Pro 12 - General Thread

[neiliog93]

Interesting, I often think Germany are a sleeping giant in rugby terms. Their national team is very competitive against the big boys of the European Trophy, they have an 80 million+ population, wealth, and only one very popular team sport. Handball, basketball and volleyball are all played obviously but most people only really care about football.

I'm living in Holland at the moment and have been pleasantly surprised that many people who like sport in general watch the 6 Nations, are aware of positions like front row, second row etc, and know the world's most famous players. There are also plenty of clubs and some young Dutch guys in French academies. Holland, Germany and maybe Belgium have huge potential for rugby, at least in Holland in team sport terms all they have after football is hockey.

[simonokeeffe]

He pretty much is German rugby! I can't see him taking on two projects like this. Stade are a basket case club and professional German rugby is newborn in terms of development. Both projects require 100% focus so if the Stade takeover goes through, the german pro12 project will be in stasis for a few years.

If stade are to be the breeding ground for the German national front can we can we start calling Racing, the resistance?

Do we call Stade Paris St German?

[Peg Leg]

He pretty much is German rugby! I can't see him taking on two projects like this. Stade are a basket case club and professional German rugby is newborn in terms of development. Both projects require 100% focus so if the Stade takeover goes through, the german pro12 project will be in stasis for a few years.

If stade are to be the breeding ground for the German national front can we can we start calling Racing, the resistance?

Do we call Stade Paris St German?

Stadt de Frankreich

[simonokeeffe]

A bunch of panzies?

[Dexter]

Interesting, I often think Germany are a sleeping giant in rugby terms. Their national team is very competitive against the big boys of the European Trophy, they have an 80 million+ population, wealth, and only one very popular team sport. Handball, basketball and volleyball are all played obviously but most people only really care about football.

I'm living in Holland at the moment and have been pleasantly surprised that many people who like sport in general watch the 6 Nations, are aware of positions like front row, second row etc, and know the world's most famous players. There are also plenty of clubs and some young Dutch guys in French academies. Holland, Germany and maybe Belgium have huge potential for rugby, at least in Holland in team sport terms all they have after football is hockey.

There always seems to be groups of Dutch lads at games in RDS. They're not rugby novices either.

[Peg Leg]

Let's be honest, the likeliest name will be "ze French foreign office fur ze development of Deutschlanden players und ze improvement of skills, awareness und competitive playing of ze game of Rugby in functional plain sporting apparel"

[Grumpy Old Man]

Looks like a lot of posters spent their youth reading the Victor.

[olaf the fat]

Looks like a lot of posters spent their youth reading the Victor.

Now that post brighten a dull Monday morning!

[olaf the fat]

Much and all that I wish it was us playing the Ospreys in the final, the outcome of the semi finals is good for the pro 12.

To have a the Scarletts in the final is great of the competitive feel of the league and raises the profile of the final internationally.

[Oldschool]

Looks like a lot of posters spent their youth reading the Victor.

Now that post brighten a dull Monday morning!

Ditto ie +1 for those below a certain age.

[blockhead]

Pro 12 2016-17:
Total Attendance: 1,187,906- Highest season total so far, beating 2 years ago by over 27K.
Average attendance: 8,799

Leinster 2016-2017:
Total Attendance: 304,816 (47,117 more than last year, but Heino semi was 50,266)
Total ave: 19,051
Pro12 ave: 15,374
RDS Pro12 ave: 13,088

[Peg Leg]

A great year for the competition. Consistently produced a better spectacle than it's 2 NH rivals. In lieu of sugar daddies and bright shiny debt saddles the unions involved have brought in some wonderful coaching talent to keep apace with the giants of Europe. With Rennie and Gibbes joining the ranks next year I think we can expect more of the same.

[Ruckedtobits]

Pro 12 2016-17:
Total Attendance: 1,187,906- Highest season total so far, beating 2 years ago by over 27K.
Average attendance: 8,799

Leinster 2016-2017:
Total Attendance: 304,816 (47,117 more than last year, but Heino semi was 50,266)
Total ave: 19,051
Pro12 ave: 15,374
RDS Pro12 ave: 13,088

+1
Thanks @blockhead. Very useful analysis. Additional 47,117 patrons not to be sneezed at.

The Pro12 average is healthy BUT the RDS average could be improved by about 2k per match.

[Dave Cahill]

I really think the marketing team need to differentiate their campaigns more. Also, they need to be a bit cleverer with their tie-ins. Marketing a game the weekend after valentines day against a team (Edinburgh) that leinster supporters have no feelings about, positive or negative, to a c.85% male audience as 'no love lost' is just not going to have tickets rushing out the door.

[simonokeeffe]

I really think the marketing team need to differentiate their campaigns more. Also, they need to be a bit cleverer with their tie-ins. Marketing a game the weekend after valentines day against a team (Edinburgh) that leinster supporters have no feelings about, positive or negative, to a c.85% male audience as 'no love lost' is just not going to have tickets rushing out the door.

we normally get Dragons for our Valentines home game, how the heck do you sell that as romantic?

[blockhead]

Haven't you seen Shrek?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Fire breathing creatures just remind me of my ex.

[simonokeeffe]

Haven't you seen Shrek?

Nah its too far fetched

[brenno]

Apologies because no doubt this has been answered umpteen times before but how is the seeding of the Pro12 teams for the ERC done - is it based on final league position or after the knockouts. Am assuming it's the latter and the Pro12 order of seeding for the ERC will be Scarlets-Munster-Leinster-Ospreys and then the others based on league position, and not the final league order of Munster-Leinster-Scarlets-Ospreys???

[johng]

Howdy Brenno. Correct. There's a thread here about it with diagrams neveryting.

http://forum.leinsterfans.com/viewtopic ... 83#p695255