Pro 12 - General Thread

[simonokeeffe]

That was a crude joke at best

[Peg Leg]

I like the way you rigged that one TJ, you're a barrel of laughs.

[rooster]

If we're looking at possibly two more home games does that maybe give us leeway to move another interpro or even two to Lansdowne it'd be great to get 30k plus in the doors for games against Connacht and Ulster

At least you guys have something to gain.

I dont think we are getting extra home games. Just isnt room in the calendar. Would be very surprised if it ended up a full 26 game regular season.

FYI the increased revenue is rumoured to be between €500k & €800k per team, so something for everyone.

Not if number of games are cut, plus extra travel will have all down in funds.
There is an anomaly in the entire press articles, some say we will cut travel costs by playing both SA teams on consecutive weekends yet others say split into conferences, can't be both.

[simonokeeffe]

Would only work every second year if you play home and away v your conference teams and round robin v other conference teams

[rooster]

So, were all the formal Agreements signed off yet, or has somebody pulled the plug at the last moment?

Certainly feel that the stakeholders of the constituent Clubs (and that includes us STHs) should have been consulted but this is rugby where communication is always by whisper, rumour and innuendo.

July 18 is what I'm hearing for the big announce

Similar Dave, wonder have we a common source ? Player meeting in SA on 15th as those guys could have to abandon a preseason holiday and basically go back to work for another 10 months

[kermischocolate]

If we're looking at possibly two more home games does that maybe give us leeway to move another interpro or even two to Lansdowne it'd be great to get 30k plus in the doors for games against Connacht and Ulster

At least you guys have something to gain.

It's a shame the proposed Aberdeen franchise didn't find traction, yes they would initially have stalled in a scrap with dragons and Italians but over time the "Oilers" could have been slick

There's barely enough funds for two professional sides, never mind three!

[simonokeeffe]

So, were all the formal Agreements signed off yet, or has somebody pulled the plug at the last moment?

Certainly feel that the stakeholders of the constituent Clubs (and that includes us STHs) should have been consulted but this is rugby where communication is always by whisper, rumour and innuendo.

July 18 is what I'm hearing for the big announce

Similar Dave, wonder have we a common source ? Player meeting in SA on 15th as those guys could have to abandon a preseason holiday and basically go back to work for another 10 months

What happens with the players with Currie Cup contracts? Doubt organisers and sponsors of that keen to have 2 massively depleted teams

[ronk]

So, were all the formal Agreements signed off yet, or has somebody pulled the plug at the last moment?

Certainly feel that the stakeholders of the constituent Clubs (and that includes us STHs) should have been consulted but this is rugby where communication is always by whisper, rumour and innuendo.

July 18 is what I'm hearing for the big announce

Similar Dave, wonder have we a common source ? Player meeting in SA on 15th as those guys could have to abandon a preseason holiday and basically go back to work for another 10 months

Or lose their jobs

[paddyor]

So, were all the formal Agreements signed off yet, or has somebody pulled the plug at the last moment?

Certainly feel that the stakeholders of the constituent Clubs (and that includes us STHs) should have been consulted but this is rugby where communication is always by whisper, rumour and innuendo.

July 18 is what I'm hearing for the big announce

Similar Dave, wonder have we a common source ? Player meeting in SA on 15th as those guys could have to abandon a preseason holiday and basically go back to work for another 10 months

It's after the last day of Soup. Makes sense.

[blockhead]

EDINBURGH will continue to play games at Myreside for the nest three seasons, the club have just announced.

Following a consultation with local residents, supporters and the playing squad it has been decided to stay on at the ground of George Watson’s College.

[neill_m]

EDINBURGH will continue to play games at Myreside for the nest three seasons, the club have just announced.

Following a consultation with local residents, supporters and the playing squad it has been decided to stay on at the ground of George Watson’s College.

Select fixtures, including the annual 1872 Cup clash, will be played at BT Murrayfield in the 2017/18 season.

Giving themselves some wiggle room.

[simonokeeffe]

EDINBURGH will continue to play games at Myreside for the nest three seasons, the club have just announced.

Following a consultation with local residents, supporters and the playing squad it has been decided to stay on at the ground of George Watson’s College.

Select fixtures, including the annual 1872 Cup clash, will be played at BT Murrayfield in the 2017/18 season.

Giving themselves some wiggle room.

Glasgow aside cant see what other games would be worth their while moving there

[jimbobjoe]

EDINBURGH will continue to play games at Myreside for the nest three seasons, the club have just announced.

Following a consultation with local residents, supporters and the playing squad it has been decided to stay on at the ground of George Watson’s College.

It's worked out well for them but it's cr@p to get to unless you're a bajillionaire living on Colinton Road or a plain old millionaire living in Bruntsfield or Morningside.

[blockhead]

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRug ... y-20170713

Pro14 announcement set for Saturday?
2017-07-13 10:29
Cape Town - The Cheetahs and Southern Kings’ participation in Europe’s Pro12 competition is expected to be made official within the next few days.

SA Rugby confirmed last week that the Cheetahs and Kings will not play Super Rugby in 2018, with both franchises agreeing that they would be seeking other international opportunities.

