Pro14 Season 2019-2020

Former Former · 29-12-2019 09:46AM

Dubinusa wrote: »

Anyone post it on you tube?

Full game is on TG4.ie

sydthebeat · 30-12-2019 11:08PM

Looks like we'll get five good close games this weekend, and two trouncings (leinster v connacht, Edinburgh v Kings)

Eod100 · 31-12-2019 11:20AM

Webb back to Ospreys

Squidgy Black · 31-12-2019 11:27AM

Eod100 wrote: »

Webb back to Ospreys

Things starting to swing back in Wales favour now with their central contracts, two big stars who went money chasing back with the regions now in Webb and Williams.

I know Webb was stated to be because of family reasons as his family stayed in Wales when he went off to Toulon, but I'm sure the fact he can actually earn decent money at home played a big part in it too.

sydthebeat · 31-12-2019 11:40AM

How much ownership, if any, does the wru have in the Welsh franchises?

Squidgy Black · 31-12-2019 12:09PM

sydthebeat wrote: »

How much ownership, if any, does the wru have in the Welsh franchises?

They bought the Dragons back in 2017 I think, but Cardiff, Scarlets and the Ospreys are majority private owned I believe, I don't think the WRU have much of a stake in Cardiff or Scarlets at all.

thomond2006 · 31-12-2019 12:16PM

sydthebeat wrote: »

How much ownership, if any, does the wru have in the Welsh franchises?

They own the Dragons. That's it I believe.

molloyjh · 31-12-2019 12:39PM

thomond2006 wrote: »

They own the Dragons. That's it I believe.

And they are in talks to sell it off again now AFAIK.

Buer · 31-12-2019 01:42PM

Aren't central contracts being done away with? They were in talks earlier this year about honouring existing deals but introducing a new salary band system based on certain tiers of players.

Regardless, I doubt Webb has come back to massive money or much expecation of a Welsh spot. He'll be almost 32 when he plays again for the Ospreys and Davies and Tomos Williams have been going very well for Wales. Pivac has no real loyalty to him or history with him either which won't help.

sydthebeat · 31-12-2019 01:51PM

Paddy mcallister cleared

Ridiculous imho

Buer · 31-12-2019 01:53PM

The Guinness PRO14 Team of the Decade:

15 Isa Nacewa
14 Tommy Bowe
13 Jonathan Davies
12 Bundee Aki
11 Shane Williams
10 Jonathan Sexton
9 Ruan Pienaar
8 John Muldoon
7 Hamish Watson
6 John Barclay
5 Alun Wyn Jones
4 Leone Nakarawa
3 John Afoa
2 Leonardo Ghiraldini
1 Gethin Jenkins

Some odd calls in there. Afoa had a good 18 months at most and then was an expensive burden on Ulster. Surely there's a more deserving option than Sexton? Biggar? Shane Williams left for Japan in 2012 and didn't play much in those 2 last seasons.

This looks purely like a profile boosting selection for the league organisers who chose on the basis of biggest names rather than the most deserving guys like DTH VDM, Holland, Biggar, Parks etc.

Buer · 31-12-2019 01:54PM

sydthebeat wrote: »

Paddy mcallister cleared

Ridiculous imho

"Accidental" according to the panel. The lack of consistency is a farce.

sydthebeat · 31-12-2019 02:04PM

Can't see why Tim visser didn't make that team

Buer · 31-12-2019 02:14PM

sydthebeat wrote: »

Can't see why Tim visser didn't make that team

Good shout. Top scorer for 4 consecutive seasons. Bit of a joke, really.

awec · 31-12-2019 02:14PM

Buer wrote: »

The Guinness PRO14 Team of the Decade:

15 Isa Nacewa
14 Tommy Bowe
13 Jonathan Davies
12 Bundee Aki
11 Shane Williams
10 Jonathan Sexton
9 Ruan Pienaar
8 John Muldoon
7 Hamish Watson
6 John Barclay
5 Alun Wyn Jones
4 Leone Nakarawa
3 John Afoa
2 Leonardo Ghiraldini
1 Gethin Jenkins

Some odd calls in there. Afoa had a good 18 months at most and then was an expensive burden on Ulster. Surely there's a more deserving option than Sexton? Biggar? Shane Williams left for Japan in 2012 and didn't play much in those 2 last seasons.

This looks purely like a profile boosting selection for the league organisers who chose on the basis of biggest names rather than the most deserving guys like DTH VDM, Holland, Biggar, Parks etc.

It’s a nonsense selection, good few of those guys barely play(ed) in the league.

Squidgy Black · 31-12-2019 02:15PM

Buer wrote: »

The Guinness PRO14 Team of the Decade:

15 Isa Nacewa
14 Tommy Bowe
13 Jonathan Davies
12 Bundee Aki
11 Shane Williams
10 Jonathan Sexton
9 Ruan Pienaar
8 John Muldoon
7 Hamish Watson
6 John Barclay
5 Alun Wyn Jones
4 Leone Nakarawa
3 John Afoa
2 Leonardo Ghiraldini
1 Gethin Jenkins

Some odd calls in there. Afoa had a good 18 months at most and then was an expensive burden on Ulster. Surely there's a more deserving option than Sexton? Biggar? Shane Williams left for Japan in 2012 and didn't play much in those 2 last seasons.

This looks purely like a profile boosting selection for the league organisers who chose on the basis of biggest names rather than the most deserving guys like DTH VDM, Holland, Biggar, Parks etc.

In terms of the Pro14, would you really take Biggar over Sexton? Was a part in the 2010/11/12 finals, won in 2013, came back and was part of the 2016 final and won in 2018 and 19.

Biggar won in 2010 and 2012.

thomond2006 · 31-12-2019 02:18PM

awec wrote: »

It’s a nonsense selection, good few of those guys barely play(ed) in the league.

