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Provinces vs Touring Sides

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  • 20-11-2017 9:59pm
    #1
    Last Stop
    Registered Users Posts: 920 ✭✭✭


    Why isn't there more matches between the provinces and the touring sides?
    I know that part of the attraction those types of matches is the novelty, but why aren't they more frequent?

    Given the rugby world cup bid report cited our lack of tournament hosting experience, could we not host a series of matches mid week to prove we can host matches close together?

    Samoa declared themselves bankrupt before they started their tour so why not invite them to play Munster and offer them 100k, equivalent to less than a fiver a head, in a full Thomond Park? If nothing else it would secure their vote if we ever bid for another world cup.


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    #2
    Burkie1203
    Registered Users Posts: 11,128 ✭✭✭✭Burkie1203


    Last Stop wrote: »
    Why isn't there more matches between the provinces and the touring sides?
    I know that part of the attraction those types of matches is the novelty, but why aren't they more frequent?

    Given the rugby world cup bid report cited our lack of tournament hosting experience, could we not host a series of matches mid week to prove we can host matches close together?

    Samoa declared themselves bankrupt before they started their tour so why not invite them to play Munster and offer them 100k, equivalent to less than a fiver a head, in a full Thomond Park? If nothing else it would secure their vote if we ever bid for another world cup.

    Because the players have come off a block of 10 games. They need breaks. A chance to get away for a few days.


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    #3
    CIARAN_BOYLE
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,599 Mod ✭✭✭✭CIARAN_BOYLE


    First off I reckon you would have to pay more than 100k. I wouldn't imagine that Samoan players will continue to play for peanuts in midweek matches. I don't believe club teams are obliged to release players for midweek matches against clubs so the touring party for Samoa would need to be larger so you need a larger fee.

    So let's say you have to pay €150k to get a second string Samoa to Thomond park. How many would show up. Would it just be season ticket holders with minimal additional revenue.

    Look at the Tonga Barbarians matching Thomond their recently. Estimates put the crowd at around 7,000.

    If it's a second string Munster team against a second string Samoa team is it worth putting the match on?

    To be honest I'm not sure. I doubt financially it would be worth it. With the coming death of the B&I cup perhaps fixtures like this might be worthwhile for developing second string players.

    A mid week fixture with a tier one international team would mean a higher fee again. Also there is an effect whereby a lot of people who buy tickets reduce their spend on other games and buy less tickets for that as they've already gone to a Munster match.

    Again financially they are somewhat questionable although they are usually profitable events.


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    #4
    Last Stop
    Registered Users Posts: 920 ✭✭✭Last Stop


    At the moment, touring sides don't get paid for playing matches. So this weekend, Argentina won't get a cent from playing Ireland. World Rugby pays the airfares and Ireland pays for the hotel/ accommodation etc. Would the Argentine Rugby Union no therefore be foolish to earn an extra €100k while they are here?

    The Barbarians Tonga match was on a miserable wet Friday night and the same night as Garryowen played Young Munster which I'm sure put a big dent in that attendance.

    Would such matches work in a bid to win a world cup though? I think so


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    #5
    Burkie1203
    Registered Users Posts: 11,128 ✭✭✭✭Burkie1203


    Last Stop wrote: »
    At the moment, touring sides don't get paid for playing matches. So this weekend, Argentina won't get a cent from playing Ireland. World Rugby pays the airfares and Ireland pays for the hotel/ accommodation etc. Would the Argentine Rugby Union no therefore be foolish to earn an extra €100k while they are here?

    The Barbarians Tonga match was on a miserable wet Friday night and the same night as Garryowen played Young Munster which I'm sure put a big dent in that attendance.

    Would such matches work in a bid to win a world cup though? I think so

    Injury lists are longer and longer. Players are away with Ireland. The touring sides are seen on TV a lot these days. The lure of a team from Aus/Samoa etc isnt there anymore IMO


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    #6
    Last Stop
    Registered Users Posts: 920 ✭✭✭Last Stop


    Burkie1203 wrote: »
    Injury lists are longer and longer. Players are away with Ireland. The touring sides are seen on TV a lot these days. The lure of a team from Aus/Samoa etc isnt there anymore IMO

    Are you suggesting that a young 21 year old in the Munster academy wouldn't love the opportunity to see how he fares against an international team?


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    #7
    thomond2006
    Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    It would cost a bomb to bring 15+ more players to cover midweek matches.
    If it was worth it then it would happen.

    A few years ago World Rugby promised summer midweek matches after competitions like the Churchill Cup was scrapped. That idea was quietly forgotten about.


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    #8
    Burkie1203
    Registered Users Posts: 11,128 ✭✭✭✭Burkie1203


    Last Stop wrote: »
    Are you suggesting that a young 21 year old in the Munster academy wouldn't love the opportunity to see how he fares against an international team?

    Thats not the discussion ffs.

    Would it draw a crowd? IMO the appeal of these games has waned significantly for the average supporter.

    Munster have 10 (?) players in Ireland camp and 10-15 on the injury list. Players need to make the most of short breaks in the season these days in order to recover


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    #9
    The Lost Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    Last Stop wrote: »
    Why isn't there more matches between the provinces and the touring sides?
    I know that part of the attraction those types of matches is the novelty, but why aren't they more frequent?

    Given the rugby world cup bid report cited our lack of tournament hosting experience, could we not host a series of matches mid week to prove we can host matches close together?

    Samoa declared themselves bankrupt before they started their tour so why not invite them to play Munster and offer them 100k, equivalent to less than a fiver a head, in a full Thomond Park? If nothing else it would secure their vote if we ever bid for another world cup.
    There isnt demand. Munster have looked to hold more games against touring sides but IRFU dont wont them to as it affected November games and there has been games in Thomond this month(Tonga Barbarians) and the crowd was terrible

    Last Stop wrote: »
    Are you suggesting that a young 21 year old in the Munster academy wouldn't love the opportunity to see how he fares against an international team?
    They would but would that get a crowd. Australia/New Zealand pull a crowd but who else would and the costs to run these games are high and is there a return
    thomond2006 wrote: »
    It would cost a bomb to bring 15+ more players to cover midweek matches.
    If it was worth it then it would happen.

    A few years ago World Rugby promised summer midweek matches after competitions like the Churchill Cup was scrapped. That idea was quietly forgotten about.
    Which is a bit of a shame. Only some nations still play some midweek games like England, who have resources to do it


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