The Official Irish Rugby Thread

[CM11]

Oh and you have to be nice to Nols, he's a mod here!

[earl the beaver]

Fuck that, the lanky streak of piss.

At least my knees aren't made of chocolate.

[ASMO]

Fuck that, the lanky streak of piss

He loves it when you talk dirty about him like that.

[PornDog]

Barry Daly has retired at 27 to do an MBA Stateside - https://www.the42.ie/barry-daly-leinste ... 7-Jul2020/

[Locke Lamora]

I believe the leinster schools junior cup final is going ahead in September

[irishrugbyua]

I believe the leinster schools junior cup final is going ahead in September

I'm surprised they have't tried to play the SCT final.

Newbridge players have to be gutted, think they tried to start a petition awhile back for the game to be played, but it was quickly taken down.

[irishrugbyua]

Connacht Rugby are delighted to announce the signings of Australian 7s player Ben O’Donnell and Bay of Plenty Number 8 Abraham Papali’i.

Ben O’Donnell joins from the Australian Sevens programme, having played 95 matches for his country since he was handed his debut in 2017 under Andy Friend.

O’Donnell was voted Australian Sevens Player of the year in 2018 and subsequently went on to be the first Australian player ever nominated for the World Sevens Player of the Year.

New Zealander Abraham Papali’i arrives from Bay of Plenty where he was a key member of the squad that won the Mitre 10 Cup Championship last year.

The 6'4'' number 8 is a duel code player, featuring for the Sydney Roosters in the Australian National Rugby League and French club Lézignan Sangliers before restarting his Rugby Union career with Bay of Plenty.

[Jim Lahey]

Could Connacht not have just taken some of Leinster’s cast offs?

[irishrugbyua]

Could Connacht not have just taken some of Leinster’s cast offs?

they've taken leinster and munster cast offs already.

[HighKingLeinster]

Indo reporting that its likely the two existing SA teams in Pro14 will be dumped in favour of their Super Rugby sides.

Could be interesting

[Jim Lahey]

Indo reporting that its likely the two existing SA teams in Pro14 will be dumped in favour of their Super Rugby sides.

Could be interesting

Think it would be bad for the comp.
Plus remember that sports journos have literally nothing to write about and will embellish anything to get a story out atm, like that circus last week about the Blues #8 potentially playing for England. The journo probably asked a source that didn’t implicitly deny it, or just made it up, and went to town.

I just don’t see how the SARU or the league or TV audiences could afford to support it, especially at the moment.

[HighKingLeinster]

wonder could they do 2 leagues with a promotion/relegation. Issues would be how do you classify teams for the first season between top and 2nd league and would the gap become too high between the two leagues in terms of level and money

otherwise, looking at a conference based system or play each team only once a season and alternate home and away each season

[irishrugbyua]

If you could sign one non-international from each of the other provinces who would you sign:

Munster: Craig Casey
Ulster: Robert Balacoune
Connacht: Tom Farrell

[Hobo Hooker]

wonder could they do 2 leagues with a promotion/relegation. Issues would be how do you classify teams for the first season between top and 2nd league and would the gap become too high between the two leagues in terms of level and money

otherwise, looking at a conference based system or play each team only once a season and alternate home and away each season

sounds too close to the model that broke Soup rugby. Maybe kick out the shit teams to keep it as one league at a manageable size

[irishrugbyua]

Breaking news from EPCR who confirm Marseille will no longer host this year's finals, but will do next year with Spurs pushed back until 2021

[lebute]

So Connacht's New signing "BOD" has an ACL injury, not back until Christmas at the earliest. Despite AF knowing him previously not sure signing a guy with such a severe injury is smart business.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/seve ... 3fd6f4db76

[HighKingLeinster]

wonder could they do 2 leagues with a promotion/relegation. Issues would be how do you classify teams for the first season between top and 2nd league and would the gap become too high between the two leagues in terms of level and money

otherwise, looking at a conference based system or play each team only once a season and alternate home and away each season

sounds too close to the model that broke Soup rugby. Maybe kick out the shit teams to keep it as one league at a manageable size

Dumping the shit teams would be the ideal but not feasible as Italians would be unlikely to agree to leave (now they are full partners?). And i wouldn't be in favour of ditching Connacht or the cows to accommodate saffer teams

