URC 2022 Thread

stephen_n · 01-02-2023 10:58AM

EPCR player of the year nominees out. 10 from the URC, 1 from England and 4 from France. Fairly representative of how the tournament has played out so far.

01-02-2023 11:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120186072#Comment_120186072

Full list:

2023 EPCR PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Grégory ALLDRITT (Stade Rochelais)

Gavin COOMBES (Munster Rugby)

Caelan DORIS (Leinster Rugby)

Elliot DALY (Saracens)

Antoine DUPONT (Stade Toulousain)

Eben ETZEBETH (Cell C Sharks)

Jaden HENDRIKSE (Cell C Sharks)

Siya KOLISI (Cell C Sharks)

Makazole MAPIMPI (Cell C Sharks)

Julien MARCHAND (Stade Toulousain)

Emmanuel MEAFOU (Stade Toulousain)

Jamie OSBORNE (Leinster Rugby)

Garry RINGROSE (Leinster Rugby)

Justin TIPURIC (Ospreys)

Josh VAN DER FLIER (Leinster Rugby)

Jump_In_Jack · 01-02-2023 01:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120186280#Comment_120186280

That's some achievement from Jamie Osborne, fair play, just turned 21 in November.

He should frame that list, look at the names on it, to be in that company, that's fantastic.

01-02-2023 01:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120186716#Comment_120186716

Yeah, but it's a strange enough list at this juncture tbh. Basically based on 4 games. He had a MotM against Gloucester away, and was good in the Aviva v Racing, but got 9 mins off the bench in Le Havre and didn't play in the home game v Gloucester.

I'm not taking anything away from him, but it's a strange list at this point.

Cookiemunster · 01-02-2023 01:25PM

Yeah it's pointless at this stage as you won't make the final shortlist if your team doesn't make the semi finals.

aloooof · 01-02-2023 01:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120186745#Comment_120186745

Iirc, Dupont was on the long-list after 60 mins of rugby at this stage a couple of seasons ago (during Covid admittedly).

Delighted to see Coombes in there too tho, put him some huge shifts in the 4 games.

phog · 02-02-2023 03:28PM

I hope this uploads - it's the current (expanded) table.

What is interesting when comparing Munster's performances is that we have the conceded the 2nd least tries scored and the least conversions against us, that may mean we're forcing the opposition to score out on the wing making the conversions more difficult or the opposition has crap kickers when they play us 😁

aloooof · 02-02-2023 09:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120192290#Comment_120192290

Interesting stuff. Makes the defence in the Benetton game look all the more of an anomaly, where we got cut up through the middle a bit as well.

Dubinusa · 15-02-2023 06:05PM

What's happening in Wales is shocking. The union over there is a shambles. Players have no clue as to their status for next year. It's apparent that the current structure over in Wales is shambolic. There needs to be changes made.

Cookiemunster · 15-02-2023 07:23PM

That would be why there's a vote in March to totally reorganise the WRU structures.

Strand1970 · 15-02-2023 08:56PM

WRU in talks with Ealing to merge with one of the Welsh teams (dragons) and play out of London. RFU wouldn't be happy with a URC team in London. I wonder could they stop it happening under UK law.

Neil3030 · 16-02-2023 05:48AM

If Ealing and Dragons don't become the Eagons, and use Ghostbusters branding, then what's the bloody point!

stephen_n · 16-02-2023 08:45AM

Surely D’railing no?

pickarooney · 16-02-2023 09:26AM

Dragonfinders

icdg · 16-02-2023 09:59AM

No law specifically against it, a number of Welsh clubs play in the English system instead of the Welsh in football and the Welsh FA can’t (or won’t) do anything legal about it. Different sport I know, but the principle is there.

Whether there is anything in World Rugby or the RFU’s regulations to stop it is a different matter.

