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Rainbow Cup 2021

  • 26-03-2021 10:09am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,024 ✭✭✭


    RAINBOW CUP FIXTURES

    ROUND 1

    April 24, 2021

    Ulster v Connacht
    Leinster v Munster
    Benetton v Glasgow Warriors
    Edinburgh v Zebre Rugby Club
    Ospreys v Cardiff Blues
    Dragons v Scarlets
    Vodacom Bulls v Emirates Lions
    DHL Stormers v Cell C Sharks

    ROUND 2

    May 8, 2021

    Connacht v Leinster
    Munster v Ulster
    Zebre v Benetton
    Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh
    Cardiff Blues v Dragons
    Scarlets v Ospreys

    May 1, 2021 (EPCR Semi-Final Weekend)

    DHL Stormers v Vodacom Bulls
    Cell C Sharks v Emirates Lions

    ROUND 3

    May 8, 2021

    Vodacom Bulls v Cell C Sharks
    Emirates Lions v DHL Stormers

    May 15, 2021

    Munster v Connacht
    Leinster v Ulster
    Benetton v Zebre
    Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors
    Scarlets v Cardiff Blues
    Dragons v Ospreys

    Round 4: Weekend of May 29.
    Round 5: Weekend of June 5.
    Round 6: Weekend of June 12.
    Final: Weekend of June 19.

    https://supersport.com/rugby/news/210326_Rainbow_Cup_fixtures_confirmed


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    Can we all just pretend this is going to be the greatest competition we’ve ever been in?

    Just to give us something to keep us going.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,742 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    It clearly will be. Some of the best clubs teams in the world coming together in a time of struggle and strife in what is effectively an origin story for an upcoming competition to lift a struggling league out of the doldrums and into the big time. How is this not going to be the best thing since sliced bread!?


  • Registered Users Posts: 16,387 ✭✭✭✭Clegg


    It's really hard to get spite up for Leinster/Munster games when they play each other so frequently.

    Opening fixture of the Rainbow Cup.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,024 ✭✭✭bayern


    Clegg wrote: »
    It's really hard to get spite up for Leinster/Munster games when they play each other so frequently.

    Opening fixture of the Rainbow Cup.

    it's a joke.


  • Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    Clegg wrote: »
    It's really hard to get spite up for Leinster/Munster games when they play each other so frequently.

    Opening fixture of the Rainbow Cup.

    I don’t think the frequency is the problem.

    Munster’s fall from grace has deprived the decent people of Leinster of a top class game. They are letting us down. If they were any good at all, I’d love to see us play every week. But we’ll just end up beating them by 60 points or whatever.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 827 ✭✭✭hahashake


    Will they be given an exemption for travel from SA or are the organisers just hoping the rules will change in the interim?


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    The bombardment of interpros at the beginning of this is unfortunate but it's making the best of it. They're already changing their plans of having you play your opponents from your pool as there was supposed to be 2 provinces in each. Anyway, the South African teams coming to Europe will be interesting. Who knows what the standard will be like?

    Celtic Rugby must cross their fingers and hope the South Africans are competitive. If at least two of them could be at a standard to compete with the provinces it would be a fantastic prospect for the Pro16/xx. The current league season has shown the chasm between the provinces and the other sides, particularly when the internationals are away. A full Scarlets side could compete IMO, but they've been unable to due to missing 20-25 players.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,366 ✭✭✭yerrahbah


    So I take it each Pro12 team will only play 1 SA team each through this


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    yerrahbah wrote: »
    So I take it each Pro12 team will only play 1 SA team each through this

    Well the original plan was:
    The Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup will kick off on April 17 with two pools of 8 teams made up of two Irish, two South African, two Welsh, one Italian and one Scottish club. Each team will play one game against each pool opponent and the sides that finish top of their pools will face off in a final on June 19.

    So each European team would play a South African side twice. However with three interpro weekends breaking up this plan, who knows..


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 34,942 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Are there any matches scheduled for SA versus European teams?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    I see they've reduced the 'regular season' of this from seven games to six games. The first round scheduled for the 17th April isn't taking place.


  • Administrators Posts: 53,127 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    What's the odds on rounds 4, 5 and 6 not taking place?

    The opening interpros are going to be standard interpro fare, right? Glorified A teams.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,366 ✭✭✭yerrahbah


    Well the original plan was:



    So each European team would play a South African side twice. However with three interpro weekends breaking up this plan, who knows..


    That seems to have changed

    https://www.pro14.rugby/latest/pro14/kick-off-opening-rounds-of-rainbow-cup-confirmed



    A total of six rounds (eight games per round) will take place with all teams ranked in a single league table. The top two teams will then play each other in the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup Final on June 19.


