British & Irish Cup 2014-2015

The Lost Sheep · 13-06-2014 06:46PM #1

The Scottish sides have pulled out of next seasons competition following changes to the competition’s structure which would see six fixtures being played before Christmas. The 12 English championship sides, the top 4 welsh premiership sides and the 4 provincial A sides will play in 5 groups of 4 before the knock out stages.
The group stages begin on October 11th and will conclude on December 6th and the quarter finals will be played January 24th with the semi finals which will be played the weekend of March 15th while the final will take place on the weekend of April 3/4/5, 2015

http://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/latest-breaking-news/16918/scots-pull-out-of-bi-cup/

CIARAN_BOYLE · 13-06-2014 07:18PM

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

The Scottish sides have pulled out of next seasons competition following changes to the competition’s structure which would see six fixtures being played before Christmas. The 12 English championship sides, the top 4 welsh premiership sides and the 4 provincial A sides will play in 5 groups of 4 before the knock out stages.
The group stages begin on October 11th and will conclude on December 6th and the quarter finals will be played January 24th with the semi finals which will be played the weekend of March 15th while the final will take place on the weekend of April 3/4/5, 2015

http://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/latest-breaking-news/16918/scots-pull-out-of-bi-cup/

I'm not really hapy the breaking the link with European weekends myself. Also disappointed with the continued failure to find a naming sponsor.

The Lost Sheep · 13-06-2014 07:50PM

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

I'm not really happy the breaking the link with European weekends myself. Also disappointed with the continued failure to find a naming sponsor.

Agree on both counts. Tie in with European weekends was very good as gave extended squad something to play on those weekends and no sponsor is still not great as harder to promote without a sponsor

CatFromHue · 13-06-2014 09:09PM

Would the English and Welsh teams be their full strength teams does anyone know?

phog · 13-06-2014 09:26PM

I thought linking it with the H/cup was a great idea from an Irish pov as the extended squads got a few games.

Finding a sponsor was always going to be difficult for such a minor tournament, just look at the Celtic League as an example how difficult it is to sell.

You'd have to wonder who proposed the changes to the fuxtures and why it was supported.

thomond2006 · 13-06-2014 10:31PM

Pairing the fixtures with Europe could be a reason that it struggled to get a sponsor. The matches get overshadowed.

The Lost Sheep · 13-06-2014 10:35PM

CatFromHue wrote: »

Would the English and Welsh teams be their full strength teams does anyone know?

Maybe with the English/Welsh sides. English/Welsh usually did but it depended on how sides were doing in principality premiership/championship etc how they were bothered in B&I.

phog wrote: »

I thought linking it with the H/cup was a great idea from an Irish pov as the extended squads got a few games.

Finding a sponsor was always going to be difficult for such a minor tournament, just look at the Celtic League as an example how difficult it is to sell.

You'd have to wonder who proposed the changes to the fuxtures and why it was supported.

Scots couldn't fit it in their season so
Linking with HEC weekends wasnt good for profile of competition as it was over shadowed. the extended squads of provinces will still get games in the competition no matter when its played.
Changes to fixtures were made AFAIK to give the competition its own window in the season so as it receive some more publicity which is impossible when played on the weekends it has been played the past few seasons

CIARAN_BOYLE · 14-06-2014 12:17AM

thomond2006 wrote: »

Pairing the fixtures with Europe could be a reason that it struggled to get a sponsor. The matches get overshadowed.

True but it also increases the calibre of player involved from the provinces

CatFromHue · 14-06-2014 12:21AM

I suppose the provinces only make up 20% of the teams.

The Lost Sheep · 24-06-2014 02:16PM

Pools have been drawn
Pool 1: London Scottish, Wales 2, Bristol Rugby, Connacht
Pool 2: Rotherham Titans, Leeds Carnegie, Ulster Ravens, Wales 4
Pool 3: Worcester Warriors, Nottingham Rugby, Moseley, Munster 'A'
Pool 4: Wales 1, Cornish Pirates, Doncaster Knights, Bedford Blues
Pool 5: Leinster 'A', Plymouth Albion, Wales 3, Jersey RFC

Buer · 24-06-2014 02:26PM

Mirrors the ECC; not a bad pool for Leinster, tough pools for Ulster and Munster.

