URC 2022 Thread

Welsh teams struggling. Scarlets vs Cardiff was a poor game played by 2 teams desperate for a win but showing little quality.

Flashes of good old Connacht (1st try for example) but still erratic and handling not what it used to be yeah.

Connacht have focused on defence (slightly improved), scrum (improved) and lineout (massively improved).

They forgot about rucks, Marmion/Reilly had to jump in it so often because there were not protected.

A lot of these results would tie into the opposition. Like Leinster have played Benetton and Zebre! Realistically both are wins. Connacht have Played the series away in S.A. Very tough to win. It will all shake out in the end. I've no idea who Scarlets have faced. They could be rubbish.

The Sharks bench is incredibly strong. Glasgow were doing ok for the first 50 minutes, but the South Africans were able to bring in Kolisi, Mbonambi and Ox Nche. They've scored three unanswered tries since.

Wasps going into admistration means another handful of players are on the market - Vincent Koch may head back to S Africa. I wonder could Connacht take on John Ryan? They badly need TH cover especially with Bealham away with Ireland.

I wonder how long before we see the English teams in the URC? It makes tv sense to have 1 united league.

One of the articles about Wasps going into administration this week pointed out that this will cost every other team in the prem about £500k-700k in lost gate receipts/sponsorship money/tv revenue. If any other teams are on the brink that won't help at all. It could turn into a vicious circle of teams going down one by one and dragging the next worst off team down with them, and the cycle repeating.

For all the talk over the years of the Welsh teams joining the Premiership if many more prem teams go down now its far more likely the remaining few 4-6 financially solvent ones would desperately try to join the URC.

The Welch teams aren't very solvent either. They rarely fill their stadiums. Then there's trying to leave the urc. They are obligated to the urc. English rugby did not want them and I think adding the regions would not help the premiership, as far as competition goes. No region currently, would be a top 4 team.

What makes it even worse is that Leinster V Munster is usually at 3pm

Anytime between 5 and 8 are the best times in my opinion, I assume the 3pm slot was used to facilitate the away supporters going from Limerick to Dublin in the past but away fans should never be the priority, especially given recent trends in supporters attending games

Leinster v Munster was originally scheduled for 7:30pm, so 5:15pm is still comparatively early.

The 7pm Saturday evening slot sells the best for Leinster for the Aviva games afaik - it gets a lot more casual fans in who can go for pints before/after.

Probably the same tea lady as the one that served the ABs before the 95 RWC Final. Can't trust those cheating saffers.

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Frank Murphy and his TMO had howlers in the Bulls/Benneton game.