hot tip for Leinster. Dunno him but Brumbies have done well for themselves!

spanner

daveirl wrote:

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and these are usually the same people who go on how much they dont like the english and how pro Irish they are, Been as strong GAA supporter as well i find the passion and commitment people show for english soccer teams uncomprahendable, like fair enough it is much better soccer than ireland and to support a team would be grand but this love of their team that if their team played ireland they would actually support their adopted english soccer team, scary.

anyway back to the rugby, yea player burn out is already near critical level at the moment, i cant see this making it better unless they scrap half the celtic league games. George Hook has been going on about the need to preserve the AIB and have it act as a proper feeder of talent into the provinical and eventually international level. he was saying to maybe have fewer clubs to increase the quality.I dunno but we definately need to start getting more underage talent through, welsh dominace at that level for the past five years (wining the last five under 21 grand slams) might signal a dawn in a era of welsh dominace.

daveirl

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RuggieBear

daveirl wrote:

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Perhaps it's an irish rugby fear of innovation...i await the day EOS take s a ****ing punt on a newbie?

Perhaps there should be a 2nd and 3rd grade interpros....bit like final trials for the fringe players. Tbh i'd have more interest in that than watching some of the celtic league games against foreign opposition

damnyanks

Too many games in a season I think. As for the AIL it will be coming down to the standard of the local GAA club. The odd few games will get serious attendence where as the majority will have the Gf's at it.

As long as the provinces notice the school boys and get them onto contracts I guess it can't get terribly bad.

KevIRL

Think we are missing the point here somewhat lads. This competition is vital for the future of Irish rugby. The Celtic League will be gone within a season or 2. The Welsh teams were already sounding out the possibility of an Anglo-Welsh League. Imagine if that happened and there was no Rainbow cup competition? The Irish provinces, Scottish regions and a few Italian clubs might get together? Disaster. I reckon this competition will replace the Celtic League by 2007

daveirl

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Bri

Myself I love the idea of going to watch Leinster play over a 2-3 week period down in SA!

But really, I think it's a great development once things get ironed out (and they still have to). Great opportunity to liven up competition and see Southern Hemisphere teams playing here.

xern

I'm All for the Rainbow Cup, The celtic league never got the sponcers or the serious money to make it a on a par with the European Cup. the first Trans-hemisphere competition would generate great corporate sponsership and a lot of interest.

Was in SA last year, I'd love to go and see an irish province play there.