Lost Ormond · 16-02-2023 10:42AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120245555#Comment_120245555

How could UK law stop it? World Rugby is different and RFU would likely have to give permission

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120247225#Comment_120247225

The welsh clubs that do play in England did so before any welsh national league was set up, which was only in the 1990s. before that there was only north/south welsh leagues

PMC83 · 16-02-2023 01:06PM

Another week, another story about a region going under. You'd worry for Welsh Rugby at this stage, seems like the entire organization could hit the wall, which wouldn't be great for the game anywhere

Blut2 · 16-02-2023 01:17PM

It sounds a bit crazy at first glance, and the English RFU will obviously hate it, but it wouldn't be the worst for the URC. London probably has enough fans in it who'd love to see Leinster, the Stormers etc visit that the team might actually be decently supported.

pickarooney · 16-02-2023 01:26PM

The existing London teams don't seem to attract many fans. A third rate outfit conjured up from the remains of two clubs with no presence in London is unlikely to bring them in.

Neil3030 · 16-02-2023 05:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120248157#Comment_120248157

That was my thinking as well.

Nobody goes to see London Welsh, but they aren't playing Munster, Ulster, etc.

Huge SA diaspora in London too.

Digifriendly · 17-02-2023 02:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120248197#Comment_120248197

Lots of Irish/Scots/Welsh/Italian/S. African ex pats in London who will attend these games.

Blut2 · 17-02-2023 04:10PM

The LA Rams in the NFL would probably be the kind of scenario they're hoping for. They just recently moved to LA, and have very little local support as a result, but every week get great attendances because LA is 1) a transplant hub full of people from other parts of the US and b) a good place to visit. So its usually tens of thousands of away fans in the stadium.

The Dragon Finders would obviously be far smaller scale, but probably aiming for a similar model initially at least.

pickarooney · 17-02-2023 04:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252772#Comment_120252772

I don't see it happening. Welsh fans in Wales don't bother going to see even the better teams. Why would Welsh fans in England go see the worst team in the league?

The LA Rams are one of only 32 pro Am Football teams in the world and I think they won the Superbowl recently. There's really nothing worth comparing with Dragons in London.

Blut2 · 17-02-2023 05:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120253701#Comment_120253701

They're one of multiple NFL teams in the same city (the Chargers are based there too) and only just relocated to the city in 2016, from previously being 2000 odd miles away. Their first year they were one of the worst teams in the league, going 4-12, and still filled their stadium to 89% of capacity on average over the season.

Its a much bigger sport, but its about as close a comparison as there is for the Dragons moving to a megacity and relying on fans there being more interested in the high profile away teams visiting than the poor quality home team, as we're likely to get.

pickarooney · 17-02-2023 05:57PM

They were originally from LA, though, right?

And it's the NFL, the biggest sport in a huge sport-mad country, in a megalopolis.

Rugby is a niche sport, even the best team in the London area, multiple European champions, only get 12000 fans at their matches.

If it was soccer, and London didn't have 20 professional teams already, and it was a decent team, it might be a useful comparison.

Strand1970 · 17-02-2023 06:41PM

LA rams not a fair comparison to Ealing. Rams stadium alone cost over 5 billion dollars vs 2k capacity Ealing stadium. A fair comparison would be Arsenal moving to Dublin. I reckon Ealing moving to URC would work. It would be a London club in the URC, the Welsh connection would be nothing. I honestly think the URC is growing and marketing is on the money and will attract fans in London.

hold my beer · 18-02-2023 05:34PM

Zebre v Connacht is some game. 34 -38 at the minute

18-02-2023 05:36PM

Irish teams go to Italy in the URC this year and for some reason completely forget how to defend.

Neil3030 · 18-02-2023 06:08PM

43k in Loftus for Bulls v Stormers.

That's the biggest of the SA derbies isn't it?

Dubinusa · 18-02-2023 06:36PM

Sharks beat the Lions. At this stage it looks like the Lions are the weaker S.A team.

URC 2022 Thread

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