European Champions Cup [Most Improved]

[fourthirtythree]

I can see the design brief now "anything but green. Just not green..."

[ribs]

But Heineken is green - wonder how they snuck that past the key sponsor

[Peg Leg]

The winners of the comp generally wear Blue so I like it!

[IanD]

I wonder will Channel 4 have to geolock their coverage as there is a seperate Irish rights holder

They can't.

Channel 4 broadcast via free to air satellite. So may be blocked on some platforms but will be available via free to air satellite boxes.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Channel 4 have definitely blocked things before on Sky.

I never really thought about it before but anyone know why BBC and ITV never had to geoblock the 6N? Is it just that RTE/TV3 could have made it happen if they paid more? Or is there some political reason?

[Dave Cahill]

Channel 4 have definitely blocked things before on Sky.

I never really thought about it before but anyone know why BBC and ITV never had to geoblock the 6N? Is it just that RTE/TV3 could have made it happen if they paid more? Or is there some political reason?

BBC and ITV pay, as part of their rights package, for the size of their footprint (which also includes parts of France and northern Spain).

Channel 4 have geo-blocked on Sky alright, but its an Ireland specific feed in Ireland on subscription services like Sky, VirginTV, EirTV etc. and is encrypted. Their 'network' feed is Free To Air so you could tune it in on your sky box (or generic satellite receiver) as an additional channel. Its very difficult to geolock an FTA channel as there is no way of knowing where the receiver is and by definition an FTA feed cannot be encrypted

[LeRouxIsPHat]

That's interesting, thanks Dave.

As an aside, I'm fairly certain that the programme that I know was blocked wasn't actually being shown on Irish TV at the time.

[Dave Cahill]

That's interesting, thanks Dave.

As an aside, I'm fairly certain that the programme that I know was blocked wasn't actually being shown on Irish TV at the time.

An Irish channel might have the rights though - even if they aren't currently showing it. Thats happened in the past too. What show was it do you recall?

[Ruckedtobits]

Toulon will have to plan without Basteraud who's been handed 5 weeks for his imitation of Mick McManus.

[sunshiner1]

[quote】by Ruckedtobits

Toulon will have to plan without Basteraud who's been handed 5 weeks for his imitation of Mick McManus.[/quote]

Surprised it wasn't more. It looked pre-meditated.

[Lar]

And its not like he doesn't have previous....

[Peg Leg]

And its not like he doesn't have previous....

Or likely to have arrived with any cake/biscuits left for the judging panel.

[Oldschool]

Toulon will have to plan without Basteraud who's been handed 5 weeks for his imitation of Mick McManus.

Or Steve Logan his tag partner.
Once described as a villain who loved his work.

[OTT]

Spencer gets four weeks and Basteraud gets five.

I don't agree with Geordan Murphy about the game going soft he is just whingeing but I think there is something wrong in rugby when there is only deemed to be a weeks difference in a mistimed high tackle and something you would see in the UFC.

I would have thought a shorter ban for Spencer and a longer one (a good bit longer) for Basteraud would have been fitting.

[paddyor]

Spencer gets four weeks and Basteraud gets five.

I don't agree with Geordan Murphy about the game going soft he is just whingeing but I think there is something wrong in rugby when there is only deemed to be a weeks difference in a mistimed high tackle and something you would see in the UFC.

I would have thought a shorter ban for Spencer and a longer one (a good bit longer) for Basteraud would have been fitting.

Spencer would have got 3 if he'd plead not guilty.

[blockhead]

Bath got thumped 24-39 by Exeter tonight.

[blockhead]

Bath got thumped 24-39 by Exeter tonight.

Wasps got thumped 21-35 by Gloucester.

[blockhead]

Taulupe Faletau has broken his arm, out for a bit.

[kermischocolate]

See Toulon have been docked 5 match points suspended for 3 seasons?

[paddyor]

See Toulon have been docked 5 match points suspended for 3 seasons?

Nope.

At that hearing last July, an independent Disciplinary Committee upheld a misconduct complaint against RC Toulon in that the club had overall responsibility for the actions of its President, Mourad Boudjellal, who had made comments which discriminated against and insulted a number of different groups and brought the game of rugby into disrepute.

The Disciplinary Committee also upheld a misconduct complaint against Mr Boudjellal imposing a fine of €75,000, with a further €25,000 suspended for three years, and also ordering him to pay the costs of the hearing. Mr Boudjellal did not appeal the decision.

At the appeal hearing in London, the independent Appeal Committee consisting of Sir James Dingemans (England), Chairman, Philippe Cavalieros (France) and Andrea Caranci (Italy) heard submissions from RC Toulon’s legal representative, Christian Chevalier, and from EPCR’s legal representative, Max Duthie.

RC Toulon argued that the original decision of the Disciplinary Committee had been made in error and should be overturned. The club also argued that the suspended points deduction was disproportionate, and that the order of costs was excessive.

The Appeal Committee determined that the appeal should be denied in every respect save that it decided to vary the terms of the original decision in one limited aspect relating to the suspension of the points deduction, by reducing the period of suspension from three seasons to one season.

The points deduction will therefore be suspended only for the 2018/19 season and the club will still be required to pay its contribution to the costs of the initial hearing.