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    awec wrote: »
    What's the odds on rounds 4, 5 and 6 not taking place?

    The opening interpros are going to be standard interpro fare, right? Glorified A teams.

    3rd April: EPCR R16
    10th April: EPCR QF
    17th April: Rest week
    24th April: RC 1
    1st May: EPCR SF
    8th May: RC 2
    15th May: RC 3
    22nd May: EPCR F

    It will depend on European progression for the most part I'd say. However, with everyone getting a rest week on the 17th, I imagine you'll see strong sides on the 24th.


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,991 ✭✭✭Caranica


    I can't get my head around how 16 teams play 6 rounds in a single group including three derbies. With any kind of a fair seeding the Irish teams wouldn't all play each other.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,749 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cookiemunster


    Caranica wrote: »
    I can't get my head around how 16 teams play 6 rounds in a single group including three derbies. With any kind of a fair seeding the Irish teams wouldn't all play each other.
    It's a place holder tournament to get the SA players game time for the Lions tour and give the teams up here something to do until June. Seeding and meritocracy aren't really important.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,024 ✭✭✭bayern


    It's a place holder tournament to get the SA players game time for the Lions tour and give the teams up here something to do until June. Seeding and meritocracy aren't really important.

    they could have just continued with the league instead of this crap.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,749 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cookiemunster


    awec wrote: »
    What's the odds on rounds 4, 5 and 6 not taking place?
    They'll go ahead alright. The SA teams have 3 weeks between R3 and R4. Plenty of time to get up North and quarantine.
    awec wrote: »
    The opening interpros are going to be standard interpro fare, right? Glorified A teams.

    It'll depend on their European progress I'd assume. I can't see too many IRFU edicts for the rest of the season as there won't be a summer tour for Ireland.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,749 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cookiemunster


    bayern wrote: »
    they could have just continued with the league instead of this crap.
    Continuing with the league was two more regular season games (return interpros) and two semi finals. It's not like there was loads more rugby to be played.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,340 ✭✭✭FrannoFan


    Could the leinster v munster game been the pro14 final instead of shoe horning it into the gap between europe and 6 nations?


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  • Subscribers Posts: 40,722 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    bayern wrote: »
    they could have just continued with the league instead of this crap.

    oh please no... it was painful watching.....

    Irish teams points difference = +703

    welsh teams PD = -136

    scottish and italian teams PD = -567


  • Registered Users Posts: 827 ✭✭✭hahashake


    People are talking about quarantine but unless the rules change or they are given an exemption, they are not allowed to travel as it currently stands.


  • Subscribers Posts: 40,722 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    hahashake wrote: »
    People are talking about quarantine but unless the rules change or they are given an exemption, they are not allowed to travel as it currently stands.

    i cant see why they wont be granted the same pro sports exemptions that other European pro rugby teams are given... once they pass their initial quarantine and have a rolling testing procedure in place


  • Registered Users Posts: 827 ✭✭✭hahashake


    sydthebeat wrote: »
    i cant see why they wont be granted the same pro sports exemptions that other European pro rugby teams are given... once they pass their initial quarantine

    I know in the UK, the "red list" countries includes SA but no European countries. So not the same.


  • Subscribers Posts: 40,722 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    hahashake wrote: »
    I know in the UK, the "red list" countries includes SA but no European countries. So not the same.

    but once they are base din a European country and have completely quarantine, they wont be seen to be travelling from south africa, but from Europe


  • Registered Users Posts: 827 ✭✭✭hahashake


    So presumably they will be in quarantining Dublin for 2 weeks.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,301 ✭✭✭scott1974


    molloyjh wrote: »
    It clearly will be. Some of the best clubs teams in the world coming together in a time of struggle and strife in what is effectively an origin story for an upcoming competition to lift a struggling league out of the doldrums and into the big time. How is this not going to be the best thing since sliced bread!?


    The tournament that no-one asked for.. what joy!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    hahashake wrote: »
    So presumably they will be in quarantining Dublin for 2 weeks.

    Depends where they’re staying yeah.

    But also, who knows what things will be like then


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,247 ✭✭✭Paul Smeenus


    Am becoming pretty disenchanted with provincial rugby competitions. Not Awec-level enraged, but it all feels fairly meh. I was excited to bring in a competition with the SA teams, but God it feels rudderless.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Am becoming pretty disenchanted with provincial rugby competitions. Not Awec-level enraged, but it all feels fairly meh. I was excited to bring in a competition with the SA teams, but God it feels rudderless.

    The real competition will be next season. Given the current Covid situation, we'll be doing well to have any games with SA sides.


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