The Lost Sheep · 24-06-2014 02:28PM

Buer wrote: »

Mirrors the ECC; not a bad pool for Leinster, tough pools for Ulster and Munster.

And Connachts pool is very tough as well.

Digifriendly · 25-06-2014 11:11AM

AFAIK there were no AIL fixtures when HEC/British & Irish Cup weekends were on. So if these latest fixtures clash with AIL games then some of the AIL teams will be without important players.

The Lost Sheep · 25-06-2014 11:15AM

Digifriendly wrote: »

AFAIK there were no AIL fixtures when HEC/British & Irish Cup weekends were on. So if these latest fixtures clash with AIL games then some of the AIL teams will be without important players.

There was AIL fixtures on some HEC/B&IC weekends. Not all but 2 maybe 3 weekends last season where there was HEC/B&IC on same weekend as AIL

Digifriendly · 25-06-2014 03:02PM

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

There was AIL fixtures on some HEC/B&IC weekends. Not all but 2 maybe 3 weekends last season where there was HEC/B&IC on same weekend as AIL

Thanks for that. I think these rejigged fixtures will probably impact more AIL weekends.

The Lost Sheep · 05-09-2014 01:21AM

The playoff games to decide the Welsh representatives in this competition have been played the last few weeks and the Welsh representatives will be decided this weekend.
Each of the 4 pro12 regions have been holding games between their premiership sides to decide who competes in this seasons B&I Cup.
Cross Keys beat Ebbw Vale 16-13 and will now face Newport, who beat Bedwas 41-25, to decide who will be in group 4 with Cornish Pirates, Bedford and Doncaster

Llandovery beat Llanelli 28-15 so move on to play Camarthen Quins this weekend to decide who joins Leinster, Jersey and Albion in group 5 of the cup

'Wales 2' will be Cardiff or Pontypridd while 'Wales 4' will be Aberavon or Bridgend

The Lost Sheep · 08-10-2014 04:27PM

Fixtures for this weekends opening round
Leinster A away to Plymouth 3pm Saturday
Munster A home to Moseley 3pm Saturday in Clonmel
Connacht Eagles away to Bristol 3pm Sunday
Ulster Ravens away to Aberavon 2.30pm Saturday

Hagz · 08-10-2014 04:35PM

I wonder what kind of team we'll see from Leinster with all the injuries. Might see a few raw lads thrown in the mix.

molloyjh · 08-10-2014 04:54PM

Hagz wrote: »

I wonder what kind of team we'll see from Leinster with all the injuries. Might see a few raw lads thrown in the mix.

Yeah the side that faced Munster A had its share of kids, even by B&I standards. And the injuries to Marsh, COS and Daly won't help. Although I don't know how badly the first 2 are injured. I believe Daly broke his hand.

sydneybound · 08-10-2014 04:59PM

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Leinster A away to Plymouth 3pm Saturday

Oh god I watched Plymouth on Sky Sport 2 on Sunday they were woeful and are bottom of the division losing heavily to London Scottish. Leinster even though away should still win by a cricket here.

The Lost Sheep · 08-10-2014 05:05PM

Hagz wrote: »

I wonder what kind of team we'll see from Leinster with all the injuries. Might see a few raw lads thrown in the mix.

The team that faced Munster was very young with vast vast majority of them under age of 23 so there will definitely be some raw players used

RobbieRuns · 08-10-2014 05:22PM

All provincial teams will be very young.

Braken · 08-10-2014 05:44PM

sydneybound wrote: »

Oh god I watched Plymouth on Sky Sport 2 on Sunday they were woeful and are bottom of the division losing heavily to London Scottish. Leinster even though away should still win by a cricket here.

