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United Rugby Championship announced, beginning September 2021

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    #152
    thomond2006
    Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    I think we've become comfortable with at least three Irish teams qualifying for Europe without any issue. For the first time (ever?) that may change.


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    #153
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,238 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Red Silurian wrote: »
    Correct, but if we play the same teams at home every year it wouldn't be very fair on anyone

    which has never ever happened.. so only exists in your mind


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    #154
    ineedeuro
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 989 ✭✭✭ineedeuro


    Really happy with this new format, chatting to a mate in SA this morning as well and they are excited. Seemingly as well loads of talk of a secondary competition that Irish teams might be involved in which would include Ceetahs/Southern King/team from Georgia etc....he mentioned 2 Irish teams made up from the 4 provinces but said in reality it would have to be 4....so the A teams

    Also his view is Rassie is really pushing his relationships with the IRFU, potential a Schools league, so Irish schools get to play against SA teams. I guess this would be winners of Irish schools gets to travel. Plus a draft system where Irish players could got to SA and SA players to Ireland.

    Seems to be a lot of conversations going on to really push this league and the relationship between SA & Ireland.


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    #155
    sprucemoose
    Registered Users Posts: 2,205 ✭✭✭sprucemoose


    ineedeuro wrote: »
    Seemingly as well loads of talk of a secondary competition that Irish teams might be involved in which would include Ceetahs/Southern King/team from Georgia etc....he mentioned 2 Irish teams made up from the 4 provinces but said in reality it would have to be 4....so the A teams

    Also his view is Rassie is really pushing his relationships with the IRFU, potential a Schools league, so Irish schools get to play against SA teams. I guess this would be winners of Irish schools gets to travel. Plus a draft system where Irish players could got to SA and SA players to Ireland.

    no to all of this please


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    #156
    yerrahbah
    Registered Users Posts: 1,366 ✭✭✭yerrahbah


    All Irish derbies and play-off games involving Irish sides to be FTA

    https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/pro14/more-than-50-provincial-games-in-revamped-pro14-to-be-shown-free-to-air-1.4594197


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    #157
    lawrencesummers
    Registered Users Posts: 8,533 ✭✭✭lawrencesummers


    I’m surprised that nobody has asked why Munster are not playing in the SA conference instead of the Irish one.

    Ye are losing your edge.
    Going soft.


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    #158
    Cookiemunster
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,898 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cookiemunster


    yerrahbah wrote: »
    All Irish derbies and play-off games involving Irish sides to be FTA

    https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/pro14/more-than-50-provincial-games-in-revamped-pro14-to-be-shown-free-to-air-1.4594197
    So it sounds like I suggested earlier in the thread. Premier Sports will have non exclusive rights for the UK and Ireland for every game, while the regional broadcasters will show their local teams.


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    #159
    bilston
    Registered Users Posts: 17,764 ✭✭✭✭bilston


    So looks like that the 10% of games involving Irish sides that will be on subscription TV will mainly be Ulster's away matches. Guess I'll not be getting rid of Premier Sports after all.


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    #160
    Bazzo
    Registered Users Posts: 7,047 ✭✭✭Bazzo


    Does this suggest the 24 team Heineken cup format might be sticking around?(I know it's already in for next season)

    While the 8 team qualification is unbalanced with this league format it's swallowable. 6 teams could end up with some pretty crazy situations though.

    Following on from that can't imagine the IRFU/SRU/WRU/SARU will be too happy about how crowded their qualification is while the French and particularly English(assuming no expansion) are handed 8 spots each.


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    #161
    Neil3030
    Registered Users Posts: 17,038 ✭✭✭✭Neil3030


    Welsh journo online arguing that he'd prefer fully meritocratic qualification for the Heino, so that the ignominy of having zero Welsh teams qualify for the Heino might whip the WRU into shape....

    .... however seems far more likely to me that in such a scenario we'd just hear increased moaning about the tournament, and pleas to join the Premiership...


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    #162
    Lost Ormond
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Lost Ormond


    Neil3030 wrote: »
    Welsh journo online arguing that he'd prefer fully meritocratic qualification for the Heino, so that the ignominy of having zero Welsh teams qualify for the Heino might whip the WRU into shape....

    .... however seems far more likely to me that in such a scenario we'd just hear increased moaning about the tournament, and pleas to join the Premiership...

    Was it Simon Thomas of Wales Online. He's very open about wanting the welsh to join premiership/play the english much more


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    #163
    thomond2006
    Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Lost Ormond wrote: »
    Was it Simon Thomas of Wales Online. He's very open about wanting the welsh to join premiership/play the english much more

    He knows the crowd he's playing to.


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    #164
    Neil3030
    Registered Users Posts: 17,038 ✭✭✭✭Neil3030


    To clarify - he hasn't made any complaints about the URC but would prefer to see it go full meritocratic.


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    #165
    Red Silurian
    Registered Users Posts: 8,569 ✭✭✭Red Silurian


    In wonder will the Christmas back-to-back fixtures be kept in the H-Cup, can't see too many happy faces if a European team has to go to South Africa one week and then 5 days later play them again at home


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    #166
    Dave_The_Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 7,340 ✭✭✭Dave_The_Sheep


    Really not a fan of SA teams being in the Heineken Cup.


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    #167
    Burkie1203
    Registered Users Posts: 11,307 ✭✭✭✭Burkie1203


    Red Silurian wrote: »
    In wonder will the Christmas back-to-back fixtures be kept in the H-Cup, can't see too many happy faces if a European team has to go to South Africa one week and then 5 days later play them again at home

    The back to back games didn't happen last season

    Leinster were away to Monty and home to Northampton


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    #168
    Lost Ormond
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Lost Ormond


    thomond2006 wrote: »
    He knows the crowd he's playing to.