[HighKingLeinster]

So Connacht's New signing "BOD" has an ACL injury, not back until Christmas at the earliest. Despite AF knowing him previously not sure signing a guy with such a severe injury is smart business.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/seve ... 3fd6f4db76

So the westies decided that their existing injury record wasnt bad enough that they would import a few more

[Hobo Hooker]

wonder could they do 2 leagues with a promotion/relegation. Issues would be how do you classify teams for the first season between top and 2nd league and would the gap become too high between the two leagues in terms of level and money

otherwise, looking at a conference based system or play each team only once a season and alternate home and away each season

sounds too close to the model that broke Soup rugby. Maybe kick out the shit teams to keep it as one league at a manageable size

Dumping the shit teams would be the ideal but not feasible as Italians would be unlikely to agree to leave (now they are full partners?). And i wouldn't be in favour of ditching Connacht or the cows to accommodate saffer teams

yeah would be messy and political, in an ideal world the shit teams to cull: Dragons, Zebre, Munster and Kings

[HighKingLeinster]

No point dumping Munster. They would qualify as one of the new saffer teams these days

[Lazy couch potato]

It’ll work in my opinion if the saffer teams come fully loaded. If we get their current rosters and they play full blooded derbies in RSA it’ll be a big addition. Kings were so rubbish it was a disaster for the cheetahs. A big game v the stormers or bulls etc would be a great occasion.

Realistically Italian teams are of average level. Basically a level to find out which young up and coming teams are up to it. Taffs have been poor members of pro14 in recent years because despite being very good at 6 nations etc level they clearly aren’t pulling up trees. Scarlets put together a super team and could have really started to be a threat to Leinster but they didn’t keep any of their players.
Scots have come on in leaps and bounds over the last 10 years. Glasgow and Edinburgh both solid setups now.

It requires buy in by the saffers but I could see it being a great addition. Munster Ulster Connachts squad depth will get tested more!!

[Lazy couch potato]

So Connacht's New signing "BOD" has an ACL injury, not back until Christmas at the earliest. Despite AF knowing him previously not sure signing a guy with such a severe injury is smart business.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/seve ... 3fd6f4db76

So the westies decided that their existing injury record wasnt bad enough that they would import a few more

That’s mindbogglingly stupid

[irishrugbyua]

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has finalised plans to facilitate the return of academy players following the return of senior squads in June.

All four provincial academy squads will return to their designated High Performance Centre on 20 July and follow the established COVID protocols to safeguard their return to rugby.

Academy players will complete an eight week pre-season before joining senior squad members to compete in a series of A fixtures in late September and early October.

There will also be three interprovincial 7s tournaments during this period which will see academy selections compete with the Ireland 7s squad.

Provincial Representative Season Outline

12 September 2020

Provincial A Fixtures Round 1

19 September 2020

Provincial 7s Tournament Round 1

26 September 2020

Provincial A Fixtures Round 2

3 October 2020

Provincial 7s Tournament Round 2

10 October 2020

Provincial A Fixtures Round 3

17 October 2020

Provincial 7s Tournament Round 3

12 December 2020

Provincial A Fixtures Round 4

16 January 2021

Provincial A Fixtures Round 5

3 April 2021

Provincial A Fixtures Round 6

[Winnie]

Have you leinsterites seen the picture of mad dog in his ulster gear?
He looks far more handsome in it

[Hank the DJ]

So Connacht's New signing "BOD" has an ACL injury, not back until Christmas at the earliest. Despite AF knowing him previously not sure signing a guy with such a severe injury is smart business.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/seve ... 3fd6f4db76

So the westies decided that their existing injury record wasnt bad enough that they would import a few more

In fairness the physio needs to be kept busy.

[Zig]

Have you leinsterites seen the picture of mad dog in his ulster gear?
He looks far more handsome in it

I'd forgotten about that.

Good to see him back in Ireland.

[irishrugbyua]

Have you leinsterites seen the picture of mad dog in his ulster gear?
He looks far more handsome in it

shall be amusing when he is starting at 10 alongside Cooney.. it's possible last time they lined up together on the field was the euro final against Ulster.

[Crouchy]

Indo reporting that its likely the two existing SA teams in Pro14 will be dumped in favour of their Super Rugby sides.

