Neil3030 wrote: » It's a zero sum game though, given the physical attrition of the sport and the combined demands of a European, International and Domestic calendar. Where would you be willing to sacrifice in order to increase the standard of the league?
awec wrote: » The league is basically run as a development league and a place to give test players a few run outs now and again when they're in need for some match fitness. Which is unsurprising, since it's why the league exists, and it's exactly what the unions want, but it's also why it's never going to be taken overly seriously, and why it struggles for relevance. It's why it's stuck on some niche channel in the UK. Most of the fixtures are complete dead rubbers. The likes of Sexton, Ringrose etc play like 25% of Leinster's league games. A quarter of matches, it's actually ridiculous. They need to improve the standard of the games, but it won't happen, because the people who run the league want to ensure the best players barely play matches.
Neil3030 wrote: » The claim was that the league a fundamentally flawed product, I would actually be interested to hear why.
irishbucsfan wrote: » Jaysus if the Pro 14 is a fundamentally flawed product, given its revenues, then the vast majority of professional sports leagues in Europe and the wider world must all be absolutely ****ed!
Former Former wrote: » I have lots of ideas to improve the league. None of them would make the league good, however. It's a fundamentally flawed product IMO. However, my concern is that these Welsh changes not only do not improve the league but will actively make it worse. Yes, the situation in Wales is unsustainable. However, the WRU seem to be repeating the mistakes of the past. Fair enough, the likes of Pontypridd, Bridgend etc had to go and their storied past and the loyalty of their fans shouldn't have saved them in the pro era - but there was a huge drop-off in support going from clubs to regions. Now, Llanelli are for the chop. Not only will their amateur club history be gone but also their tremendous successes as a pro entity. The success of the Ospreys in the pro era will also go down the river. How many of the combined Scarlets/Ospreys fanbase will get behind this new team? And conjuring a brand new team out of thin air in North Wales seems like a ridiculous idea. I can't see the rationale at all. It looks to me like the WRU have gone for the nuclear option. Maybe that's the only one open to them, I don't know. It's just bizarre that it's their two most successful teams taking the fall.
molloyjh wrote: » I have to be honest, I’m getting really sick of listening to people bitch and moan about the league and then go on to bitch and moan about every attempt to improve it, all the while never proposing solutions themselves. The situation in Wales was completely unsustainable, so what else where they supposed to do!? Do any of those people complaining have any ideas at all, or do they just want to crap all over everything? And people talk about Welsh moaning!?
awec wrote: » Ospreys Rugby have just released a statement saying they agree with their recently resigned chairman that this process is a farce and that they will not merge with the Scarlets, citing their history and their contributions to the national team. Good on them. Sanity might prevail if they stand their ground.
In a series of extraordinary twists that have shaken the game to its core, the Ospreys issued a statement in which they insist they are NOT on the verge of a merger with the Scarlets. But this evening, the Professional Rugby Board have hit back in a statement of their own, claiming Heads of Terms on the merger, which is central to plans to restructure rugby in this country, had already been agreed between the two regions last Friday. They say the claims of the Ospreys contradict what has been discussed in minuted meetings over months of negotiations.https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/scarlets-ospreys-merger-plans-utter-15926479
stephen_n wrote: » In the last three seasons they have steadily declined, as bad as Dragons may be over stating it. They are currently 10th in the Pro14, only 3 points clear of Cheetahs, one of the SA teams that Awec moans about as being a crap addition to the league. Their display against Connacht last week was every bit as bad as the Dragons would put out. As I said in an earlier post, Ospreys were Historicaly one of the strongest teams in the league, but that’s not now.
Jump_In_Jack wrote: » Just pointing out that there are only 12 teams in the English league. So even with 3 bad teams out of 14, Pro14 still has more good teams.
aloooof wrote: » I think this is pretty inaccurate tbh. Ospreys currently have more than double the points Dragons do. Since the 2011/12 season when they won the Pro12, they've contested 2 semi-finals. Dragons haven't been outside the bottom 4 in all that time and haven't finished ahead of Ospreys. Then there's also the contribution to Wales, as awec mentioned. I've no idea what the solution is but it's just not correct to same they're no better than Dragons.
stephen_n wrote: » Ospreys are no better than Dragons anymore, they aren’t going to get any better without increased funding. That’s not going to happen, so they are going to stay sh1te.
awec wrote: » The sanity of not messing with the two most successful regions, while leaving the runt of the litter untouched. If you're drawing up a list of things in Welsh rugby that need to disappear, the Dragons have to be at the top of the list. They are a joke.
CatFromHue wrote: » yeah 3 teams at that standard is too much, they're 21% of the league, and you have Treviso teetering on the edge of that group as well. that group is teams you expect to win very easily against and they're points difference backs that up, it's -228, -264, and -304 respectively. Newcastle in the English league are the worst team but their pd is only -103, granted they've played 2 less games. having 1 or even 2 no hoppers in the league is ok, but 3 pushing 4 with the potential for 5 is not good. not good at all.
troyzer wrote: » Yeah, it's bad enough with sub standard Leinster A teams like Ulster and Connacht.
thomond2006 wrote: » How do you define mince? The Cheetahs made the playoffs last year. You're not making sense. What is sanity in this? The status quo isn't working either and the Ospreys' statement confirms this also.
thomond2006 wrote: » What is sanity in this? The status quo isn't working either.
awec wrote: » Every team doesn’t play every other team home and away, so this idea that cause a few teams hover mid table they are somehow worthwhile is a fallacy. The cheetahs are mince. The blues are mince.
AdamD wrote: » Didn't the Blues win the Challenge Cup last year? And 5 of the 8 Champions cup quarter finalists this year are Pro 14? The league is far from as bad as you make out. People over rate the English and French leagues massively.
thomond2006 wrote: » Again, more hyperbole. Overflowing: How many teams are included within this grouping? I look at the tables and I only see three teams that are completely off the pace (Zebre, Kings and Dragons). Is 3 out of 14 overflowing?
molloyjh wrote: » Exactly. The P14 has more teams in the European QFs than any other league while at the same being objectively the most competitive league of the 3 too. And this is an attempt to improve the fortunes of the sides in it.
CatFromHue wrote: » stop moaning about people moaning molloyjh
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