There was an interesting article in the examiner today from Donal lenihan
He reckons Irfu should have developed the club game at div1A andB into semi pro and forget the B&I ,he says the English have no interest in it and there is nothing to be gained from playing Plymouth 2nds...
And a vibrant club game is especially important for munster

phog · 08-10-2014 06:19PM

Braken wrote: »

There was an interesting article in the examiner today from Donal lenihan
He reckons Irfu should have developed the club game at div1A andB into semi pro and forget the B&I ,he says the English have no interest in it and there is nothing to be gained from playing Plymouth 2nds...
And a vibrant club game is especially important for munster

I haven't read the article but in the long term all provinces will need a strong club league underneath the professional game.

The Lost Sheep · 08-10-2014 08:44PM

RobbieRuns wrote: »

All provincial teams will be very young.

They will but not to extent of some sides in A friendlies. There will be plenty of first team squad members getting game time in these games

Braken wrote: »

There was an interesting article in the examiner today from Donal lenihan
He reckons Irfu should have developed the club game at div1A andB into semi pro and forget the B&I ,he says the English have no interest in it and there is nothing to be gained from playing Plymouth 2nds...
And a vibrant club game is especially important for munster

Disagree. Provinces need the British and Irish Cup and wrong to say English don't have an interest in it and its not as if we really wanted to we could improve it so that the English(and everyone else) can really benefit from B&I Cup.
A vibrant club game is especially important for all provinces not just Munster

ArmchairQB · 08-10-2014 09:03PM

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

They will but not to extent of some sides in A friendlies. There will be plenty of first team squad members getting game time in these games

Disagree. Provinces need the British and Irish Cup and wrong to say English don't have an interest in it and its not as if we really wanted to we could improve it so that the English(and everyone else) can really benefit from B&I Cup.
A vibrant club game is especially important for all provinces not just Munster

Would agree with Lenihan and the way clubs are getting treated by IRFU and provinces there could well be a likely break away semi pro league in years to come. As another journalist has said previously it is not unnoticed that those at the top table are being increasingly being forced to follow rules brought in by those at the bottom of the table.

Braken · 08-10-2014 11:10PM

ArmchairQB wrote: »

Would agree with Lenihan and the way clubs are getting treated by IRFU and provinces there could well be a likely break away semi pro league in years to come. As another journalist has said previously it is not unnoticed that those at the top table are being increasingly being forced to follow rules brought in by those at the bottom of the table.

If the Scottish semi-pro league proves successful next season it might not be too long coming...

The Lost Sheep · 09-10-2014 10:49AM

ArmchairQB wrote: »

Would agree with Lenihan and the way clubs are getting treated by IRFU and provinces there could well be a likely break away semi pro league in years to come. As another journalist has said previously it is not unnoticed that those at the top table are being increasingly being forced to follow rules brought in by those at the bottom of the table.

What would you like the IRFU to do to treat clubs better?

There wont be a break away semi pro league. Which sides would compete? Who would fund it?

Winters · 09-10-2014 01:15PM

Clubs represent communities, the provinces represent bigger areas, more sponsors, bigger sponsors, more fans.

Professional clubs in Ireland would be a entirely unsustainable option and a recipe for disaster.

We have the correct set up here. Some executive autonomy may occur but ownership will always remain with the members who are the clubs and schools.

stephen_n · 09-10-2014 02:09PM

A semi pro league in Ireland would be a disaster, there is not a big enough fan base for the clubs to be financially stable. A lot of the clubs still haven't recovered financially from previous attempts at a professional/semi Pro league. With the rise of provincial rugby, the chances of people being prepared to pay into club games is definitely lessened.

Braken · 09-10-2014 06:07PM

A semi pro league would not survive without some kind of sponsorship be it from the rugby governing body or TV...the Australian model is being supported by TV rights I presume the scots will be supported by their rugby union

British & Irish Cup 2014-2015

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