    I know that well. He completely plays everything up to that audience
    Red Silurian wrote: »
    In wonder will the Christmas back-to-back fixtures be kept in the H-Cup, can't see too many happy faces if a European team has to go to South Africa one week and then 5 days later play them again at home

    They didnt happen last year but surely easy fix is just not have 5 day turnarounds for any side South African or european that plays in South Africa the weekend before
    Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »
    Really not a fan of SA teams being in the Heineken Cup.
    well if theyre playing in the league then why not have them also in the european cup?


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    #169
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,526 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »
    Really not a fan of SA teams being in the Heineken Cup.

    If they weren't allowed into the champions cup why would they bother their arse in the league?


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    #170
    Yurt2
    Registered Users Posts: 9,381 ✭✭✭Yurt2


    Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »
    Really not a fan of SA teams being in the Heineken Cup.


    I'm loving the thought of it. Bulls or Sharks versus Toulon or Toulouse in a packed stadium in the South of France? I'd watch that hard seven days a week.

    The center of gravity of world rugby has definitively moved north now. New Zealand are stuck now trying to get competitive games for their franchises out of Australia (in serious decline) and Japan (on the up but still off the game's elite).


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    #171
    Yurt2
    Registered Users Posts: 9,381 ✭✭✭Yurt2


    Neil3030 wrote: »
    The measure of this league's success will be in how well the SA teams hold onto their better players. If we continue to see a one-way pipeline of talent migrating to Europe, we could wind up with a slightly more bloated Kings/Cheetahs situation. However if they can keep their players, I think this league could be epic.


    Probably good news for SA rugby that will assist with player retention. I think I recall they consisted of the lions share of TV money in the Super Rugby arrangement and now that's pooled with European TV money. All games now more or less in their timezone to draw eyeballs.


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    #172
    Dave_The_Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 7,340 ✭✭✭Dave_The_Sheep


    I know all that, lads. I just don't like it.


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    #173
    Lost Ormond
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Lost Ormond


    Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »
    I know all that, lads. I just don't like it.
    why? It will make league better. european competition better.
    whats not to like?


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    #174
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users Posts: 10,049 ✭✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    One step closer to a pan Euro league hopefully


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    #175
    ineedeuro
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 989 ✭✭✭ineedeuro


    Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »
    Really not a fan of SA teams being in the Heineken Cup.

    The only way the SA team would move to Pro14 was to play European rugby, it would be a pointless move if they didnt get allowed

    The Irish teams are going backwards in the Pro14 because the Scottish/Welsh/italian teams at this stage are not up to standard, the question is not if the Irish team will win, it's if they can get a bonus point.

    For the Irish teams and the Ireland International team to progress we need the SA's. Now the SA's need Ireland because they made most of the TV money for Super Rugby and then it was spilt up.

    So it should be a win win....SA team in Europe? it should drive up the TV money more


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    #176
    ineedeuro
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 989 ✭✭✭ineedeuro


    AbusesToilets wrote: »
    One step closer to a pan Euro league hopefully

    French will never dump the Top 14.


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    #177
    lawrencesummers
    Registered Users Posts: 8,533 ✭✭✭lawrencesummers


    A question in all of this is when the fixtures for the Rugby Championship are. They have normally been summer time.

    With a league starting in sept 2021 and running until June 2022 it doesn’t give SA internationals much time off before the start of the 2022 season, a season where they could be competing in the league, European cup, Autumn internationals and Rugby Championship.

    Considering many will have been in action this summer against the lions and the strong possibility of an expanded Rugby Championship that’s a lot of fixtures for SA players, and also the possibility of a mid season break for them during the 6N.

    Be interesting to see how that works out.


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    #178
    Yurt2
    Registered Users Posts: 9,381 ✭✭✭Yurt2


    AbusesToilets wrote: »
    One step closer to a pan Euro league hopefully


    The French are far too attached to their league set-up for that to happen. And their domestic TV money is massive.

    The Premiership is the least interesting of the big 3 leagues in Europe now. Seems stodgy compared to the URC and Top14.

    I'd love to see the Italians level up and finally get competitive with big numbers in their stadiums. Wishful thinking though unless some Italian billionaires come in to bankroll the teams.


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    #179
    ineedeuro
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 989 ✭✭✭ineedeuro


    Yurt! wrote: »
    The French are far too attached to their league set-up for that to happen. And their domestic TV money is massive.

    The Premiership is the least interesting of the big 3 leagues in Europe now. Seems stodgy compared to the URC and Top14.

    I'd love to see the Italians level up and finally get competitive with big numbers in their stadiums. Wishful thinking though unless some Italian billionaires come in to bankroll the teams.

    The Premiership are going to bring the numbers up to 14 and then shut down relegation for a period. They will never reintroduce it.

    Without relegation the clubs will be guaranteed money so they can take out bigger loans and hopefully attract more players. This is the great hope from the English clubs. To me it sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.


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    #180
    hahashake
    Registered Users Posts: 827 ✭✭✭hahashake


    Are the other leagues going to travel to South Africa for Champions Cup games?


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    #181
    Lost Ormond
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Lost Ormond


    hahashake wrote: »
    Are the other leagues going to travel to South Africa for Champions Cup games?

    If the money is right for them they will.
    London Irish and Newcastle played Sarries in premiership games in the US a few years ago as part of a deal to play some games there for $$$
    So they definately would go to South Africa if money is right and these games would also be in same/similar time zone unlike games in the US which will be better for crowds at home as well


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