Pro 14 - General Thread
Moderator: moderators
-
- Rob Kearney
- Posts: 8116
- Joined: April 10th, 2011, 10:23 am
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
The split of the teams is now very evident among all the teams in the League. Six teams unbeaten (four in our Conference) and six teams without a win after two games.
Nothing yet to suggest the quality of the League has improved at all and the majority of commentators now referring to the SA teams needing three years to reach standard of the remainder. Not a good prospect.
Nothing yet to suggest the quality of the League has improved at all and the majority of commentators now referring to the SA teams needing three years to reach standard of the remainder. Not a good prospect.
- LeRouxIsPHat
- Jamie Heaslip
- Posts: 15008
- Joined: January 22nd, 2009, 7:49 pm
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
Only caught a few minutes of the SA games yesterday but they were rubbish from what I saw. The Cheetahs looked like they were doing a non contact defensive drill...at half pace. One of Wooton's first half tries was so easy that it was a disgrace.
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
It often takes sub international SA players a while to make an impact when they come North. The 2 teams missed a trick by not hiring NH assistant coaches to prepare them.Ruckedtobits wrote:The split of the teams is now very evident among all the teams in the League. Six teams unbeaten (four in our Conference) and six teams without a win after two games.
Nothing yet to suggest the quality of the League has improved at all and the majority of commentators now referring to the SA teams needing three years to reach standard of the remainder. Not a good prospect.
They'll adapt and we'll know more when they get to play at home and learn to travel.
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
They were fairly gutted by the other soup teams when it leaked that the comp was being cut AFAIK. Which essentially left them as a currie cup + team. It's no apparent that that is a level below the middle of the Pro14. Cheetahs(I think) B team got pumped in the Currie cup at the weekend FWIW. They're back where Treviso were when they got gutted by the HEC row. Hopefully, given the playing pool in SA they'll be able to recover a little faster.Ruckedtobits wrote:The split of the teams is now very evident among all the teams in the League. Six teams unbeaten (four in our Conference) and six teams without a win after two games.
Nothing yet to suggest the quality of the League has improved at all and the majority of commentators now referring to the SA teams needing three years to reach standard of the remainder. Not a good prospect.
I'm really not expecting much from them this year. They might get a few more players on loan once TRC and CC ends for a few months. But really I think they'll have to wait until the Soup ends next season to make any kind of decent signings.
Ruddock's tackle stats consistently too low for me to be taken seriously as a Six Nations blindside..... Ruddock's defensive stats don't stack up. - All Blacks Nil, Jan 15th, 2014
England A 8 - 14 Ireland A, 25th Jan 2014
Ruddock(c) 19/2 Tackles
England A 8 - 14 Ireland A, 25th Jan 2014
Ruddock(c) 19/2 Tackles
- simonokeeffe
- Jamie Heaslip
- Posts: 16777
- Joined: July 21st, 2011, 3:04 am
- Location: Dublin
- Contact:
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
Kings had far more disruption in entering the league but they at least tried v Connacht
Hopefully the bit of certainty now allows them both to retain and recruit better for next season
Hopefully the bit of certainty now allows them both to retain and recruit better for next season
Retired from babbling. Can be found on twittter @okeeffesimon
- TerenureJim
- Shane Jennings
- Posts: 5316
- Joined: May 5th, 2009, 10:09 am
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
They'll likely snatch some hoe victories and could surprise one or two on the road, realistically putting them against Ulster, Connacht, Munster and Scarlets first up was going in at the deep end yet but for yellow cards v Ulster Cheetas would have been in touching distance and Kings were OK v Connacht. It's very early doors for anyone to be making any judgements on this.
- Peg Leg
- Rob Kearney
- Posts: 9823
- Joined: February 1st, 2010, 5:08 pm
- Location: Procrastinasia
- Contact:
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
No victory like a hoe victory
"It was Mrs O'Leary's cow"
Daniel Sullivan
Daniel Sullivan
- TerenureJim
- Shane Jennings
- Posts: 5316
- Joined: May 5th, 2009, 10:09 am
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
Hoe for sho'Peg Leg wrote:No victory like a hoe victory
- simonokeeffe
- Jamie Heaslip
- Posts: 16777
- Joined: July 21st, 2011, 3:04 am
- Location: Dublin
- Contact:
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
we could do with a rake of them before the AI'sPeg Leg wrote:No victory like a hoe victory
Retired from babbling. Can be found on twittter @okeeffesimon
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
I'm all for growing the league but too much too soon is a very risky strategy. Let the SA teams bed in for at least a few years before adding in brand new franchises in untested markets.
http://www.the42.ie/pro14-rugby-america ... 2-Sep2017/
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... n-13606573
http://www.the42.ie/pro14-rugby-america ... 2-Sep2017/
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... n-13606573
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
Sam Warburton could be out for another 4 months.
