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Northern Hemishpere Rugby 2013

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JSRF10

JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
Bardon said:
I would have thought that it would make more sense to have the winners take the final spot for the next year. There's no better play off than the final of the competition.
Click to expand...

Apparently if the Amlin winners haven't qualified they'll get one of the playoff spots, so if its the 10th placed team in one of the leagues they take the play off spot of the 8th placed team
 
boyo

boyo

Mark Ella (57)
Connacht v Ulster (played a few weeks ago) was a cracking match. Connacht played well in the first half.
John Lacey (the ref') had a good game, apart from ruling a Connacht knock-on in the first half which on the replay clearly showed that the ball had come off an Ulster hand.
 
the plastic paddy

the plastic paddy

John Solomon (38)
Rumours that Fat Serge is going to stick with the ERC like Toulon. Very odd weekend on MF with a rake of new posters turning up on a charm offensive, although one of their number shat the bed when they started bringing up politics and the north of the Island and then set about insulting the GAA!?! Could have been McCafferty, Smith or Wray!?!
 
F

FingalRaven

Frank Nicholson (4)
the plastic paddy said:
Rumours that Fat Serge is going to stick with the ERC like Toulon. Very odd weekend on MF with a rake of new posters turning up on a charm offensive, although one of their number shat the bed when they started bringing up politics and the north of the Island and then set about insulting the GAA!?! Could have been McCafferty, Smith or Wray!?!
Click to expand...


I doubt they even know MF exists and they are probably much too busy checking out offices in Dubai for the HQ of the RCC.
 
2emerep

2emerep

Frank Row (1)
Jonathan Sexton was recalled to the Racing Metro team yesterday, despite the Autumn International series starting in one week. Sexton was described as "tired" and "flat" br Joe Schmidt at the start of the week. This is one of the many reasons we need to resist the PRL/LNR Axis takeover of European rugby. Already, our best players are being poached by French teams, to the detriment of our clubs and our international team. With the proposed unfair split of capital and voting rights, the French and English will be able to offer more money to more players to prop up their vanity projects. This has already had a detrimental influence on French, Argentinian and Welsh rugby. Now it is the turn of the Irish. Make your voice heard and let the unions know that supporters do not want this.

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/rugby-unions-save-the-heineken-cup https://www.facebook.com/saveeuropeanrugby
 
wamberal

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
I watched the Top 14 highlights last night. Half the highlights were goal kicks. No wonder the game is struggling when the French play like this. They used to be great to watch, now they are slow and cynical, that seems to be what the IRB believes rugby should be like.
 
boyo

boyo

Mark Ella (57)
I've noticed that when NH referees wear ref-cam they don't need a headband compared to SH referees.

Do they have a better system?
 
Bardon

Bardon

Peter Fenwicke (45)
Very interesting development. If they do bring all of the French clubs back into the fold and bring the Welsh Regions back on board then the English clubs are in a bit of a pickle.

I imagine that if the English clubs do ask to be allowed back in there will be some concession they'll have to make as a symbolic gesture.

But I think this still has a ways to go before it's all resolved. I wouldn't be surprised if it's still not sorted out by the next round of HEC games in January.
 
JSRF10

JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
Interesting indeed, I do expect a climbdown from the English at the last moment over governance but one thing at this stage is certain, the Rugby Champions Cup is dead in the water.

I'd imagine the contingency plan is 4 groups of 4 in next years Heineken Cup with 8 from the Top 14 and 8 from the Pro 12
 
Bardon

Bardon

Peter Fenwicke (45)
If that's the case then the Spanish, Portuguese and Romanians who currently play in the Challenge Cup won't be shunted into obscurity as was the plan under the Rugby Champions Cup.

I'd prefer if the RFU entered teams from the Championship instead of the Premiership clubs for a season. But the RFU have been very quiet on this and they probably don't want any aggro with the clubs at least until after the RWC.
 
JSRF10

JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
A French paper is asking the question: "les clubs français prêts à abandonner les Anglais pour se sauver ?"

You shouldn't need Google translate to figure out what "abandonner les Anglais" means...

http://www.sudouest.fr/2013/11/27/rugby ... 08-773.php

Apparently 10 of the 14 LNR clubs want to continue in the ERC (body that runs the Heineken Cup), no doubt mindful of the 2 million Euro they'll receive from the FFR amongst other things.
 
JSRF10

JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
The French clubs have indicated that they'll play in the Heineken Cup next year but want too see a revamp structure of the ERC with the commercial side of things in control of the participants not the unions. The PRL just released a statement saying they are open to returning to the Heineken Cup next year if an agreement can be made on the commercial control and BT Sport permit them to break their contract.

Basically this dispute is going to run on for at least another year.
 
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