Pro 14 - General Thread

[fourthirtythree]

Robbie Henshaw too.

[blockhead]

Dragons v Benetton postponed due to Storm Dennis forecast. Was due to be played Sat night.

[sunshiner1]

Newspapers are reporting that some of the English teams in the first division are looking to join the Pro 14. What do people think? i wouldn't be opposed to a team like Ealing coming in. They're based in London so the ex-pat population would enjoy going to see the Irish and Saffer teams playing against them and they're rich enough to be profitable. Thoughts?

[Oldschool]

Newspapers are reporting that some of the English teams in the first division are looking to join the Pro 14. What do people think? i wouldn't be opposed to a team like Ealing coming in. They're based in London so the ex-pat population would enjoy going to see the Irish and Saffer teams playing against them and they're rich enough to be profitable. Thoughts?

Pros -
A bit of Cherry picking as you suggest like Ealing.
Two teams would give 8 team conferences which would still leave room for local Derbies
This could boost the TV take.
Timing is good with the RFU budget cut leaving a few of the club's disenamoured.
It would undermine the PRL.
Cons
????

[paddyor]

Newspapers are reporting that some of the English teams in the first division are looking to join the Pro 14. What do people think? i wouldn't be opposed to a team like Ealing coming in. They're based in London so the ex-pat population would enjoy going to see the Irish and Saffer teams playing against them and they're rich enough to be profitable. Thoughts?

RFU would never agree to it IMO. But even if they did, they've nothing to offer. THis would be us transferring moeny to them.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Jeez I'd say London Irish would be sick if that happened. It's made sense for them to join ever since they first got relegated and if I was them I think I'd look to do it. Of course there'd be problems but I'm sure they could overcome them.

That said, I think a B&I league (potentially with SA now) is inevitable so maybe there's no point looking to change anything.

[domhnallj]

Jeez I'd say London Irish would be sick if that happened. It's made sense for them to join ever since they first got relegated and if I was them I think I'd look to do it. Of course there'd be problems but I'm sure they could overcome them.

That said, I think a B&I league (potentially with SA now) is inevitable so maybe there's no point looking to change anything.

Don't LI have their golden shares in the premiership? Might there be an issue with this income and them moving to another league? (I have no idea whether this is a problem)

[johng]

The English RFU would never sanction any club playing in a foreign league unless all of them were

[domhnallj]

The English RFU would never sanction any club playing in a foreign league unless all of them were

I agree that the RFU would kill the move, but I was more thinking about a club taking income from another league and how that might pan out.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

The English RFU would never sanction any club playing in a foreign league unless all of them were

I never get this argument. What influence does the RFU have and what would they have against it? My feeling is that the academy would be the big issue and obviously that is a very big one for both the RFU and LI, but other than that? It's a different kettle of fish when talking about the Championship teams though alright, don't see how that's feasible.

I'd say Premiership Rugby would be over the moon to get rid of their 13th member and ring-fence the other 12 clubs. It's the perfect time as well considering the Saracens situation.

I think it makes sense for all concerned and it's the perfect storm really.

[johng]

Most eventualities are covered in here.

https://www.world.rugby/handbook/regula ... 4/?lang=en

I cannot think of an example of a pro club anywhere playing in a comp that is not sanctioned by their union.

[Oldschool]

Jeez I'd say London Irish would be sick if that happened. It's made sense for them to join ever since they first got relegated and if I was them I think I'd look to do it. Of course there'd be problems but I'm sure they could overcome them.

That said, I think a B&I league (potentially with SA now) is inevitable so maybe there's no point looking to change anything.

About the only thing that's inevitable about a B&I league is its' lack of inevitability.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Most eventualities are covered in here.

https://www.world.rugby/handbook/regula ... 4/?lang=en

I cannot think of an example of a pro club anywhere playing in a comp that is not sanctioned by their union.

Sorry but that doesn't answer my question, why wouldn't they sanction it?

[johng]

Why would they? What do they get out of it?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Why would they? What do they get out of it?

Sorry but if you're saying there's no way they'd do it then the onus is on you to say why.

But as I said this would solve a problem in regard to relegation. If LI and Prem Rugby said they wanted it then I can't see why the RFU would say no.

[johng]

There are rules for discussing stuff on the internet?

It would be like Cork Con and Clontarf wanting to play in the premiership.

How would the IRFU feel about that?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Ah come on, if you're saying that there's no way someone would do something then you have to have at least one good reason why you think that. It's not much to ask to actually provide it.

Like I said, there would be issues to overcome, but I can't understand why it would possibly be an automatic no given that it solves such a big issue.

[johng]

It would be a massive loss of face for the bigest and richest union on the planet. Being the first union in the world to have one of their clubs playing in a comp controled by other unions. What do they get for that? Why would the RFU give a chyte about solving a problem for the Prem? None of it makes any sense to me.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Didn't SA Rugby sign off on the Kings and Cheetahs joining the Pro12?

Well they'd get the chance to ring fence the Premiership which would then mean they could cut the funding below it even further. From a PR POV it also gives them the chance to say that they didn't want to do it but LI wanted out and the rest of the GP stakeholders agreed so they had little choice.

They don't have to do that, but it's nonsense to suggest it would be an automatic no.

[Morf]

Didn't SA Rugby sign off on the Kings and Cheetahs joining the Pro12?

Currie Cup had Namibian team 2016/2017, Jaguares XV in 2019 and are scheduled to have a Georgian team this year.

SA seem to have the most lateral thinking on this issue.