Will Cardiff even notice?
Will Cardiff even notice?
You know I'm going to lose,
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
Doubt it. Josh Navidi is a much better player for them anyway.blockhead wrote:Sam Warburton could be out for another 4 months.
Will Cardiff even notice?
- simonokeeffe
- Jamie Heaslip
- Posts: 16777
- Joined: July 21st, 2011, 3:04 am
- Location: Dublin
- Contact:
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
Ellis Jenkins is better than both of themjimbobjoe wrote:Doubt it. Josh Navidi is a much better player for them anyway.blockhead wrote:Sam Warburton could be out for another 4 months.
Will Cardiff even notice?
I have poo pooed the North American teams enough as it is but right now? Hell no. SA teams need to have a chance, last thing they need is some crazy traveljimbobjoe wrote:I'm all for growing the league but too much too soon is a very risky strategy. Let the SA teams bed in for at least a few years before adding in brand new franchises in untested markets.
http://www.the42.ie/pro14-rugby-america ... 2-Sep2017/
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... n-13606573
Retired from babbling. Can be found on twittter @okeeffesimon
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
blockhead wrote:Sam Warburton could be out for another 4 months.
Will Cardiff even notice?
He'll be back just in time for the 6 nations like every other year. Just a coincidence.
- TerenureJim
- Shane Jennings
- Posts: 5316
- Joined: May 5th, 2009, 10:09 am
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
If they contract Canadian and USA national players along with one or two marquee names like we have done with the provinces there's no reason you couldn't slot two North American teams into the conference system with minor disruption. They'd be competitive with Italians and the SA sides I reckon and could be a banana skin for some of the bigger teams. No reason not to do this and steal a march on the Prem. We have the diaspora to bring the crowds and could use these games to blood younger players so the big names can roll out for marquee derbies.jimbobjoe wrote:I'm all for growing the league but too much too soon is a very risky strategy. Let the SA teams bed in for at least a few years before adding in brand new franchises in untested markets.
http://www.the42.ie/pro14-rugby-america ... 2-Sep2017/
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... n-13606573
- simonokeeffe
- Jamie Heaslip
- Posts: 16777
- Joined: July 21st, 2011, 3:04 am
- Location: Dublin
- Contact:
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
Cheetahs have sold 24k tickets PLUS season tickets for first home game v Zebre
Cheetahs v Zebre is the stuff Mark Robson's and every marketing department's dreams are made of
Cheetahs v Zebre is the stuff Mark Robson's and every marketing department's dreams are made of
Retired from babbling. Can be found on twittter @okeeffesimon
- Laighin Break
- Mullet
- Posts: 1830
- Joined: May 3rd, 2012, 9:35 am
- Location: Scandinavia
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
Haven't Toyota "bought" all the tickets, and giving them away for free?simonokeeffe wrote:Cheetahs have sold 24k tickets PLUS season tickets for first home game v Zebre
Cheetahs v Zebre is the stuff Mark Robson's and every marketing department's dreams are made of
- simonokeeffe
- Jamie Heaslip
- Posts: 16777
- Joined: July 21st, 2011, 3:04 am
- Location: Dublin
- Contact:
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
havent a scoobyLaighin Break wrote:Haven't Toyota "bought" all the tickets, and giving them away for free?simonokeeffe wrote:Cheetahs have sold 24k tickets PLUS season tickets for first home game v Zebre
Cheetahs v Zebre is the stuff Mark Robson's and every marketing department's dreams are made of
Retired from babbling. Can be found on twittter @okeeffesimon
- LeRouxIsPHat
- Jamie Heaslip
- Posts: 15008
- Joined: January 22nd, 2009, 7:49 pm
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
simonokeeffe wrote:Cheetahs have sold 24k tickets PLUS season tickets for first home game v Zebre
Cheetahs v Zebre is the stuff Mark Robson's and every marketing department's dreams are made of
-
- Rob Kearney
- Posts: 8116
- Joined: April 10th, 2011, 10:23 am
Re: Pro 14 - General Thread
Correct and every STH can ask for 10 to give to his mates. But....its a very big stadium!Laighin Break wrote:Haven't Toyota "bought" all the tickets, and giving them away for free?simonokeeffe wrote:Cheetahs have sold 24k tickets PLUS season tickets for first home game v Zebre
Cheetahs v Zebre is the stuff Mark Robson's and every marketing department's dreams are made of