Sexton has made 21 Pro14 appearances in the last full four seasons. It's laughable.
I suppose there hasn't been a consistent 10 performing well in the league over the decade so they opt for the name everyone knows.

Utah_Saint · 31-12-2019 02:21PM

Buer wrote: »

"Accidental" according to the panel. The lack of consistency is a farce.

Yeah...no consistency. It was accidental but that should only mean a reduced ban.

Buer · 31-12-2019 02:29PM

Squidgy Black wrote: »

In terms of the Pro14, would you really take Biggar over Sexton? Was a part in the 2010/11/12 finals, won in 2013, came back and was part of the 2016 final and won in 2018 and 19.

Biggar won in 2010 and 2012.

I would, yes. Sexton was involved in finals but they were hardly on the back of his involvement. The last 3 years have been down to Ross Byrne more than Sexton. 2010-2013 saw Madigan play a significant amount of games (including a top scorer award in one year).

Biggar was top points scorer in 3 seasons. He was involved in a serious number of matches for the Ospreys and carried the team on plenty of occasions. I don't particularly like him as a personality on the pitch but he should have gotten the nod for this team.

Sexton is a world class operator but he only started 55 Pro14/12 games (I think) in the past decade and is still yet to appear in the Pro14 this season.

Burkie1203 · 01-01-2020 08:50PM

Jonny Gray leaving Glasgow

Squidgy Black · 01-01-2020 08:55PM

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Jonny Gray leaving Glasgow

Exeter is the team being reported

thomond2006 · 01-01-2020 10:41PM

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Jonny Gray leaving Glasgow

Glasgow could be in for a fallow period. Given the dirge served up by Wales, the league needs a competitive Glasgow side. That's three superstar players in their prime in Russell, Hogg and Gray lost in two years.

Buer · 02-01-2020 08:17AM

They're already a mediocre/poor enough side. They've only one 4 games this season and that was at home to the Blues (just about), home to the Kings, away to Zebre and home to Edinburgh (just about). They're firmly in the bracket of Pro14 also rans currently. They're essentially out of Europe already too.

Gray leaving cannot be much of a surprise to them. He's an excellent player and won't want to waste his career. His brother may have regressed since leaving but he's at a top club, has won a T14 title and has a very healthy bank balance, I'd imagine. It's very hard for Johnny Gray to look at that and wonder why he's killing himself in front of 6k people in miserable conditions each week.

Interesting to see Exeter building a very strong team which is starting to feature the marquee names they previously lacked. They're probably lacking a really top class half back to steer them but I don't see them making a signing there as they're investing heavily in their young half backs. Mad to think that Simmonds has only turned 23 but has over 70 appearances for them in a key position.

02-01-2020 10:55AM

Buer wrote: »

They're already a mediocre/poor enough side. They've only one 4 games this season and that was at home to the Blues (just about), home to the Kings, away to Zebre and home to Edinburgh (just about). They're firmly in the bracket of Pro14 also rans currently. They're essentially out of Europe already too.

Ever since the Leinster game I've had concerns about Glasgow. Leinster were top drawer that day but Glasgow had no fight despite all the talent on the pitch. Gray was one of the few players for them who showed up. For their second try if you go back and watch it you can see he's the one calling the 9 to put the ball wide as there was an overlap. Very smart, aware operator and a huge loss to Glasgow. They've no one to replace him with and would spend a fortune to do so on the market. This just makes them weaker.

This will also impact his availability for the national team. He'll still get selected but won't be as well managed anymore. I wonder is this move a bit about getting away from Towsends Scotland also.

Bad few years talent drain from Glasgow and Scotland to be honest. MacParland was a huge loss on top of all the players who've left.

I've been predicting a dire six nations for them given their run in and form coming from the World Cup. Might be a needed catalyst for change.

Clegg · 02-01-2020 10:59AM

Scotland have replaced their defence coach. That will benefit them in the long run I think. They've been awful at that aspect of the game for a few years. Steve Tandy is the replacement however. He was a terrible head coach of the Ospreys, but did an ok job at the Waratahs by all accounts.

Clegg · 02-01-2020 11:01AM

Glasgow have confirmed the signing of Leone Nakarawa until the end of the season. Normally I'd say that's a fantastic signig, but I wonder where his heads at following his sacking from Racing.

https://www.the42.ie/leone-nakarawa-returns-to-glasgow-warriors-4951455-Jan2020/

02-01-2020 11:04AM

It's a shame about Glasgow really, they won the league the other year and with Cockerill doing a really good job at Edinburgh (and he still is imo) it appeared the two sides + Scotland themselves really were trending in the right direction. Think it was last season or the season before they started the league off with 9 or 10 wins in a row and nearly all of them BP wins. This year they're P9W4L5 and not looking good for the playoffs.

Faugheen · 02-01-2020 02:02PM

Clegg wrote: »

Glasgow have confirmed the signing of Leone Nakarawa until the end of the season. Normally I'd say that's a fantastic signig, but I wonder where his heads at following his sacking from Racing.

https://www.the42.ie/leone-nakarawa-returns-to-glasgow-warriors-4951455-Jan2020/

If he’s anywhere near as good as we know he is it’s a great signing, especially with Jonny Gray leaving.

Zzippy · 02-01-2020 10:47PM

sydthebeat wrote: »

Looks like we'll get five good close games this weekend, and two trouncings (leinster v connacht, Edinburgh v Kings)

Thanks Syd!

sydthebeat · 02-01-2020 11:07PM

Zzippy wrote: »

Thanks Syd!

Sorry zipps...

The sun will rise, water is wet, and leinster will put 40 on connacht on Saturday

Pro14 Season 2019-2020

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