Could be interesting

Think it would be bad for the comp.
Plus remember that sports journos have literally nothing to write about and will embellish anything to get a story out atm, like that circus last week about the Blues #8 potentially playing for England. The journo probably asked a source that didn’t implicitly deny it, or just made it up, and went to town.

I just don’t see how the SARU or the league or TV audiences could afford to support it, especially at the moment.

There's been talk of SA bringing their Super Rugby side to the Pro-whatever for years now, and that the Cheetahs and Kings were basically guinea pigs to see how it would work playing in the NH.

Numbers wise the league would end up with some silly conference system that's even dafter than the nonsense we have today, but the SR sides are going to be better than some of the dross we currently have. Maybe the Welsh could use it as an opportunity to get out of their 4-team contract and finally cut one of their teams.

[Nols]

Surely it's as obvious as the nose on your face that constant expansion of a tournament with ridiculous conference systems just doesn't work?

Super Rugby absolutely fucked themselves in constant pursuit of expansion. Just because a "product" works, doesn't mean that it'll continue to work by simply throwing more teams into it.

Including the SA sides is a shit idea.

[Crouchy]

Surely it's as obvious as the nose on your face that constant expansion of a tournament with ridiculous conference systems just doesn't work?

Super Rugby absolutely fucked themselves in constant pursuit of expansion. Just because a "product" works, doesn't mean that it'll continue to work by simply throwing more teams into it.

Including the SA sides is a shit idea.

I think 12 is the maximum size of league that works. I'd have no problem with some SA sides joining if the end result is a 12 team league.

[Hobo Hooker]

Surely it's as obvious as the nose on your face that constant expansion of a tournament with ridiculous conference systems just doesn't work?

Super Rugby absolutely fucked themselves in constant pursuit of expansion. Just because a "product" works, doesn't mean that it'll continue to work by simply throwing more teams into it.

Including the SA sides is a shit idea.

a
I think 12 is the maximum size of league that works. I'd have no problem with some SA sides joining if the end result is a 12 team league.

This. More about increasing the quality of the league rather than just adding teams for the sake of the "product".

I wonder how much influence CVC will have on these types of decisions going forward, could we see a European league with the Saffa sides?

[Nols]

Fully agree with capping it at 12. Can have meaningful H&A games, playoffs, and there's still space for Euro and international competitions.

Anything more and you're just compromising too much all over the shop to make something for where it shouldn't.

[Crouchy]

That said, there is no way Ireland gets 4 teams in a 12 team league with 5 nations involved.

[Nols]

That said, there is no way Ireland gets 4 teams in a 12 team league with 5 nations involved.

A league compromising 5 nations is fucking stupid, though. The Celtic league worked on the basis of geographical proximity and a reasonably shared culture. Didn't too forced. Adding the Italians kinda worked and was easy to do given how small the league was beforehand.

Trying to add another country and fit in 4 more teams is crap, even if the teams are good.
What history is there between the Bull or WP and Glasgow or Llanelli or Ulster? It's shit.

[Lazy couch potato]

Just read TRK s recent article re saffers moving. He made a excellent point re the shitshow that was endgame super rugby

It was time difference as much as anything that did for super rugby. Games played at stupid o clock. Every league has it’s rubbish teams and good teams. But if half your games are 8am and then 4pm and 1 in the morning you lose eyeballs. Most Irish will watch their own team intently ad the other 3 provinces casually....if after one of our games you’ve sharks v stormers on the same station you’d keep watching. Eyeballs mean advertising which is going to be the biggest earner in a covid world

Leinster coasting to the league year after year isn’t great either. The welsh have Mentally disengaged years ago. Players only taking it seriously if they get to playoffs. 4 serious additions with one mid ranker and one worst team in league gone wouldn’t be the worst

[PornDog]

Jesus lads, are we really that stuck for something to shite on about?

[iarmhí]

We need an Ireland game with a controversial selection. That's what fuels this thread

[Lazy couch potato]

We need an Ireland game with a controversial selection. That's what fuels this thread

Or two posters to have a proper toner v touhy never ending Barney

[earl the beaver]

Jesus lads, are we really that stuck for something to shite on about?

Why are we using 2 bloody forums?

[iarmhí]

Jesus lads, are we really that stuck for something to shite on about?

Why are we using 2 bloody forums?

Nicer vibe here. No arsehole far right posters here