The Pro12 - a competition featuring teams from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy - is believed to be the most viable option, with several reports indicating that the tournament will be rebranded to Pro14.

According to Bloemfontein-based radio station, OFM, an official announcement could be made as soon as Saturday (July 15).

A report on the radio station’s website indicates that the Pro12 organisers would make the announcement themselves, with Cheetahs CEO Harold Verster commenting on the matter: “We have negotiated an amicable solution and there is a wonderful opportunity for us up north, for the Cheetahs and Kings. Unfortunately they have opted to make the release themselves once everything is in place. That will be around about the 15th of July, once their board is in place.”

The Kings and Cheetahs play their final Super Rugby match on Friday night when they square off in Port Elizabeth (19:00).

Teams:

Kings

15 Malcolm Jaer, 14 Wandile Mjekevu, 13 Berton Klaasen, 12 Luzuko Vulindlu, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Lionel Cronje (captain), 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Andisa Ntsila, 7 Tyler Paul, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 4 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Michael Willemse, 1 Mzamo Majola

Substitutes: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 19 Irne Herbst/Mzwanele Zito, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Rudi van Rooyen, 22 Masixole Banda, 23 Waylon Murray/Yaw Penxe

[Ruckedtobits]

Michael Corcoran has a fair bit of homework to do.

[paddyor]

Rumour that South Western Province to play Cheetahs in their first Pro12 game.

[johng]

My guess at the structure of the comp is this.

There are 3 requirements if you have 2 conferences of 7.

1/ 22 rounds of competition + semi and final.

2/ A way of ranking teams in order 1 to 14 for Euro qualification etc.

3/ A full schedule of derby games for each country.

So....

Conferences split with half of each country's teams in each one.

Play each team in your conference home and away = 12 games

Play the other conference's teams home OR away = 7 games

Play the other team(s) from your country in the other conference once (for Wales and Ireland) or twice (for the rest) more = 2 games

That gives you a 21 game season.

BUT.

To rank all teams there would be a further round at the end where the top 6 play off (either French style or Rugby League style) and the other 8 play off for position. i.e 4th plays 4th for 7th place. 5th plays 5th for 9th place etc.

Works for me.

[blockhead]

BEEB

Pro12: Cheetahs and Southern Kings' entry to be confirmed next week

Governing body Celtic Rugby is expected to confirm next week that South African teams Southern Kings and Cheetahs will be invited into the Pro12 competition.

Board members are set to meet in Dublin on Tuesday, 18 July to discuss the tournament's immediate future.

The South African franchises, who play their final Super Rugby game on Friday, would join 12 teams from Wales, Italy, Ireland and Scotland from September.

The revamp could see the league divided into two conferences of seven teams.

If agreed, that would see teams play their conference rivals home and away, but they are expected to also play against teams in the other conference at least once.

It is understood clubs are eager to safeguard as many derby games in the season as possible.

The Kings and Cheetahs are able "to explore other international opportunities" as they are poised to leave Super Rugby, the southern hemisphere's premier club competition between clubs from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Japan.

By coincidence, the teams play each other in their final game in the competition on Friday at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

Super Rugby will be reduced from 18 to 15 teams next season, with an Australian side also poised to be cut.

Despite being set to play in a European league, the two teams are keen to remain based in South Africa rather than the UK.

There has been a suggestion they could play some of their home matches in the United Kingdom, with Saracens' Allianz Arena mooted as a potential venue.

This would be the first major change to the Pro Rugby competition since the introduction of Italian sides in 2010.

Welsh and Scottish sides first combined in a league in 1999, before an agreement with the Irish Rugby Football Union saw the Celtic League formed in 2001 with 15 teams.

This latest development in the Pro12 could also open the door to North American participation for the 2018-19 season, as the competition explores expansion options to generate more revenue and tap into new markets.

There have also been concerns over the future participation of Italy's two clubs, with Pro12 managing director Martin Anayi meeting with Italian rugby bosses this week in Rome.

Celtic Rugby was contacted by BBC Wales Sport, but declined to comment

[johng]

Rugby, Pro12: Benetton and Zebra remain inside
The operative director of the Celtic league met with President Alfredo Gavazzi: confirmed the presence of Fir until 2020, the natural expiration of the current contract. Instead it doubts the entry of the two South Africans


July 11, 2017 - Milan

Benetton Treviso and Zebra will continue to play in the Pro12 until the natural deadline of the current contract that binds the Italian Rugby Federation to the Celtic tournament, or until 2020.
Continuity - This is the juice of the meeting that took place today in Rome between Fir and Pro12, between President Alfredo Gavazzi and Operational Director Martin Anayi. The presence in the Zebra Championship would not have been questioned, for which, in spite of the bankruptcy of the company, the same federation guaranteed the establishment of a new one, which was also owned by Fir itself. With the continuity guarantee.
South Africa - All that remains to be said remains the question of the possible entry of the two South African Cheetahs and Kings, left out of the Super Rugby. Next Tuesday in Dublin, the Pro12 will come back together to try to figure out whether the 14-member tournament expansion will prove to be economically viable.

[johng]

Bradley the son in law supposed to be head coach of Zebre next season